Unequal Health: How Inequality Contributes to Health Or IllnessThis book introduces students and researchers to the wealth of scientific information about health disparities among Americans. While the scientific research has burgeoned in recent years, the results are upsetting some firmly fixed beliefs regarding what people can or should do to improve their health. The book contrasts popular beliefs about the relevance of such factors as sex, race, poverty and health habits with research on those factors reported in the scientific literature. Budrys extends her analysis to more complicated topics, namely, access to medical care, genetics and stress. The final chapters of the book switch from a focus on the health of individuals to the health profile of whole populations. These chapters deal with research on the relationship between social inequality and health status - generally identified as social epidemiology or the study of population health. belief system that promote the idea that all of us could improve our health significantly if we simply chose to do so. Her book shows health and well-being in America are directly tied to economic status - a relationship that extends well beyond obvious explanations related to poverty. |
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Unequal Health: How Inequality Contributes to Health Or Illness Grace Budrys No preview available - 2003 |
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African Americans American Journal American Medical Association associated baboons basic blacks cancer causes of death chapter chronic consider countries death rates decline demographic transition differences discussion doctor economic economic inequality effects evidence expectancy explain fact factors females focus focuses genes genetic glucocorticoid health behavior health insurance health status Health United heart disease higher Hispanic homicide hypertension identified illness income inequality increased indicate infant mortality issue Journal of Public Kawachi less linked live Lung Cancer males matter measure Medicaid Medicare mortality and morbidity mortality rates neoliberal nomic obesity percent person poor Population Health poverty problem Public Health question race relationship reported researchers responsible risk Science and Medicine smoking social capital social class social inequality Social Science society stress tion topic uninsured variables variation in health variation in mortality W. I. Thomas Whitehall studies women Women's Health