The Impact of Social Class on health outcomes in Australia
Within Australia, social inequalities have long existed and play a fundamental role in the differences in access to healthcare services and the resulting adverse health outcomes. Through the disparity of social class we can also see its impact psychologically and its effect on mental health issues and suicide rates within the lower classes. Furthermore, the families ability to provide nutritional meals, a healthy lifestyle, adequate living arrangements and a good education is also said to severely decrease when from a lower socio-economic background. Through ten articles, we will explore these findings and in turn reveal how social class has an impact on health outcomes within Australia, and in turn how its impacts are clear from birth and continue throughout the entire life cycle.
The global recession that occurred in 2008 is still significantly impacting the Australian financial system, generated by the financial crisis. Research has shown a radical change in unemployment, with statistics showing the rise of redundancy from 4.3% in September 2008 to 5.8% in July 2009 (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2009).
These unemployed people are becoming part of the low social status group in society, causing disadvantageous effects on their mental and physical health. Studies have found that for some people, ending up without a job is associated with a higher risk of mental illness, and suicide. Social status is having these effects on Australians. Although economic factors have a large influence on health outcomes, we can see that the health inequalities stem from more than just this.
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It has been found that a trend in obesity and socioeconomic (SES) status among both primary and secondary school children suggests an influence of social class indicators upon their weight status. A survey that commenced in 2006 among Australian schoolchildren revealed that those of lower SES have a consistently greater prevalence of obesity than their higher SES peers. This can be linked to the greater use of fast food high fat and low nutritious meals simply because they are cheap and convenient.
Socio-economic status plays a large role in the health care outcomes of individuals. The amount of hospital visits differs largely between low socio-economic status and high socio-economic status. Another role social class plays, is the recommendations received by each social class from a professional physician. Previous studies have shown that rates of ambulatory care sensitive condition related hospital admissions are generally higher in low-income areas than in high-income areas (Disano, Goulet, Muhajarine, Neudorf, and Harvey, 2010).
It has been suggested that factors such as inadequate heath care insurance, lack of access to a family physician and other barriers to primary care, such as unhealthy behaviours (eg. smoking, physical inactivity, exercise and excessive alcohol use) may compromise health outcomes among low-income populations (Billings et al., 1993, as cited in Disano et al., 2010).
As well as this, when individuals of a low socio-economic status seek health care, more than one in ten physicians would recommend inappropriate advice toward their problem (Pollack, Mallya and Polsky, 2008).
Physicians also use inappropriate screening modalities on those with a low-income.
Data was drawn from surveys undertaken in thirteen socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Victoria, Australia. Analysis focused on the relationship between area and compositional factors and health. These thirteen neighbourhoods were rated poorly compared to states average factors including unemployment rate, welfare status, persons completing year 12 and crime rate. Analysis focused on the relationship between area and compositional factors and health. Residents in Neighbourhood Renewal areas (area based intervention to reduce inequalities compared with states average of social economical factors specifically health outcomes) reported high fair-poor health and people with educational attainment above year 10 as well employed people were less likely to report a fair-poor health status.
Engage in personal development in health, social care or children’s and young people’s setting
My duties and responsibilities as a foster carer are many, i must have child A best interests at heart at all times, i provide a safe and stimulating environment for child A to develop to the best of her ability, to keep her safe from harm and abuse. I must make sure all her appointments e,g doctors dentist and language and speech are attended and up to date and recorded. That child A is taught ...
One further journal article discussed the social impacts of class and cultural change on rural communities and focused on rural social care provision and participants included over eighty rural social care practitioners including social workers, nurses and aboriginal health workers. The study confirmed that social exclusion particularly referring to the shortages of health resources amongst rural areas is still present. The study uncovered there is a lack of familiarity and tolerance from health workers towards Australian culture and lifestyles causing reluctance from rural Australians to seek health care because they feel uncomfortable and misunderstood. This reluctance from rural communities to seek medical help leads to an increase of poor health outcomes as conditions are left untreated. Furthermore, practitioners can find it increasingly difficult to adequately explain the health conditions and treatments due to limited amount of time that they see each patient and the need to tailor their explanation to their particular cognitive styles so that they fully understand their conditions, and its implications (Henry, 2001).
Through these articles it is clear that Social class has a large impact on the health outcomes of Australians. Higher socio-economic classes are seen to have more nutritional meals, better access to health care services and the right treatments when needed, and more adequate education, which all lead to far greater health outcomes and in turn, quality of life.
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