how Poverty is a determinant and contributing health care of an individual
Introduction
Health is a fundamental aspect of everyday individuals, regardless of whether they are poor or rich. If your sick, you need medical attention; otherwise, the situation might escalate and lead to severe consequences among them, even death. Growing up as a middle-class citizen in America, I encountered most street people as I went to school. Most of the time, I would pass by an old homeless woman begging in the streets. She was one victim whom I observed daily. Slowly her health deteriorated, and one day she passed on. It was sad not to be able to hear her play as I went to school. As the days went by, her spot was taken over by other beggars, and the cycle continued. This case scenario is an actual example of how Poverty is a determinant and contributing health care of an individual. We can, therefore, not deny the fact that Good health is more accessible to wealthy people because the life expectancy of wealthy people is much longer than people in Poverty. Additionally, minorities tend to have a higher health risk due to lower average income, and Celebrities with serious health issues tend to live longer than less fortunate people.
According to Rebeca Clay, in her article, “Wealth Secures Health,” It’s evident that the environmental and behavioral factors influence the health of a person. Clay claims that “Now psychologists are trying to find out why. Behavioral and environmental differences play a role since those at the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum tend to smoke more, eat worse, and live in unhealthier environments. But something more seems to be at work as well. The hypothesis? Inequality itself contributes to health disparities.” In essence, a person who lives in an environmental background that is poor will be more vulnerable to diseases because of the cold and also the food that they eat. Clay Further maintains that “As you move up the socio-economic status hierarchy, your health prospects continue to improve.” This is, however, not the case for the poor who are stuck in the middle class. From my case scenario, the homeless woman that I was observing on the roadside was prone to the cold. She was begging for warm clothing now and then. She was there every morning and would ask passerby’s for food and clothing to keep her warm during the night. This strikes me as a very different case scenario from all the beggars who would ask for money. The old woman would play her guitar, and in exchange, passersby would help her with clothing and beddings. Sometimes she would complain of a sore throat, cold, and even pneumonia. On other days she would lie down on the pathway lane without playing.
Aside from the environmental and behavioral influences that individuals have to face, there is also the aspect of money. Income also affects access to better health care for the less fortunate and people who are living in extreme poverty. Jason Purnell, in his article, “What its Worth,” tries to navigate the financial paradigm that is hooked to healthcare access and services. He affirms that “When the American Psychological Association released the results of its “Stress in America Survey” in early 2015, money topped the list of worries, ahead of work, family, and health issues. In this essence, the qualification of the statement that “Beggars cannot be choosers” is much in practice in my case study. The homeless woman who dies was begging because she had no alternative. She was begging for money because she had to and needed to survive. Other worries, such as health, were also on her radar, and as such, she wanted warmer clothes and beddings so that she could avoid getting sick. Still, she succumbed to the cold environmental conditions of having to live outside of a shelter as a homeless person.
Conclusion
It’s crucial to acknowledge the fact that health stratification is a part of the society we live in today. The rich have access to better health care than poor individuals. Research has proven that aspects such as income level, social, economic status, together with the behavioral and environmental conditions, play a massive part in the health status of both people of the middle, upper, and lower classes.