Poverty: Bad for Health & Soul

It seems that after reading the two articles on SES relating to health status, poverty may not only limit individuals from proper access to health care, but also places a toll on them psychologically. Communities with large gaps between income, a divide in the very rich and the very poor, showed significantly more health problems than communities with small gaps in income. It could be that those that are less fortunate always feel inadequate compared to their wealthy neighbors. I am not sure how much of this envy would play into developing heart disease and other conditions. Perhaps some people feel that their role in the work force will never be as coveted as a high-up position and in turn this affects their self worth. Other issues like quality of homes, leisure time, and ability to purchase materials can all play into this. Having less money than another in the same area may lead to stress in trying to keep up with others. Wilkinson's article suggested that the greater the division between the upper and lower class, the greater the health disparity. This model was even tested to be true in animals.

In Marmot's article, I liked how the author wrote about how at one point in the U.K. poverty used to constitute malnutrition and poor housing but has evolved to a higher standard. His perception was that poverty meant less vacationing and buying less clothing. It seems to emphasize the idea that the SES gap will always be prominent even if standard of life improves for all. We sometimes assume that if someone has a job, a home, adequate healthcare, etc. they should be relatively happy but this is improving to be untrue. So in short, besides taking into account poor living conditions associated with poverty, being in the lower end of the social class system may bring about a psychological stress about being poor.