Inequalities Of Health In Britain Today Essay - 1593 Words

Inequalities Of Health In Britain Today In Britain today, inequalities of health are common among many different groups of people. Recent comparisons have shown that Britain is in the middle of comparable Western countries in relation to inequalities of health. Class has a huge influence on health. There is a large gap in how healthy those in lower class groups are compared to those in higher class groups, and many people believe that this gap is widening. For example, the poorest groups in Britain live, on average, 8 years less than those in rich groups, and while only 10% of social class I are obese, 25 % of social class V are obese. This is the same level as in the United States of†¦show more content†¦Following a recent survey, it was discovered that all the poorest places in Britain are in Scotland, which profoundly affects Scotlands health and knowledge of health. In Wester Hailes 9.8% of babies born had a low birth weight compared to the Edinburgh average of 4.8%. In Greater Pilton there are 27% more deaths than average, 31% more cancer deaths and 16% more heart disease, as well as highly above average suicide rates. All these facts tell us that where you live seriously affects your health and the type of health care you receive. Non-white groups make up only 5.5% of Britains population, but people in ethnic minority groups are much more likely to describe their health as poor of fair compared to those of the ethnic majority. Four fifths of Pakistani and Bangladeshi people living in Britain exist in poverty, which is defined as less than half of the average income. Their income is about half of that for whites in the same social class. The women in this ethnic group are also less likely to have had a cervical smear test in the past 5 years. Half of the women who did not attend these tests lacked basic information on the test, did not receive an appointment or did not even know what the test was for. South Asians in Britain are also unlikely to have had the cervical smear test as well as having higher than averageShow MoreRelatedSocioeconomic Factors and the Health of Individuals Essay1289 Words   |  6 Pagessociety 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. The biomedical model of health has been criticised because it fails to include theRead MoreModern Day Economic Conditions During The Industrial Revolution875 Words   |  4 Pageswhile they were industrializing, China most closely resembles Britain as it entered into the industrial revolution. 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