Social Capital In Health

Discuss the role social capital in health

Social capital is inevitable in our day to day functioning, with the relationships we have with our family, friends, and the socialisation between neighbours and strangers. Consequently, these interactions affect our lives in a variety of ways. In this essay, these effects will be explored focusing on the role social capital plays in our health. In addition, the term social capital will be broken down into its 2 main subsections, providing specific examples of how it impacts our health and overall well-being.

Social capital is the structure of social relationships amongst people who live and work in a community, enabling that community to function effectively. These interactions increase economic

There are two main types of social capital; bonding social capital, which describes the maintenance of strong ties and relationships within a network. These connections are formed by homogeneous groups. In contrast, bridging social capital represents diverse interests from individuals. These are social networks formed by heterogeneous groups. What is less spoken about is the change from bridging social capital to bonding social capital as smaller groups are formed. An example of this merging is gentrification. Gentrification is the renovation and revitalization of urban low-income areas, transforming it into the requirements of middle-class life. For this renovation of certain buildings and areas undergo changes through refurbishments, extensions, and developments. New retail destinations and dining locations are built, providing various opportunities for interactions amongst local residents. However, as part of gentrification, an influx of high status predominantly white people relocate or invest in these areas. These neighbourhoods have historically been disinvested by private and public sectors. So when high-income people move in, it is to capitalize on the previously disinvested properties, inflating their values, and in doing so, displacing low-income people. As a result, previous tenets have to find new homes to live. The stressors of moving have

The strong ties that help bond these groups can often lead to the exclusion of outsiders. An example of this would be would be terrorist groups. These groups use violence, intimidation and evoke fear in the pursuit of their political, religious or ideological aims. A prime example of this would be The Klu Klux Klan (KKK). The KKK is a terrorist group that was founded in the South of America in 1915 and flourished nationwide in the early and mid-1920s. They base their behaviours on the on the belief that white people are superior to those of all other races, especially the black race. Their notion is based on pseudoscience evidence. Their beliefs have led to millions of brutal killing and lynching’s of black people, striking fear in people of colour in America. Another example of bonding social capital is gangs. Gangs are prominent globally, with Britain have over 225 recognised gangs. These result in knife and gun crime, robberies, and the possession and distributing of drugs. All of these factors are detrimental to one’s health and