In order to understand human well-being, the multi-faceted relationship between socio-economic factors and mental health is a topic of the highest importance. Socio-economic factors refers to factors such as income, education and employment status. These factors make up a ‘multidimensional construct, named socioeconomic status’ (CDC, 2023), and the disparity in these factors contributes to mental health issues in a multitude of ways. In order to address this question, this essay aims to focus on how these disparities contribute to the occurrence and consequences of mental health issues, using specific examples of factors named above, and put into context using specific mental health issues such as___________. By examining the impact of socio-economic …show more content…
To further examine the effect of disparities in socio-economic factors on mental health, it’s critical to look into interconnected factors that often exacerbate each other, such as low income and lack of employment opportunities. Disparities in opportunities represent another important dimension influencing the occurrence and consequences of mental health issues. Health outcomes have continuously demonstrated to be negatively impacted by unemployment through stress and ‘reduced self-esteem through the loss of day-to-day structure of work, a result of financial hardship and insecurity’(Wilson and Finch, 2021), as well as social isolation, creating a higher risk of mental health occurrences such as depression and anxiety. Areas with a multitude of opportunities often boast a higher proportion of employed individuals, potentially leading to an improved quality of life. Alternatively, economically disadvantaged areas with less opportunities subsequently result in less employment - unemployment acts as a ‘stressor, causing people’s self-rated physical and mental health to decline, and it correlates with lower health and overall life expectancy’ (Martnez-Jiménez, …show more content…
A second study found similar results, where a diploma lessens the risk of occurrence of substance use disorder, contributing to economic instability in adulthood (Lee et al., 2013). This may be due not only to greater exposure to risks, but also limited knowledge and awareness about risks associated with substance use and addiction, but also limited knowledge surrounding access to resources and support services for addressing such substance
According to The World Health Organisation (WHO) a Social Determinant of Health “Are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age” Social determinates of health (The World Health Organisation, 2017). (Charted institute of Environmental Health, 2015) says that poor housing can lead to poor health and intensify existing health conditions meaning housing is a key determinant of health as it affects people from birth to older age. Throughout this essay the physical mental health needs of individuals, families and communities will be shown and how housing may affect this.
Ubiquitous throughout history and across cultures is the concept of rich versus poor. Almost all people fall on a spectrum moving from poverty to affluence. A person’s position on this spectrum is labeled by sociologists as their socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic status, often abbreviated as SES, is measured by a person’s income, education, and career. Socioeconomic status is a pinnacle factor in a person’s life, affecting their lifestyle, relationships, and even, as with Dick and Perry, criminal potential. Low socioeconomic status has been shown to correlate with chronic stress, education inequality, and a variety of health problems including hypertension,
The relationship between mental health and poverty can prove to be complicated at times because of an overwhelmingly large number of outside
This includes the ‘new public health approach’. This expressive approach illustrates how ‘the multifaceted relationships between social, environmental, cultural, economic and political determinants affect health, as well as working towards an equality for a better health’ (Keleher & MacDougall, 2011). Likewise, this ‘new public health approach’ interrelates with other diverse approaches, but specifically with the ‘sociological approach’. These dimensions work hand-in-hand, in order to promote a positive lifestyle, by improving the factors in life individuals take for granted, such as an income, education and living and working conditions. A hypothetical example which exemplifies this, is if there were a middle-low class family, who worked long hours of the day for minimal pay due to their lack of education, and were unable to provide a great enough income for the education of their children. However, the government was able to provide the necessity of education for their children. In essence, this would relieve the family’s stress of not being able to provide the income for their child’s education, thus improving the mental health of the family, as well as the social health of the child being able to socialise and making friends in a comfortable, stable
Mental healthcare has a long and murky past in the United States. In the early 1900s, patients could live in institutions for many years. The treatments and conditions were, at times, inhumane. Legislation in the 1980s and 1990s created programs to protect this vulnerable population from abuse and discrimination. In the last 20 years, mental health advocacy groups and legislators have made gains in bringing attention to the disparity between physical and mental health programs. However, diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses continues to be less than optimal. Mental health disparities continue to exist in all areas of the world.
The lifestyle that people live in can ultimately change what your mental health standing can be. Social status is something that can be a huge determinant for someone’s mental health. Within Canada a lot of people worry what other people think of them. One way someone can feel excluded through life is through economic exclusions. If someone is looked at to be rich they are looked at to have a better mental health status, but if they are poor than they will be more susceptible to mental health issues in their life. When people have more money it means that they will have an easier life where they have nothing to worry about. Poor people are more likely to be mentally ill because they do not have the friends or support to help them get better.
Mental health disparities, “the power imbalances that impact practices influencing access, quality, and outcomes of behavioral health care, or a significant disparity in the overall rate of disease incidence, prevalence, morbidity, mortality, or survival rate in a specific group of people defined along racial and ethnic lines, as compared with the general population” (Safran, 2011). Although there are many mental health care dipartites, I’m going to focus on the impact of poverty and lack of attention given to mental health. By advocating for a prevention, promotion, and intervention related to mental health, will aid in minimizing mental health disparities. Not only is it important to advocate on a macro level, but it is important to educate
Samaan, R. A. (2000). The Influences of Race, Ethnicity, and Poverty on the Mental Health of Children. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 100-110.
Socioeconomic Disparities and health are growing at a rapid rate throughout the United States of America. To further understand the meaning of Socioeconomic Disparities, Health and Socioeconomic disparities & health, this essay will assist in providing evidence. Disparities can be defined in many ways, of which include ethnic and racial background and class types that deal with it the most. Due to the low income some individuals receive, they have less access to health care and are at risk for major health issues. Although, ethnicity and socioeconomic status should not determine the level of health care one should receive or whether not the individual receives healthcare.
Thoits highlights how inequality results in differences of health outcomes among different groups of people. For example, African Americans and Hispanics generally have higher morbidity than whites. However, Thoits also focuses on the relationship between mental health and stress. Adolescents – who tend to be more stressed than older folks – more often suffer the onset of psychiatric disorders, a factor that becomes curbed with increased age (543). Thus, this shows how stress causes adverse mental health. In addition, Thoits also ties social status to stress levels in a way that is similar to the findings detailed in Stress: Portrait of a Killer. Highlighting previous studies, Thoits notes how there are cumulative stressors that particularly affect females, young adults, and members of racial-ethnic minorities (544). These “cumulative stressors closely paralleled inequalities in rate of physical and/or mental health problems by social status” (544). Once again, this shows how people who are disenfranchised or simply fall lower on social hierarchies are also those who experience more stress and, consequently, worse health outcomes. Finally, Thoits also argues that “stress can proliferate across generations” (545). In other words, the negative effects on health due to stress may be intergenerational.
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.
In our culture, money, status, and social power all play a part in how individuals think that others perceive them. There is growing evidence that shows the link between socioeconomic status and unhealthy psychological outcomes in mental health. When looking at higher levels of socioeconomic status for youth it shows a more positive and healthy psychological outcome for youth and their mental health. Studies have shown that there are higher rates of attempted suicide, cigarette smoking and engaging in episodic heavy drinking (“Pardon Our Interruption”). Other studies have shown that lower levels of socioeconomic status have been linked to emotional and behavioral difficulties, like anxiety, depression, attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorders (“Pardon Our
Similar to gender, on a biological basis, being born a particular race does not necessarily predisposition one for ill mental health. However, there are recorded trends of certain racial groups experiencing some specific psychological disorders more than others. For example, a report published by Toronto Public Health in 2013 examined rates of depression between racialized groups. The report found that Black individuals were at greater risk of depressive symptoms in comparison to the White individuals (Ansara et al., 2013). In addition, a separate study conducted in 2008 revealed that American Indians showed greater risk for post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol dependence, but lower risk for major depression (McGuire et al., 2008). When examining possible reasons for certain racial groups to be a greater risk for particular mental disorders, similar to gender, it is important to examine unique social experiences that may be more attributable to certain racial groups. Social inequities, racial discrimination, poverty, and marginalization of racialized groups can have an eviscerating effect on these people. Despite these trends, the most important factor to be aware of is that racial and ethnic minorities have less access to mental health service, compared to Whites. As well, they are less likely to receive
My knowledge about US gangs was very poor, but what I understood after the assigned reading for this class and this module in particular, modern gang problem is absolutely structural, because of it's members seeking the gathering for a particular reasons, like protect of their territory, neigborhood, etc. As quotted in Short (1998) “Status threats can be conceptualized as threats to control balance, for groups as well as individuals. (...) status considerations between ethnic groups clearly are at issue in the violence of hate-motivated gangs, crowds, and mobs (see Cummings, 1993;Jenness and Broad, 1997;McCall, 1994) Here reserchers confirms that gang gathering is for the principal reason status issue. And for me status belong to the gang's
The effects of poverty can affect a parent’s mental health that can directly impact children. Mental health problems that parents in poverty face can be related to the stress of not having enough money to care for the children. Other mental health problems, like depression, can als...