Revised Case Study
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Introduction
The growing gap between the rich and the poor continues to be a significant social problem in most societies today. There is a massive imbalance in the opportunities and resources available to individuals within the various social classes. As time passes, the wealthy members of society continue to own a considerable amount of resources within a country’s economy. On the other hand, the poor are deprived of such funds and continue to languish in poverty. For instance, in the US, the rich currently owns 24% of the nation’s wealth, which they previously owned just 9% of the country’s resources (Sapolsky, 2018). The rising gap between the rich and the poor has significant effects on an individual’s health status. This article, as a result of this, examines the relationship between income inequality and the health status of individuals.
Income inequality and quality of life
The widening gulf between the rich and the poor significantly affects the quality of life between these two social classes. The wealthy members of the society have access to proper medical facilities, a social amenity that the poor are significantly deprived of daily. With no adequate financial resources, the poor cannot pay for essential services such as healthcare, food, and proper shelter. This situation forces such individuals to lead miserable lives, with most of them residing in shanties and other disadvantaged neighborhoods.
The presence of many poor people living in disadvantaged neighborhoods exposes them to a variety of diseases. Such a situation comes about due to overpopulation in these neighborhoods, a condition that leads to a strain in the available social amenities. Wealth secures the health status of any particular individual. The wealthy community members can afford to pay for expensive medical services that ensure that their lives are not left in jeopardy. Similarly, such individuals reside in proper neighborhoods that are not prone to common diseases.
Social and psychological stresses
Research indicates that psychological stress is not only a product of financial complications but rather is a result of a social situation. Growing up in a disadvantaged neighborhood leads to fear among its individuals, as they struggle to overcome their challenges. Heavy allostatic load is a low socioeconomic status product as the body continually tries to return to a healthy, stress-free state. The exposure of children to stress and poverty has significant long-term effects on their development. There exists a tremendous difference in the structure and functioning of the brain of children with early exposure to debt and stress. “Such children are highly responsive to mild stress levels and often struggle to acquire and grasp new information” (Choi et al. 2015). Similarly, such exposure may result in such children becoming more hostile and toxic in the future.
Psychological stress in disadvantaged neighborhoods primarily stems from events and difficulties that individuals have to endure. Such communities commonly have to experience a wide range of social issues such as drug abuse, alcoholism, and sexual abuse. Sexual abuse, for instance, results in trauma amongst its victims, a situation that significantly deteriorates the health status of individuals. The quality of neighborhoods is indeed a notable psychological stressor, which may eventually lead to depression. For instance, the New Orleans neighborhoods following the hurricane attack is a notable stressor. Such a situation is primarily due to the lack of adequate housing facilities in these areas. “Scientists continue to develop ways to control status-related stressors” (Clay, 2001). This situation will help minimize psychological stress among these individuals.
Growth of social problems
As the gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow, so does a wide range of social problems. In neighborhoods resided by the poor in particular, there exists a wide range of social issues. For instance, unemployment is a serious issue that continues to affect individuals in such areas. The unemployment rate continues to grow due to the disparities in the distribution of resources and job opportunities (Choi et al. 2015). A high percentage of unemployment is a notable contributor to stress and depression among individuals in these areas. Such residents fall into depression due to the lack of income sources to sustain their lives in these areas.
Drug abuse is another significant social problem that significantly arises as a result of widening income inequality. The youth in disadvantaged neighborhoods often turn to excessive consumption of drugs and alcohol as they battle these areas’ challenges. Drug abuse is mostly a product of the rising unemployment rates, with more youth left with nothing to do and sustain them. Excessive drug abuse is a serious contributor to the deterioration of health among the youth. For instance, alcoholism leads to addiction, which eventually leads to liver cirrhosis and even death. The widening gap between the rich and the poor similarly accounts for the high rates of teenage pregnancies in areas with high rates of poverty.
Conclusion
The rising gap between the rich and the poor has significant repercussions on an individual’s health status. Income inequality continues to stand out as a serious social problem affecting most economies worldwide. The link between income inequality and the health of an individual is evident in disadvantaged neighborhoods. In such areas, individuals continue to face various obstacles, which gradually affect their health. The poor state of housing in such areas, for instance, is a significant cause of stress and depression among its inhabitants. The mental repercussions of poverty are evident in the later stages of human development. Psychological stress, for instance, affects the thought process of an individual later on in life.
References
Choi, L., Erickson, D. J., Griffin, K., Levere, A., & Seidman, E. (2015). What It’s Worth: Strengthening the Financial Future of Families, Communities, and the Nation. Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
Clay, R. (2001). Wealth secures health. PsycEXTRA Dataset. doi:10.1037/e303952004-053
Sapolsky, R. M. (2018). The health-wealth gap. Scientific American, 319(5), 62-67.