Socioeconomic Disparities in Health: Pathways and Policies, Article Review Example

“Eliminating health disparities will require attention to all SES components and the pathways by which they influence health.”

In this article the author points out that a significant amount of money goes towards treating specific diseases and health conditions while ignoring many of the factors that contribute to or cause them. These factors include smoking, diet, lifestyle, and environment. Further underlying these factors is the issue of socioeconomic status (SES), with those at the lower end of the SES spectrum more likely to be affected by these factors. The author suggests that it is necessary to consider how SES is at the root of many health issues, and that the entire health care system must address SES in order to prevent, rather than just treat, disease.

“SES-related health effects of social environments may be evenmore important than those of physical environments.”

This quote from the article really made me take a moment to consider how dealing with and responding to health-related issues is much more complex than merely treating patients in a clinical setting or administering medications and medical treatments. The social environment that children are raised in has a significant impact on their physiological and psychological development, and those at the bottom of the SES scale are less likely to receive adequate nutrition, education, and other forms of physical and social support. The social environment will continue to affect how children grow up, what kind of jobs they will hold, how much they will earn, and what other opportunities they will have in life. Eve for those who are fortunate to have a strong genetic makeup, the social environment will influence their physical environment, and can reinforce the negative aspects of low-SES that underlie many health-related issues.

Reference

Adler, Nancy E. and Newman, Katherine . Socioeconomic Disparities in Health: Pathways and Policies. Health Affairs. 21(2). pp60-76.