How the distribution of health can be linked to inequality; Lung Cancer within Social Class Introduction The distribution of health is determined by a wide variety of individual, community, and national factors. There is a growing body of evidence documenting inequalities in both the distribution of health and access to health care in the United Kingdom. Lung cancer is the second most common cancer for both men and women in England (Office for National Statistics, 2013). The majority of lung cancer cases in the United Kingdom occur as a result of tobacco smoking, 80-90% of lung cancer cases can be attributed to this with only 10-20% of cases being attributed to diet and occupational exposures to carcinogens, such as radiation (Parkin, Boyd and Walker, 2011). Research also suggests that socio-economic deprivation is associated with an increased risk of developing lung cancer. Analysis Lung cancer incidence is strongly related to deprivation and there is a clear trend of increasing rates with increasing levels of deprivation in the United Kingdom. In 2008, 14.3% of males and 13.2% of females in affluent areas developed lung cancer compared to 25.2% of males and 26.3% of females in the most deprived areas (National Cancer Intelligence Centre, 2013). The link between socio-economic deprivation and lung cancer may be due to the higher prevalence of smoking and heavier smoking in lower socio-economic groups. Graph 1 below shows the difference in tobacco smoking in both men and women in social class, 1 being the least deprived and 6 being the most deprived. Graph 1 http://www.sochealth.co.uk The socio-economic status of the household reference person is also a factor by which cigarette smoking varies. In 2011, smoking prevalence betw... ... middle of paper ... ...es surrounding the lungs, which reflect past exposure to asbestos, is more common in manual workers in the building and naval industries resulting in a higher incidence of lung cancer with in a lower socio-economic status. Conclusion It is clear from findings that people in a lower social class have a higher incidence of lung cancer. Tobacco smoking is the most prevalent cause of lung cancer in the United Kingdom and smoking is the main cause of differences in illness and death between the poor and wealthy (Gruer et al. 2007). While the desire and motivation to give up smoking appears to have no difference depending on socio-economic status, people from the most deprived areas have lower smoking cessation rates (Bauld, L, 2006). People from more deprived areas also have a poorer education and have less motivation to change there lifestyle to improve their health.
According to Germov (2015: p.517) “SES is a statistical measure of relative inequality that classifies individuals, households, or families into one of three categories based on their income, occupation, and education. There are three different categories you can be classified under, which are: low SES, middle SES, or high SES. The socioeconomic status an individual makes has and always will affect the way you are treated in society, as well as your health. The Australian Bureau of Statistics states, that there is a substantial body of evidence that people of lower SES have worse health than others (ABS, 1999). In the context of this essay, I will be exploring health-related data on health and inequality,
In the year 2000, smoking has fallen out of public favour and is seen as an undesirable social and physical health hab...
In addition to being responsible for 87% of lung cancers, smoking is also associated with cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, uterine cervix, kidney, and bladder. Smoking accounts for at least 29% of all cancer deaths, is a major cause of heart disease, and is associated with conditions ranging from colds and gastric ulcers to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cerebrovascular disease. Women have a better chance in getting lung cancer then men do. This year the disease will kill 68,000 women in the United States, more than one and a half times as many as breast cancer. Even if a woman smoked for awhile and quit, her chances are much greater then a man that smoked 2 times longer then the woman did.
For these reasons, minorities often put off the expense of seeing a doctor until they have advanced disease and are past being easily treated. A lack of education, rural or inner city residence, unemployment, and low literacy rate may also contribute to higher cancer mortality rates for some communities. In several studies researchers investigates whether socioeconomic status is the reason for the disparity in prostate cancer incidence, where African Americans and Non- Hispanic Whites are the top two candidates for prostate cancer. Some results found that the highest level of cancer incidence was positively correlated with low socioeconomic status (Cheng, et al.,
(2010) Socioeconomic disparities in quit intentions, quit attempts, and smoking abstinence among smokers in four western countries: findings from the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey. Nicotine Tobacco Research, Suppl:S20-33. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntq051.
People living in areas such as Playford, has shown to have a lower socioeconomic position, which made them at highest risk of poor health (WHO, 2017). Then, the social determinants of health support the understanding the difference between populations health levels, but also the reasons behind why some groups are healthier than others (Marmot, 2005) and the issue becomes a little bit deeper as people living in different areas related to others differently, so then the social stratification of health is affected by differences in gender, marital status, residential areas and ethnicity (Elstad,
Socio-economic class or socio-economic status (SES) may refer to mixture of various factors such as poverty, occupation and environment. It is a way of measuring the standard and quality of life of individuals and families in society using social and economic factors that affect health and wellbeing ( Giddens and Sutton, 2013). Cockerham (2007 p75) argues: ‘Social class or socioeconomic status (SES) is the strongest predictor of health, disease causation and longevity in medical sociology.’ Research in the 1990s, (Drever and Whitehead, 1997) found out that people in higher SES are generally healthier, and live longer than those in lower SES.
Cancer of the lung was nearly nonexistent in the early 1900’s. By the middle of the 20th century an epidemic became apparent throughout the United States and the rest of the world. It is primarily correlated with the widespread abundance of cigarette smoking in the world. The tobacco industry has multiplied its production immediately prior to World War I. There was a typical 20 to 30 year lagging period between the initiation of cigarette smoking and the actual tumor formation in the lungs. Lung cancer is the cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs. It occurs when cells in the lung start to grow rapidly in an uncontrolled manner. Lung cancer can start anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory system. Most of all lung cancer cases start in the lining of the bronchi (health-cares.net, 2005). It is the leading cause of all cancer deaths in the world. During this time the tobacco companies would continue to say that cigarette smoking was not addictive and did not cause any type of cancer. Even with all evidence in the world today about tobacco causing cancer, Tobacco companies still remain the most profitable business in the world. Lung cancer is very common in both women and men. Women account for about 40 percent of the lung cancer cases in the world. Women who smoke are more than twice as likely to develop lung cancer as those of men who smoke (Tavor, 2005).
This essay is aimed to explore, analyse and discuss smoking in adults. Smoking is a public health issue as such is one of the major contributors to high mortality and ill-health in the adults which is preventable (Health and Excellence Care (NICE) (2012). The United Kingdom (UK) is known to have the highest number of people with a history of smoking among people with low socio-economic status (Scriven and Garman, 2006; Goddard and Green, 2005). Smoking is considered a serious epidemic in the UK and the National institute for Health and Excellence Care (NICE, 2012) stated that 28% of adults with low economic status are tobacco smokers compared with 13% of those with economic status or having professional incomes. Furthermore almost 80,000 people died in England in 2011 as a result of smoking related issues and 9,500 admissions of children died due to being second hand smokers (WHO, 2005). This essay focuses on definition of smoking, the aim is to underline the relationship between smoking and the determinants of health and then, the size, prevalence, and morbidity trend of smoking will be explored. Furthermore, some public health policies introduced to confront the issues around smoking will be investigated and finally, the roles of nurses will identify health needs the public so as to promote good health and their wellbeing.
The leading cause of death in America is lung cancer. Lung cancer is ranked top 10 fatal cancers in the United States. There are many types of ways to get lung cancer. There is radon gas it occurs outdoors naturally. Then there is second hand smoke that comes from other people smoking. People are even getting lung cancer from cancer causing agents, this happens from carcinogens. You can also get it from air pollution indoors and outdoors. Also there are gene-mutations that form cancer causing cells. Then there is the one everyone blamed lung cancer is smoking.
Smoking cigarettes is a detrimental practice not only to the smoker, but also to everyone around the smoker. According to an article from the American Lung Association, “Health Effects” (n.d.), “Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., causing over 438,000 deaths per year”. The umbrella term for tobacco use includes the use of cigarettes, cigars, e-cigs and chewing tobacco. While tobacco causes adverse health consequences, it also has been a unifying factor for change in public health. While the tobacco industries targets specific populations, public health specifically targets smokers, possible smokers, and the public to influence cessation, policies and education.
Cancer patients often wonder if going through treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are worth the risk of the side effects, in addition to the cancerous side effects. They feel that they can’t enjoy or relax in what a short amount of time they have left because they are bedridden from the nausea and pain that treatments put them through. Patients tell their loved ones to just let them die so long as they don’t have to go through any more pain. Those who are too old, are unable to recover from the effects, or are just too far in the grips of cancer, should refuse the more harsh treatments like chemo and radiation. On the positive side, refusing treatments after a certain point can save their families from the stress and cost of hospital bills. If caught early enough, patients can opt for safer and easier routes to getting rid of cancer like surgery or by doing a stem cell transplant.
Mathur, Charu, Erickson, Darin J., Stigler, Melissa H., Forster, Jean L., Finnegan Jr, John R. (2013). Individual and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Effects on Adolescent Smoking: A Multilevel Cohort-Sequential Latent Growth Analysis, American Journal of Public Health. Volume 103, pages 543-548.
Most people are aware of the risks associated with smoking and many people who do not smoke are concerned about the risks of secondhand smoke. Even employees in restaurants have a 50 percent higher risk of lung cancer than the general public (Buckley, 2002, p. 63). Also, Harvard researchers found that women who were regularly exposed to other people?s smoke at home or at work were 91 percent more likely to have a heart attack than those who weren?t exposed (Will You Pay, 1998, p.
Almost 80% of the worlds smokers are lower middle class to lower class. (who.int) This statistic that was taken from the World Health Organization, W.H.O., shows that around the globe it is the less educated making these choices.