Sociologist
Evaluate how inequalities of health are related to social class, gender and ethnicity.
Sociology is the scientific study of human social relations or group life. Other disciplines within the social sciences including economics, political science, anthropology, and psychology are also concerned with topics that fall within the scope of human society. Sociologists examine the ways in which social structures and institutions such as class, family, community, power and social problems such as crime and abuse influence society.
Social class is a major cause of inequalities in health, as sociologists believe that illnesses are socially constructed and dispersed. It seems that differences in socio-economic groups exist in many countries throughout the world. Marx argued that the class a child is born into can determine the outcome of the child’s future education, occupation and health. (Osborne, R. and Van Loon, B. 2000.
Although gender inequality is closely related to biological differences between females and males, it is profoundly social phenomenon based on the cultural definitions of sex and gender.”
There are two main types of explanation for social class inequalities in health.
Cultural explanations suggest that those suffering from poorer health have different attitudes, values and lifestyles which mean they don’t look after themselves properly. Such arguments suggest that the victims of ill-health have only themselves to blame and example of this might include drinking too much or eating too much food that are high in sugar and salt which will lead to diabetes, hypertension and participating in very little or no exercise.
Material explanations suggest that those suffering poorer health lack enough money to eat a health balance diet have poor housing and dangerous or unhealthy working conditions.
“Sociologically, sexism and gender inequality are produced by social systems organized in patriarchal ways, systems in which we participate...