Health and Social ClassHealth and Social Class

How Health and Social class are How Health and Social class are related in the UKrelated in the UK

How do we know what causes How do we know what causes ill health?ill health?

There are big differences in the There are big differences in the health of different social classeshealth of different social classes

Wealthier people have better Wealthier people have better health in generalhealth in general

Education, lifestyle and Education, lifestyle and geography are factorsgeography are factors

The Black Report and Acheson The Black Report and Acheson Report has shown thisReport has shown this

DietDiet

Scotland is the unhealthiest Scotland is the unhealthiest country in the worldcountry in the world

2 million children in the UK 2 million children in the UK today cannot afford to eat today cannot afford to eat healthilyhealthily

Lower classes cannot afford to Lower classes cannot afford to buy healthy foodbuy healthy food

Cancer RatesCancer Rates

MenMen 334 per 100,000 compared to 334 per 100,000 compared to

296296 Drumchapel/Bearsden - More Drumchapel/Bearsden - More

than twice as likely to die from than twice as likely to die from lung cancer lung cancer

WomenWomen 3 times more likely to die from 3 times more likely to die from

breast cancerbreast cancer

Reasons For CancerReasons For Cancer

AgeAge Genetic make-upGenetic make-up DietDiet Day-to-day environmentDay-to-day environment Work place hazards – AsbestosWork place hazards – Asbestos Natural & man-made Radiation Natural & man-made Radiation

– UV Lights and the sun– UV Lights and the sun Lack of exerciseLack of exercise

Use and abuseUse and abuse

Lower social class higher rate of Lower social class higher rate of diseasedisease

Lung cancer in professional Lung cancer in professional males 43males 43

Lung cancer in unskilled manual Lung cancer in unskilled manual males 178males 178

Reasons:can’t afford Reasons:can’t afford entertainment entertainment

Quick fixes Quick fixes

OccupationOccupation

Some jobs have health risksSome jobs have health risks For example people working in For example people working in

manufacturing or construction manufacturing or construction jobs are more likely to suffer from jobs are more likely to suffer from back problemsback problems

High powered jobs have less High powered jobs have less physical health risks physical health risks

Upper classes are more likely to Upper classes are more likely to have high powered jobs have high powered jobs

GeographyGeography

More well-off people are more More well-off people are more likely to live in good quality likely to live in good quality housinghousing

3.4 times more likely to die 3.4 times more likely to die before the age of 65!before the age of 65!

Divide between Glasgow city Divide between Glasgow city and Bearsdenand Bearsden

ConclusionConclusion

The lower the social class of a The lower the social class of a person in the UK is, the more person in the UK is, the more likely they are to have poor likely they are to have poor healthhealth