Answer To: BASS –SOC102A, Assessment Brief 2 Page 1 Assessment Brief Program Bachelor of Applied Social Science...
Somprikta answered on Aug 16 2021
Social Inequalities and Ill Health 1
SOCIAL INEQUALITY AND ILL HEALTH
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Theories of Social Inequality 3
Social Determinants 4
Socio-economic Position 5
Early Life 6
Social Exclusion 7
Social Capital 8
Employment 8
Conclusion 9
References 10
Introduction
Social inequality and ill-health are two divergent factors, which are intricately related to one another. The different aspects of social inequality have a significant impact on the health outcomes of the general populace. The different factors of social inequality such as income, the extent of education, conditions of employment, power as well as social support affect the health and wellbeing of the Australian population. Deprivation in terms of any of the above-mentioned social factors leads to an increase in the rates of morbidity and mortality in the Australian people. The people belonging to the lower rungs of the society fail to receive the optimal quality of health prevention as well as promotion, timely treatment, care, and effective intervention. These factors, which are essential contributors towards good health and wellbeing, are not present in the case of social inequalities. Because of this, health is affected greatly.
Theories of Social Inequality
The aspect of social inequality has a theoretical basis. There are two central perspectives associated with the problem of social inequality. They are Functionalist Theory and Conflict Theory. The functionalist theorists think that social inequality is a situation, which is not only inevitable but also desirable to a certain extent. It also plays a significant function in society. From the Functionalist perspective, social inequality is completely justified. The theorists put forward the notion that the higher and more important positions of the society require a greater amount of training, therefore are expected to get more rewards. The aspects of social inequality and social stratification lead to a meritocracy based on the abilities of the people. According to social theorists, the problems associated with social inequality have no impact on society and its extent of progress.
Conflict Theory of social inequality provides an altogether different perspective regarding the issue. From the purview of the conflict theorists, social inequality is a problem that is created because of power inequalities. The more powerful groups dominate on the ones with lesser power. Because of this, there is a huge gap between the groups, which are more powerful compared to the groups, which exercise lesser power. According to the notions put forward by the conflict theorists, social inequality is one of the major factors that lead to hindrance in societal progress. This is primarily because the people in power repress the powerless people, which results in the disruption of the statuesque. For instance, the indigenous people of Australia experience this issue of power inequality, thereby leading to social inequality.
Social Determinants
The different social, political, economic, as well as cultural conditions, are the underlying reasons for the rising inequality in terms of health and wellbeing. These factors are called the social determinants of health. Due to the increasing gap between the above-mentioned factors, there are several discrepancies in the way the population of Australia receives health and care in the healthcare industry. For instance, according to Yiengprugsawan, Welsh, and Kendig (2018), the indigenous people of Australia, namely, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community of people hail from a completely different social, political, economic, and cultural background when compared to the non-indigenous Australians. As a result of their differences in terms of all the above factors, they receive a deteriorated quality of healthcare and treatment. According to Elani et al. (2017), the different social determinants are socioeconomic position, the early life of the people, instances of social exclusion, the aspect of social capital, employment conditions, housing, residential environment, and so on. These social determinants of health are intricately related to the quality of healthcare treatment and care received by the people.
Socio-economic Position
The socio-economic position of the people is one of the major deciding factors regarding receiving healthcare benefits. According to Whiteford (2020), people hailing from lower socio-economic backgrounds have a greater tendency of receiving poor health care and treatment. This section of the population is at an increased risk of developing chronic ailments, as well as other problems arising from poor health conditions. They have increased rates of illness, disability as well as death, and shorter life expectancy. The socio-economic position of the people is...