L19 Understanding SEP and the causes of the causes

Question 1

What is SEP?

Answer 1

Socio-economic position refers to the social and economic factors that influence what positions individuals or groups hold within the structure of a society

Question 2

What are the qualities of the determinants of SEP?

Answer 2

Determinants of SEP (the factors that determine one’s socio-economic position) must be objective, measurable, and meaningful

Question 3

Why is measuring SEP important?

Answer 3

• Quantify amount of inequity between populations
• View changes in population structure over time
• Understand the relationship between SEP and health

Question 4

What are the factors which determine one’s SEP?

Answer 4

Education
Income
Occupation
Housing
Assets and wealth

Question 5

What are the two types of measures for SEP?

Answer 5

Area measures

Population measures

Question 6

What are examples of area measures of SEP?

Answer 6

Deprivation and access to resources

Question 7

What are examples of population measures of SEP?

Answer 7

Income inequality
GDP per capita
Literacy rates

Question 8

How does the Dahlgren and Whitehead model relate to SEP?

Answer 8

The determinants present at the different levels determine ones SEP

e.g at the individual lifestyle level one’s choices could determine the occupation and therefore the income they earn

Question 9

How does SEP relate to health?

Answer 9

The factors that determine one’s SEP (income, occupation, education, assets/wealth) directly influence health.

Proven by many studies.

Question 10

How can the social and community influences on the DW model influence SEP?

Answer 10

SEP of parents - their income, education, occupation, assets/wealth

Question 11

How can the individual lifestyle level of the DW model influence SEP?

Answer 11

At the individual lifestyle level one’s choices could determine the occupation and therefore the income they earn

Question 12

How can the living and working conditions of an individual as classified on the DW model influence SEP?

Answer 12

By using area-level deprivation measures we can see that there are inequities on one’s SEP based on where they live - the place they live in relates to living and working conditions

Question 13

What is deprivation?

Answer 13

A state of observable and demonstrable disadvantage relative to the local community or the wider society or nation to which an individual, family or group belongs

Applied to conditions and quality of life that are of a lower standard than is ORDINARY in society

Question 14

How is deprivation EASILY measured?

Answer 14

By focusing on material deprivation - specifically ‘what do you NOT have’

Question 15

What does poverty refer to?

Answer 15

A state in which a lack of income and resources prevent one from a normative standard of living (defined by eurocentric ideals)

Question 16

What is NZDep?

Answer 16

NZ index of deprivation

• area-based measure of SEP which measures people’s relative position in society based on where they live, not who they are themselves

Question 17

What factors are measured as part of NZDep?

Answer 17

Access to internet
Receiving benefit
Income compared to income threshold (equivalised based on household size)
Employment status
Qualifications
House-owner?
Living space
Access to car

Question 18

What are global determinants of SEP?

Answer 18

Income inequality
National income - GDP per capita
Literacy rates
Free trade agreements

Used to compare countries

Question 19

How should one attempt to understand and identify links between health and SEP?

Answer 19

Begin by considering health outcomes and ask questions about why? as you consider the cause then the cause of the cause etc etc

e.g.
Low access to healthcare
why?
Low income
why?
Unemployed
why?
Low educational attainment

Question 20

What is a social gradient?

Answer 20

The idea that health outcomes are directly proportional to one’s SEP

e.g. COVID deaths in the UK

Higher SEP = less COVID deaths