Modern U.S. society lives according to the principles and ideas of meritocracy and individualism, which imply that every person is responsible for their success and happiness. Unfortunately, such a system of values leads to significant class-related disparities, as the population is not motivated to help each other establish good living conditions. As a result, one can observe inequality in employment opportunities, educational levels, access to accommodation, and healthcare availability.
The last point is critical, as timely access to medical services is vital for an individual’s well-being. Classism, which can be defined as the discrimination of people based on their social class, is evident in healthcare, as many people in the U.S. do not ‘qualify’ for high-quality medical assistance due to their income level. Unfortunately, this under-examined issue has adverse outcomes for people labeled as low class and has to be eliminated from a healthcare setting. This paper aims at proving that healthcare shows a high level of classism, which should be reduced.
The Aspects and Significance of Classism
Classism is a complex and multifaceted problem that incorporates social, economic, and psychological determinants. Despite having given the oath of equal treatment of all patients, many healthcare providers are biased in their attitudes to clients from various classes (Simons, Koster, Groffen, & Bosma, 2017). Multiple studies support this point and reveal that medical professionals may evaluate individuals negatively based on their social and economic statuses and appearance (FitzGerald & Hurst, 2017; DiGiacinto, Gildon, Stamile, & Aubrey, 2015). However, negative evaluation is not the most challenging issue; Simons et al. (2017) report that economically disadvantaged patients may experience marginalization, isolation, intolerance, and stigmatization that obscures the quality of service provided.
Also, low-income individuals and ethnic minorities are already exposed to decreased life standards, which means that they may need medical assistance urgently, and healthcare access boundaries aggravate their well-being. For example, Nieman, Marrone, Szanton, Thorpe Jr, and Lin (2016) note that many representative ethnic minorities have a generally lower health level as they have limited preliminary testing access. It is possible to conclude that this issue has become particularly acute because it is not sufficiently researched, is implicit, and is not recognized by most healthcare leaders.
Classism and Its Effects on a Healthcare Environment
To understand how classism is presented in a healthcare environment, one should research some particular incidences. It is evident that classism results in adverse consequences for the population, especially minorities and underserved groups. Classism imposes physical health threats for low-class patients because they are not provided with appropriate, timely diagnosing and treatment due to the priority set on the representatives of the high class. The claim that economically advantaged individuals are unjustly privileged in queues for surgeries and transplantations is supported in many studies in the field.
For instance, Cha (2015) reports that wealthy people have better chances of becoming the first on the list for transplants. Another result of classism in the healthcare environment is the fact that the timely detection of illnesses for people from low classes is terminated due to medical professionals’ prejudiced attitudes (Simons et al., 2017). Moreover, even if treatment is provided timely, a healthcare provider might fail to prescribe proper medications to individuals from lower classes or decreased economic advantages, which may lead to severe health complications.
Classism and Individuals’ Mental Health
Since discrimination is a psychosocial issue, it affects not only the physical but also the mental well-being of an individual. Patients perceiving class discrimination in medical institutions suffer from psychological stigmatization and are at risk of developing mental disorders (Turan et al., 2017). Wallace, Nazroo, and Bécares (2016) report that exposure to prejudice in healthcare settings is associated with cumulative long-term effects on minorities’ mental health. Moreover, individuals experiencing class discrimination may be perceived as inferior due to the biases of healthcare providers (Simons et al., 2017).
For example, it was found that HIV-positive patients from the low social class were more often stigmatized and developed depressive disorders in comparison with socially and economically advantaged patients (Turan et al., 2017). In addition, perceived classism as a significant stressor may lead to the acquisition of damaging health behaviors and only worsen the well-being of such individuals (Simons et al., 2017). For example, individuals may start to engage in drug and tobacco use, avoid physical activity, and follow an unhealthy diet, which may lead to the aggravation of their symptoms.
Recognizing and Eliminating Classism
Although many healthcare practitioners do not realize the presence of classism, many members of society encounter this issue regularly. Due to the lack of medical professionals’ awareness about this cause, it may be challenging to combat it. Several ways that should be used to eliminate the effects of classism. First, it is vital to recognize its possible forms and manifestations and develop preventive measures that can ensure the quality of medical services for all patients, regardless of their social and economic position. It is crucial to implement regular investigations and studies of healthcare professionals’ behaviors and attitudes, such as the ones conducted by Cuevas, O’Brien, and Saha (2016) and Hamilton et al. (2016).
It is necessary to recognize and label the problem, outlining its causes and effects, which can be done through research. Second, strategies for providing equal, tolerant, and respectful care for all patients should be developed. Healthcare professionals may discuss their approaches with scientists specializing in the problems of discrimination to avoid attitudes that may lead to biases and prejudice.
Finally, the measures to eliminate classism must be included in the educational process in medical institutions. For instance, students should have classes in which they discuss the causes and effects of the issue and learn to be sensitive to the disadvantaged population’s needs and problems. Moreover, regular educational sessions may be implemented in medical institutions to ensure that all employees are aware of the issue. Such an approach can prevent the occurrence of classism in healthcare settings and teach professionals to provide equally good services for all population groups.
Opinion and Conclusion
The presented arguments reveal the significance of classism elimination as a threat to the right of all people to use healthcare services. It is vital to prevent the provision of care based on their class because it leads to severe physical and mental health outcomes and enhances threats for the discriminated population. Classism should be researched thoroughly, and the medical professionals’ awareness of this problem should be increased through educational sessions and studies in the field. This way, it will be possible to enhance the underserved populations’ living conditions and well-being, as well as minimize the effects of poor healthcare services, discrimination, and the lack of preventive measures.
References
Cha, A. E. (2015). Inequality in U.S. organ transplants: Researchers detail how the wealthy game the system. Web.
Cuevas, A. G., O’Brien, K., & Saha, S. (2016). African American experiences in healthcare: “I always feel like I’m getting skipped over.” Health Psychology, 35(9), 987-995.
DiGiacinto, D., Gildon, B., Stamile, E., & Aubrey, J. (2015). Weight-biased health professionals and the effects on overweight patients. Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, 31(2), 132-135.
FitzGerald, C., & Hurst, S. (2017). Implicit bias in healthcare professionals: A systematic review. BMC Medical Ethics, 18.
Hamilton, S., Pinfold, V., Cotney, J., Couperthwaite, L., Matthews, J., Barret, K.,… Henderson, C. (2016). Qualitative analysis of mental health service users’ reported experiences of discrimination. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 134(446), 14-22.
Nieman, C. L., Marrone, N., Szanton, S. L., Thorpe Jr, R. J., & Lin, F. R. (2016). Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in hearing health care among older Americans. Journal of Aging and Health, 28(1), 68-94.
Simons, A. M., Koster, A., Groffen, D. A., & Bosma, H. (2017). Perceived classism and its relation with socioeconomic status, health, health behaviors, and perceived inferiority: The Dutch Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel. International Journal of Public Health, 62(4), 433-440.
Turan, B., Rogers, A. J., Rice, W. S., Atkins, G. C., Cohen, M. H., Wilson, T. E.,… Weiser, S. D. (2017). Association between perceived discrimination in healthcare settings and HIV medication adherence: Mediating psychosocial mechanisms. AIDS and Behavior, 21(12), 3431-3439.
Wallace, S., Nazroo, J., & Bécares, L. (2016). The cumulative effect of racial discrimination on the mental health of ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom. American Journal of Public Health, 106(7), 1294-1300.