Inequality And Social Determinant Of Health

INTRODUCTION
Richard Wilkinson is a British public health researcher who studies the effects of social inequalities and social determinants of health. Social inequality is dissimilarities in the rationing of wealth in the population between groups or individuals. Social determinants are the conditions that individuals are forced to live. This way of life is produced by the supply of power, money, and resources in the individual or groups social level. The affects that both social inequality and social determinants have on social health is a result of income inequality, according to Wilkinson.
Income inequality is the distribution of salary across the economy. The percentage of the income compare with the percentage of the population determines the “fair” and “unfairness” of wealth compared with salaries of the population. Wilkinson provides a sociological alternative to past research and has equivalent measures of inequality in different societies, and may actually see the affect that it has on poverty, health behaviors, and the cultural aspects of social relations. He believes income inequality is most important explanation of social disasters. A great definition of Wilkinson’s income inequality hypothesis is, “an individual’s health is influenced not only by their own level of income, but by the level of inequality in the area in which they live.” (DeMaio 2010 p. 60). Wilkinson suggests four pathways that explain why income inequality is a social determinant of health.

WILKINSON’S EVIDENCE

Wilkinson hypothesizes that income makes a difference as a social determinant of health within but not between industrialized countries (DeMaio 2010, p. 61). In the areas where income matters within is referred to as “the social gradi...

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...be the focus of one study instead of being compared to countries with unequal population inequalities. By conducting research on the United Sates, Wilkinson can discover specific factors causing health issues within the country. There are countless variables Wilkinson can choose as factors to the stressors that may cause determinants of health. As I previously mentioned: gender, race, socioeconomic status, education, children, marital status, family issues, and others can cause someone to experience personal and emotional breakdowns. Wilkinson can even focus on bad habits like smoking cigarettes, drinking, and drug use and their effect of the SES (Socio-Economic Status) of the population. Overall, Wilkinson should conduct more detailed studies that will leave explanations for all of his theories. Wilkinson’s overall belief is life is short when its quality is poor.