The Correlation Of Social Status With Physical Health And Life Expectancy

Due to family breakdown and peer pressure, there has been an increasing number of kids experiencing depression. Mental illness is more frequent in unequal countries. England had wrote “...29 million prescriptions for antidepressant drugs, costing over 400 million pound.” In the U.S $100billion was spent of mental health treatments.”As the rich purchase expensive things, its influence eventually trickles down to the poor and middle class. However, the middle and lower classes can not afford such lavish things. This results in the middle and lower class struggling to keep up. Not only is mental illness more common in unequal societies but the use of illegal drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, and heroin. Monkeys were tested in groups of four. A few days were given to the monkeys so that they could establish who was dominant and subordinate. After declaring dominance and status, monkeys were taught how to administer cocaine into themselves. As a result, the dominant monkeys took way less cocaine than that of the subordinate monkey. This can be seen as a way of medication for the subordinate monkeys, since they are aware of their poor social status and the inequality that is presented. This experiment goes to show that mental illness and inequality go hand in hand.

A web of disasters that’s just waiting to collapse. Mental illness and drug use is inherently connected to inequality. The higher a societies inequality, the more prone they will be to issues such as depression, anxiety, mental illness, and drug use. The U.S is basically known for its high inequality, it is also therefore not a surprise that they spend $100billion in mental health treatments.

As society changes, health and illness causes change too. In the earlier days, many of the poor lived in slums. These horrible living conditions were the cause of premature death. Due to this, reforms such as the Sanitary Movement were put in place. These reforms aimed at improving living conditions and lessening death rates due to poor living conditions. As time went on, with advancements in multiple areas, infectious diseases lost their hold. Chronic diseases started becoming more dominant. Ex. heart disease and cancer. Heart disease was referred to as a “executive disease”, caused by stress. Social status plays a role in health; as previously emphasized in the previous chapters. It is now confirmed, through numerous research that ‘low social status has a clear impact on physical health.”

Health is not just affected by social status, our relationship and attitude with other people affect our health too. Studies showed that the more involved and active you were, as well as the more friends you had, proved to lengthen and benefit ones health. Physical wounds heal faster if individuals establish healthy and strong relationships with their significant other. Two babies, one born in the U.S and the other born in Greece. Many would expect that the child born in the U.S would have a higher life expectancy due to the amazing health care system the U.S has. That is however not true, the baby born in Greece actually has a better chance of living through its first year.The big idea, the mortality and health of individuals depend less on the wealth of the overall country but more on the distribution of wealth.

There is definitely a correlation between physical health, life expectancy, and many more. Many things contribute to deterioration of health and a shortened life expectancy. This chapter emphasized the point that social status is not the only contribution to illness. Our attitudes and personalities play a huge role too. The more active and involved one was, the better their health and life expectancy. Something important that I picked up was that although the U.S is great, its inequality is its greatest downfall. As stated earlier, “... mortality and health of individuals depend less on the wealth of the overall country but more on the distribution of wealth.”