Week Eleven - Health Status & Health Inequalities

Question 1

How can we assess individual health status via self-reported measures?

Answer 1

Subjective Health

Daily Physical Symptoms

Chronic Conditions

Question 2

How can we assess health status via medical/technological ways?

Answer 2

Cancer screening:

• breast
• cervical
• bowel

Question 3

What is the gender difference in seeking a medical professional?

Answer 3

Men tend to not be as willing

Question 4

What is a limitation to the government-based screening procedures?

Answer 4

Not everyone uses them even though they have the opportunity

Question 5

Explain the ‘health doesn’t happen in a bubble’ concept

Answer 5

There are things that can happen outside of our control that impact health status

Question 6

What are the contextual factors of health disparity?

Answer 6

gender
sexual identity
social class
race/ethnicity 
geographical location

Question 7

Explain the flint water crisis in Michigan

Answer 7

There was a change in the local pipe system which lead to high levels of lead contaminating the water.

Has lead to distrust in government with people still not drinking the water after 5 years - intergenerational affect

Question 8

What is the diabetes belt?

Answer 8

Refers to the geographical location of US residents who live in this belt - they are more likely to have T2D.

However, limited evidence because underreporting of cases is possible in poorer areas

Question 9

Relationship between breast-feeding and location?

Answer 9

People living in disadvantaged areas are less likely to be breastfed.

Question 10

What are the infant gender differences in breastfeeding rates?

Answer 10

Female babies are less likely to be breastfed

Question 11

Relationship between inequality and smoking rates?

Answer 11

Poorer are more likely to be regular smokers

Question 12

As people age, what do we see in regard to subjective wellbeing?

Answer 12

As people age, there is a maintenance/slight improvement in subjective wellbeing

Question 13

Explain the difference in subjective wellbeing with age in relation to the difference between poor/rich countries

Answer 13

Poorer countries subjective wellbeing seems to decline

Wealthier countries seems to increase

Question 14

What can inequality do?

Answer 14

It can weaken the social fabric, damages health and increases crime rate

Question 15

What are direct and indirect influences on health?

Answer 15

Direct: How we take care of our bodies

Indirect: Influences that are not directly under our control e.g., gender, race

Question 16

What are the chronic illness onset differences between classes?

Answer 16

Poor: chronic conditions are typically greater at an earlier age

Question 17

What causes early onset of chronic conditions in the poor?

Answer 17

Poor nutrition
Housing
Healthcare access

Question 18

How does education play a role in the onset of illness?

Answer 18

Those who are better educated are more likely to consume a better diet, have better healthcare and less likely to smoke

Question 19

What effect do tobacco taxes have for poor people?

Answer 19

It adds to their hardship they and their children experience

Question 20

What racial group has the highest mortality rate?

Answer 20

African Americans

Young AA’s:

• 20x more likely to have high blood pressure
• 2x more likely to die
• 7x more likely to be victims of homicide

Question 21

What % of Australia’s population were born overseas?

Answer 21

29.7%

Question 22

How is education the starting point of ones SES?

Answer 22

Education leads to employment/occupational opportunities which determines income which determines wealth

Question 23

Lower income is associated with what?

Answer 23

Higher rates of morbidity, physical impairments, disability, mortality, negative health behaviours

Question 24

What is income related to?

Answer 24

A persons ability to accumulate wealth (assets)

Question 25

What is the weathering hypothesis?

Answer 25

Cumulative effects of social and economic adversity (ie. discrimination and poverty) cause health problems at a younger age and earlier mortality

• health gap widens over a persons lifetime
• effects compound with age

Question 26

What are the effects of acculturation?

Answer 26

Less acculturation makes one more likely to have physical and mental health problems

Question 27

What are the effects of high stress?

Answer 27

more stress = more likely to become ill

Question 28

What are cumulative disadvantages?

Answer 28

Living in unfavourable conditions early in life has very likely consequences for health later in life
- disadvantages accrue over time

Question 29

What are the 4 main types of disability?

Answer 29

Physical
Sensory
Psychological
Intellectual

Question 30

Those with a disability experience high levels of psychological distress - how much?

Answer 30

25%

Question 31

How much more likely are those with a disability to experience violence?

Answer 31

1.5x more likely

Question 32

What is the relationship between income and disability?

Answer 32

Generally have lower incomes with 45% living on or near the poverty line irregardless of education levels - they face discrimination and lack of social connection