Blog Post 2: Social Inequality, Poverty, and Health

    I found that this week’s materials covered the subject of social inequality, poverty and health from different outlooks. Personally, I really enjoyed the short story from The Wireless titled ‘The Pencilsword: On a Plate’ by Toby Morris. In this short illustration there were two panels that I really liked and thought summarized the subject well. The first stating “Richard goes to a great school. Well resourced, good kids. His teachers love their job.” And the panel beside it stating “At Paula’s school, the class sizes are large, the school is underfunded, and looks it. Her teachers are tired, stretched thin from the stress.” (Morris). These panels specifically emphasize how some people start with significant advantages while others struggle to overcome obstacles. Which I found highlights an unfairness behind expecting that everyone will achieve success when circumstances differ vastly.

    Several factors go into explaining differences between the rich and the poor regarding healthy/life expectancy. Access is a major factor, to things such as healthcare, safe living conditions, less stress, and even healthier food options. With that being said, the rich may have less challenges and limitations in finding and securing the above necessities of living a long, healthy life. A chapter in The Transformation of Academic Health Centers titled ‘Population Health and the Patient’ supported and further covered my statements on the subject. Additionally, shed light on other factors that should be considered by saying “a patient’s cultural norms, health literacy, and competing needs—such as the availability of transportation or child care—govern individual actions and can influence others’ actions”. Which only further supports the idea that social determinants are often responsible for and impact the health of individuals.

    I believe these differences can and must be addressed in various ways. Including political policies to healthcare access, reducing income inequality and most certainly addressing root causes behind poverty such as education inequality and unemployment.


    Image Credit: Panchenko Vladimir/Shutterstock.com


Morris, T. (2015, May 21). The pencilsword: On a plate. RNZ. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/the-wireless/373065/the-pencilsword-on-a-plate 

Perman, J., Mullins, D., & Newhouse, R. (2015, April 10). Population Health and the patient. The Transformation of Academic Health Centers. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128007624000190 


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