LIFE CHANCES BY HEALTH, INCOME & EDUCATION

• Diet

  Diet of working class is less healthy (high in salt and sugar) than the middle class who are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables (DAVIES)
• smoking

  7% of manual workers are heavy smokers compared to 3% of non manual workers. People in professional occupations are the most likely to never smoke
• leisure

  43% of middle class take part in sport or exercise for at least 30 minutes a week, compared to 27% of working class
• knowledge

  middle class use the NHS more effectively as they are more aware of the services available and are more likely to complain if they feel they are not receiving the right treatment
• Life expectancy of men

  2001 - 60 year olds in most advantaged neighbourhoods could expect to live 4 years longer than those in most disadvantaged neighbourhood. Rose to 5 years in 2015
• life expectancy of women

  decreasing for the poorest 20% of women and increasing for the richest 20%
• infant mortality

  most recent is 5.2 per 1000 in most deprived areas compared to 2.7 per 1000 in least deprived
• cancer treatment

  compared to highest income groups, people in most deprived areas are 20% more likely to have diagnosed cancer at a late stage. could be due to private healthcare, knowledge, mentality, not able to take time of work
• mental health

  children and adults living in lowest 20% income bracket are 3 times more likely to develop mental health problems than those in highest 20%
• what is the materialist explanation?

  says there is a direct link between health and the unequal division of wealth
• what is the cultural explanation?

  health inequalities are the result of differing values and lifestyles
• Wilson and Pickett psychosocial explanation

  Among developed countries, no relationship between how rich it is and the life expectancy of citizens. Is a relationship between life expectancy and how equal society is, those with high inequality have lower life expectancy
• Wilson and Pickett Psycho-social explanation

  being poor does not equate to poor health, poor people in poor countries have better health than poor in rich. The inequalities are caused by the large wealth gap. Social reactions to living with inequality (stress, distrust, depression) damage immune system and cause heart disease and cancer