Health inequalities Flashcards
(36 cards)
How is sociology defined?
Study of development, structure, and functioning of human society
What does sociology applied to healthcare study?
People’s interactions with those engaged in medical occupations
How people make sense of illness
Interactions between healthcare professionals
What are 5 characteristics of medicine sociologically?
Systematic theory Authority recognised by clientele Broader community sanction Code of ethics Professional culture sustained by formal professional sanctions
What are features of patients in the sick role?
Exempted from daily responsibilities
Patient is not responsible for being ill and is regarded as unable to get better without help of a professional
Patient must seek help from healthcare professional
Patient is under social obligation to get betteer ASAP to take up social responsibilities again
What is the healthcare professional role in the sick role?
Must be objective and not judge patient morally
Must not act out of self interest or greed but put patient’s interests first
Must obey professional code of practice
Must have and maintain necessary knowledge and skills to treat patients
Professional has the right to examine the patients intimately, prescribe treatment, and has wide autonomy in medical practice
What are the levels of social class?
1.1 - large employer and higher managerial and administrative occupations
1.2 - higher professional occupations
2 - lower managerial administrative and professional occupations
3 - intermediate occupations
4 - Small employers and own account workers
5 - Lower supervisory and technical occupations
6 - semi-routine occupations
7 - routine occupations
8 - Never worked and long-term unemployed
What are factors in labour market situation?
Source of income
Economic security
Prospects of economic advancement
What are factors in work situation?
Location in systems of authority and control at work
Autonomy at work
What are social/socio-economic influences on our health?
Gender Ethnicity Physical environment/housing Education Employment Income/social status/ financial security Health system Social environment
How does gender affect health?
Men have higher mortality at every age
Women have higher morbidity
Women consult more frequently in general practice
How does ethnicity affect health?
South asians in scotland have higher rates of heart attacks than general population
Prevalence of type 2 diabetes higher in south asian populations
Lower admissions among white polish and chinese groups
Greater prevalence of sickle cell disease in african origin groups
Data suggests minority ethnic groups have better general health than majority of white population
How does ethnicity affect alcohol consumption?
Most minority ethnic groups have higher rates of abstinence and lower levels of drinking compared to people from white backgrounds
Abstinence is high amongst South Asians, particularly those from Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Muslim backgrounds. But Pakistani and Muslim men who do drink do so more heavily than other non-white minority ethnic and religious groups
People from mixed ethnic backgrounds are less likely to abstain and more likely to drink heavily compared to other non-white minority ethnic groups
People from Indian, Chinese, Irish and Pakistani backgrounds on higher incomes tend to drink above recommended limits
What ethnic groups are at risk of alcohol related harm?
Irish, scottish, indian men, irish, scottish women, higher rates of alcohol related deaths than national average in england and wales
Sikh men have higher rates of liver cirrhosis
Minority ethnic groups have similar levels of alcohol dependence compared to general population despite drinking less
What are patient level barriers to use of health service?
Language concerns
Understanding the system
Beliefs
What are provider level barriers to use of health service?
Understanding of differences due to ethnicity
Provider skills
Provider attitudes
What are system level barriers to use of health services?
Organisation of appointments and referrals
What is culturally competent care?
Combination of attitudes, skills, and knowledge that allows an understanding and therefore better care of patients with a different background to our own
How can we deal with disparities in health?
Identify potential barriers to use of health services
Culturally competent care
Recognising when we are being culturally incompetent
How does housing affect health?
1 in 4 adolescents living in cold homes is at risk of multiple mental health problems compared to 1 in 20 in warm homes
Children in cold homes more than twice as likely to suffer resp problems
Deaths almost 3 times higher in coldest quarter than in warmest
How does educatio affect health?
Those with higher levels of education tend to be healthier than those of similar income who are less well educated
Why are well educated people more healthy than less educated people?
Better understanding of health
More effective engagement with services such as screening programmes
Better engagement with health advice
Better able to navigate health services
How does employment affect health?
Provides income and financial security Provides social contacts Provides status in society Provides purpose in life Unemployment is associated with increased morbidity and premature mortality
Why may national screening services widen health inequality?
Uptake will be lowest in those who derive the greatest benefit while those who need it less will use it
What are effects of public transport on health?
Adverse effects from expansion of car use due to pollution
Active travel has health benefits - walking and cycling
Combining public transport and active travel helps people achieve recommended daily activity levels
