Health inequalities

Abstract

There has probably never been a human society without health inequalities. Human societies tend to have a clear power-based hierarchy. With increased power comes increased influence and access to wealth generation and health expertise and services. Such human societies will have health inequalities. You can capture society's health inequality by examining the profile of the ruling class. In typical Western societies, the ruling class tends to be Caucasian, heterosexual, male and well educated, with good social networks and a well-paid prestigious job. Clearly the ruling class has a high socioeconomic status (SES) and it certainly does not have any stigma associated with its status. Stigma is about perceptions and perceptions matter, as we will see in the present chapter. When it comes to your health, it all matters: SES, employment status, occupation, marital status, education, isolation (e.g. social support), sex (male, female), unemployment, culture, sexual orientation, religion or lack thereof, race (e.g. Indigenous), living in an urban versus rural community, and health literacy.