Introduction
Health and illness sociology is a discipline that scrutinizes the interactions between society and health. The main objective that sociology seeks to achieve is to determine how people’s social life affects mortality rate and morbidity and vice versa. The difference between this sociology and medical sociology is that branches of sociology explore health and illness in relation to social institutions like school employment and family. Also, the discipline primarily interacts widely with body sociology.
In contrast, medicine sociology focuses on the role of health practitioners in society and more on patient-practitioner relationships. The distribution of illness based on social determinants of health in the United States has changed dramatically. However, despite a steady improvement of health outcomes over the past five decades, the distribution of social health problems is prevalent among low-income households and ethnic minority groups, as well as considerable gender health disparities in the country.
Improvement of Health in the US
Improvement of health outcomes in the US is greatly associated with rapid advances in medical technology and innovations, including the discovery of effective antibiotic drugs and the improvement of public sanitation. Illnesses that used to weaken or kill people rapidly, such as polio and pneumonia, are well known today and are treatable with modern drugs. The increment of medical discoveries in the United States and advancement in the health care systems has reduced the seriousness of significant illnesses and prolonged people’s lives.
Continued advances in medical technology and innovations have lowered morality and comorbidity in throughout the country. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), today, the number of people who succumb to heart-related diseases had dropped to 50%. This is a significant improvement compared to the early 1980s when the mortality rate from heart-associated conditions was almost 90% (CDC). Besides, people who lose their lives due to stroke-related conditions have also gone down to 51%. (CDC). Combining the medicine discoveries, improvement in public sanitation, and advancement in health care, the United States citizens’ life expectancy has increased from 47 years to 78 years (CDC). To achieve this milestone of life expectancy, increased investment on health education, promotion, and awareness has played a crucial role in sensitizing the public on the unhealthy lifestyles and the risk of chronic illnesses. Such campaigns have facilitated behavioral changes and contributed to the reduction of health problems.
Nonetheless, despite improved health care systems and reduction in mortality rate due to better sanitation, the bad news is that the US still lags in several health indicators compared to other wealthy nations, despite being one of the world’s richest nations. More than 32 million individuals living in America lack access to adequate food and fall below the poverty breadline, meaning they cannot afford the money or adequate food for proper nutrition (Gundersen and Ziliak 120). As a result, children and infants who these people bring up are susceptible to long-term health problems due to malnutrition.
In other cases, childhood obesity is increasingly becoming a public health concern in the US. Recent data from CDC shows that an estimated 14.4 million US children and adolescents were obese, translating a prevalence rate of 19.3% (CDC 2021). These statistics indicate clearly that the US needs to pay more attention and invest more resources in improving health outcomes. An in-depth analysis of the health outcomes in the American society reveals that most health problems are among the inferior groups of people and people from specific ethnic backgrounds. The nation’s social epidemiology reveals that low-income and ethnic minority groups in the country face a huge disease burden and mortality rates compared to more affluent communities. The studies demonstrate the alarming health inequalities and disparities attributed to the low social level and status of people in the US.
Social-Structural Factors Affecting Disease Pattern and Health Distribution in the US
Social Class
There exist marked differences in overall health status in the US. A nuanced investigation into health disparities, access to health services, and the risk factors of the most prevalent illnesses and deaths reveals that social status is one major social determinants of health in the US. People from low-income ethnic minority groups face a higher disease burden. Research links diseases and health problems to people with a low social class compared to high social levels (Selden and Berdahl 1623). Several indicators such as mortality rates, children’s birth weight, and chronic diseases are prevalent in typical social class people. Besides that, reports show that educational achievement is leading social determinant of health. According to CDC statistics, the death and low birth rates of children born by parents did not complete high school are 89% and 29%, respectively.
In addition, low-income households across the US experience the largest health disparities, mortality and comorbidity compared their counterparts from well-to-do households. Adults who have low income and comes from poor backgrounds also have increased susceptibility to health problems like heart diseases, some types of cancer, arthritis, and diabetes. Middle-aged people who live in poor environments and below the poverty level have a high risk of contracting diseases such as heart conditions, blood pressure, and their risk is at least twice as high compared to wealthier people. Such differences in social classes make the life expectancy between the poor and rich Americans have a distinctive difference. The more affluent classes have a life expectancy of four and half times higher than the poor classes.
Certain conditions contribute to poor health outcomes among low-income people in the US. Some of the factors that make the poor social class people susceptible to illnesses and poor health include stress, which comes due to their inability to pay for their necessities, unemployment, and inability to control what happens to them. Such pressures lead to impairment of the immune system and another body process hence damages their health, leading to illnesses. Another possible reason for poor health in low-class people is poor living conditions. Most of them live in crowded places and shabby houses with poor sanitation expose them to health risk factors, especially the children. Limited access to health care is another cause of health problems and illnesses in low-class people. Most of them do not have insurance covers, and often they have no access to health care. Such conditions indicate that these people are likely to get ill. As a consequence, such individuals will not recover since they will not access a health care physician and do not have money to pay for their medical expenses.
Low social classes also have low education levels, which makes them unaware of health risk factors and have a cynical attitude towards health, hence, promoting unhealthy behaviors and ignorance of medical advice. Unhealthy lifestyles are also a major contributing factor to health problems and illnesses among poor people. Poor people practice unhealthy lifestyles and poor eating habits such as eating high-fat food, smoking, and lack of exercise. Generally, they do not know what to do with their lives. Most of them end up being obese, which eventually results in weight-associated problems like cardiovascular conditions. Combinations of all the factors above serve as a sure reason why illnesses and poor health are prevalent in commoners’ lives compared to strong health classes among the American citizens. Regardless of whether these are the only reasons that contribute to poor health and illnesses in society or there are others, their evidence confirms that poor people have worse health than wealthy people.
Racial and Ethnic Background
An examination of racial and ethnic differences in health status of Americans also reveals some differences between illness distribution across the country. The health differences are a serious public health issue in the US because research evidence shows significant disparities in life expectancies in ethnic minority groups such as African Americans. According to gender, studies have found out that whites live five years more than African Americans, with men expected to live six years more and women four years (Hart et al. 105). In addition, there is compelling evidence showing remarkable racial and ethnic variations in death rates among American children. Children born of African American parents are twice likely to die before they reach their first birthday. According to CDC report, native Americans are 1.5 times more likely to die than their white peers, while that of Puerto Rican people is 8.1 times of the whites (CDC). These alarming statistics illuminate disparities in healthcare, which contribute to disproportionally higher infant deaths in ethnic minority groups in the US.
When it comes to maternal mortality, there is the same reflection where there is an average of 8 deaths for every 100,000 births for white women while Latino women experience around 8.8 deaths (CDC). The women of African American descent experience the highest number of deaths, which is about 27.8deaths for every 1000,000 births (CDC). Empirical evidence further shows that blacks exhibit higher chances of succumbing to a wide range pf illness including heart attacks than whites. Consequently, the whites have a higher death rate from such attacks than Native Americans, Asians, and Latinos. African Americans are also susceptible to overweight, leading to high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain types of cancers compared to white people. In addition, Native Americans and Latinos have a higher susceptibility to several illnesses and health problems than whites.
From all angles, the research shows African Americans have high rates of susceptibility to health issues, complications and illnesses. To a more significant extent, such health problems represent high poverty levels among African Americans, Native Americans, and Latinos compared to white Americans (Selden et al. 1626). Besides, access to proper medical and health care is an issue of contention among African Americans and other people of color. Racial biasness existing among health and social care providers contribute to the persistent racial and ethnic differences in health outcomes in America. Petersen et al. explain that how healthcare providers perceive patients differ based on the patient’s racial or ethnic background (762). Ethnic minority groups are likely to receive low standard care due to such biases.
Moreover, access to adequate and quality food is another possible contributor to the existing health disparities in the US. Most foods consumed by African American citizens are rich in fats, making them accumulate many fats in their bodies and consequently adding weight (Selden et al. 1625). As a consequence, their rates of contracting heart diseases are higher compared to white people. Most of them die from heart-related complications, high blood pressure, and diabetes. On the contrary, Latino’s diet consists of cereals such as beans and low-fat grains, which significantly prevents health issues at first. However, as they interact deeply with Americans, they adopt their diets and eating habits, worsening their diets and health.
Another crucial outcome of the research is that even African Americans who are not poor and have higher incomes than some whites still have health problems and illnesses. Some reasons for such a scenario are that African American people live in a society suspected of racial prejudices and discriminations. As a result of such biases and racial prejudices, they suffer from stress and depression, which eventually leads worse health. In addition, some people of color are reported to have grown up in low-income families and might have developed health problems that might still be affecting them (Selden et al. 1626). To some degree, racial differences might also contribute to health disparities that occur biologically. For example, black men are more vulnerable to prostrate cancer. Sometimes medical observations indicate that the way blood vessels of people from certain ethnic backgrounds react may render them susceptible to heart diseases and hypertension.
The last factor that may help in explaining health issues according to racial differences is physical allocation. Non-whites poor people often live in unhealthy places exposed to water and air pollution, full of hazardous wastes, and many other environmental problems that are not safe for human health (Selden et al. 1628). These ecological problems result in several well-being issues, especially cancer, resulting from consuming water contaminated with industrial allergens that deposit cancerous materials in the body. An example of such a place is the Cancer alley located on a stretch of Mississippi in Louisiana. Such an environment exposes people to a polluting industry facility that makes them inhale polluted air daily.
Gender
Looking at the distribution of illnesses in terms of gender, women have more health issues than men. Women generally tend to live for many years compared to men who have six years fewer to live. However, research shows that females are more vulnerable to various diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, migraine headaches, and immune disorders that rarely affect men (Selden and Berdahl 1629). Women, therefore, experience a situation called mobility paradox even though they outlive most men. However, the fundamental reason why men die earlier is that they are susceptible to more dangerous and life-threatening diseases such as emphysema and heart diseases that rarely affect women.
Some of the reasons that can explain well-being issues across genders and gender longevity are biological. Sex-linked differences and estrogen levels in women are said to help them become less susceptible to various diseases like heart attacks and many life-threatening diseases despite making them easy to some illnesses listed earlier like migraine headaches. Another reason is environmental and career biasness. Men are likely to work in more hazardous environments and unsafe settings, which heighten the risk of contracting illnesses or sustaining injuries. Many men are also said to experience health problems as a result of their reluctance to discuss their medical issues and ignorance of seeking medical interventions (Hart et al. 102). The narcissistic nature of most men and masculinity socialization of being strong and silent type, and rarely discussing their medical problems catalysis problems into a bigger issue which could be addressed earlier. They also don’t ask any questions about their health; hence, they suffer silently, leading to complications that eventually result in death.
While life-threatening diseases and men’s silent nature lead to health-related problems being prevalent among men and low life expectancy, women still have more health issues than men. A significant reason for this is that the highest number of women is poor than most men. As mentioned earlier in this paper, a substantial cause of health-related problems is poverty. Since most women are poor or live near poverty, they are likely to face stressful events in their daily lives, including caring for their children or their aging parents. A consequence of poverty is increased stress which eventually may result in advanced conditions like depression and other health-related problems (Hart et al. 102). Apart from deprivation and stress, many women face discrimination in their daily life due to the nature of society’s sexism. Such bias leads to anxiety and mental disorders, which makes a bad situation even worse and advances the already poorer physical health.
Mental Health Conditions
Many Americans suffer from severe mental health disorders such as depression, which obstruct their everyday social functioning and interactions. Social epidemiology links these problems to several reasons, which include social class and gender-related issues. Specifically, poor people have more mental health issues than rich people. Due to the distress associated with financial strain, individuals from low income households exhibit higher chances of reporting mild to chronic mental health problems such as depressions and schizophrenia. Research evidence demonstrates a direct significant causal relationship between poverty and mental health problems (Hart et al. 103). When it comes to gender-related issues, mental illnesses are complex. Still, research shows that women have higher chances of contracting manic-depressive disorders and are likely to have severe cases of depression than men. On the contrary, men’s antisocial personalities expose them to mental illness, though at a slower rate than women.
Conclusion
Overall, an assessment of the disease distribution in the US reveals that gender, social class, race, ethnicity, and education are major social determinants of health in the country. Ethnic minority groups face a huge disease burden and mortality rates. Particularly, African Americans and other people of non-American decent have more health problems issues than white people. Women are more likely to report illnesses, but they are not life-threatening. Poverty levels, health care biasness, and environments filled with discrimination and prejudices are the major cause of these health problems and illnesses.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Childhood Obesity Facts: Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in the United States.” 2021. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mortality by underlying and multiple causes, ages 18+: the US, 1981–2006. 2010. Web.
Gundersen, Craig, and James P. Ziliak. “Food Insecurity Research in the United States: Where We Have Been and Where We Need to Go.” Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, vol. 40, no. 1, 2018, pp. 119-135. Web.
Hart, Chloe Grace, et al. “Gender and Health: Beyond Binary Categorical Measurement.” Journal of health and Social Behavior, vol. 60, no. 1, 2019, pp. 101-118. Web.
Petersen, Emily E., et al. “Racial/ethnic disparities in pregnancy-related deaths—United States, 2007–2016.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 68, no. 35, 2019, pp. 762-765. Web.
Selden, Thomas M., and Terceira A. Berdahl. “COVID-19 And Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health Risk, Employment, And Household Composition: Study Examines Potential Explanations for Racial-Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Hospitalizations and Mortality.” Health Affairs, vol. 39, no. 9, 2020, pp. 1624-1632. Web.