Lifestyles Of The Poor - Coursework Example

Sociological Lifestyles Lifestyles of the poor are the main contributors to their ill health. Diabetes, high-blood pressure, and other lifestyle diseases are not confined to the wealthy as they are also a wreaking havoc among the poor. Lifestyle diseases refer to health problems that can be prevented by changing the way of life, eating better, quitting smoking, and drinking less alcohol. These illnesses are emerging among all people particularly those from poor and low socio-economic communities.

They are among the top conditions seen in primary care and health professionals expect them to mushroom further. The poor struggle not only to afford healthy food, but also to find safe places to do some physical exercises (Marmot and Wilkinson, 9-10). Poor economic and social conditions affect human health throughout life. People down the social ladder are at twice the risk of having premature deaths or serious illnesses compared to those at the near top. The health problems are not confined to the unfortunate only as the gradient in health runs across the society.

The low ranking staff and middle-class office workers suffer earlier deaths and more diseases than the high ranking staff. Both psychological and material causes contribute to the observed differences (Marmot and Wilkinson, 10).Poverty disadvantage takes many forms and can be relative or absolute. It can be in the view of having few assets, poor education, insecure employment, or being stuck in a hazardous job. The disadvantages concentrate among the same people and their health impacts accumulate throughout life.

People who live in stressful social and economic circumstances suffer great psychological tear and wear. Such people are likely to exhibit bad health and will have a limited healthy old age. The critical transitions in life affect health by continuously pushing victims to the less disadvantaged paths (Marmot and Wilkinson, 10). Works CitedMarmot, M. G., and Richard G, Wilkinson, Social determinants of health, 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. Print.