How do socio-economic factors affect health?

The society that we live in is culturally diverse and extensive. However, it’s not well-balanced with a significant difference between the various communities and groups. These differences are there either based on their caste, race, education, or financial status. Whatever the reason behind the distinction may be, we can’t deny that one part of our society lacks the comforts and luxuries enjoyed by others.

It can result in a socially and economically imbalanced society with notable differences in education, business, security, and other areas of life. This separation has caused the people of lower socio-economic backgrounds to forgo many essential resources and opportunities.

How do socio-economical factors affect health?

Now that we have discussed the effect of our social and economic status in multiple aspects, it’s time to focus on one of the most important influences, human health. Here are the top four ways the well-being of a person relies on their socio-economic situation in society.

1. Delay in the identification of life-threatening diseases:

People from underprivileged socio-economic backgrounds lack the knowledge and the monetary resources to recognize severe illnesses. Because of the expensive medical procedures, families from these sectors get forced to ignore initial warnings and symptoms for life-threatening conditions like cancers, tuberculosis, and AIDS. The lack of financial support prevents them from detecting and treating these conditions and causes higher deaths.

2. Inadequate resources for pregnant women and newborns:

Pregnancy and childbirth are other areas where women from weaker socio-economic sectors suffer because of insufficient resources. The lack of proper medical facilities and shortages of trained medical professionals forces ladies from backward socio-economic backgrounds to endure pain and discomfort during pregnancy and childbirth. The deficiency of medicine and a sterile environment also poses a threat to their health.

3. Insufficient knowledge and awareness about mental health:

People from socially backward classes have little knowledge about mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, ADHD, and bipolar disorders. This lack of information is alarming and can cause repercussions for the individual and society. With the high stigma and shame surrounding these conditions, even in the educated and advanced population, mental health issues often go ignored in the backward communities.

4. Shortage of resources, including medicines and equipment:

Along with the lack of awareness, people from socially and economically impaired sectors have to compensate with a deficiency of essential medicines, medical supplies, and equipment. In these backgrounds, readily available resources like oxygen cylinders can be hard to find. Without reliable resources, there is a lucrative opportunity for companies to produce counterfeit products that could be equally dangerous.

Conclusion:

We hope that reading this article has helped you understand the different ways the social-economic factors of an individual can affect the health of self and family members. In this article, we have shared the top four manners in which socio-economical situations influence our well-being. However, in reality, many factors have a direct impact on our mental and physical wellness. These factors play a substantial role in detecting, treating, and eliminating health conditions in people of all ages.