Social Stratification – Understanding the Impact of Stratification on Health

Social Stratification – Understanding the Impact of Stratification on Health

My choice of health issue for this assignment is infant mortality. Simply put, infant mortality is used to refer to the death of a child before they reach the age of one year. I find this issue very significant since it is a clear indicator of a population’s overall health and well-being. In a community where there are high rates of infant mortality, one would automatically realize that it’s a clear reflection of broader societal issues, for example, poor healthcare, poverty, illiteracy, inequalities, or a combination of these factors. Infant mortality is a clear indication of just how deeply entrenched social factors, specifically social stratification, impact society, in this case, the health outcomes of children. As such, it is essential to have an understanding of such factors so that issues like infant mortality can be addressed and reduced, possibly brought to an end.

Section 2: Stratification and Health

            Stratification is a system whereby society ranks people in a hierarchy based on various factors, including race, gender, and education, but mainly socioeconomic status (Kendall, 2016). People with power, prestige, and wealth are placed at the top of the ranks, while those with fewer resources are placed in lower ranks depending on their resources or lack thereof. Stratification determines things like the kind of job one can hold, social status, and prestige, as well as the chances of one living in poverty. Consequently, this system of ranking then creates layers of inequality, where some groups have more access to resources, opportunities, and privileges than others. An illustration of this can be found in the healthcare industry, wherein the unequal distribution of resources denies certain people the ability to assess and analyze their health and the factors influencing it, adjust their lifestyles accordingly, and seek medical attention when needed (Hu, Wang, Huang, Wang & Li, 2021). Unfortunately, this is a privilege that those in lower classes cannot afford due to lack of resources, or they may not even be aware of medical issues as they have no access to education, among other factors. This is in addition to barriers to accessing quality healthcare, nutritious food, clean water, and safe living conditions.

Infant mortality is closely related to stratification and inequalities. Infant mortality is commonly linked to illness, specifically malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea and malnutrition, both common problems in low-income societies. A family’s socioeconomic status is a key determinant of the chances of an infant’s survival. Having low or no wages means a lack of prenatal care, which is crucial in maintaining the health of the infant and the mother. Further, due to systemic discrimination, marginalized communities not only face unequal distribution of resources, they are often provided with poor healthcare services as well (Kendall, 2016). All these inequalities result in significant disparities in infant mortality rates between different social groups.

Section 3: Application to Nursing

When a family is welcoming a new baby, it is natural that they want only the best for the baby especially good health. However, many families don’t have the same opportunities to help ensure that their baby’s health is well taken care of. This is especially due to a lack of financial resources for prenatal checkups, proper feeding, a clean environment, and warm clothing, among others. All these problems then put unborn children as well as infants at very high risk of infant mortality.

Further, our system has been proven to be prejudiced towards certain races, religions or ethnic communities, resulting in the provision of poor health care services. Taking all these factors into consideration is essential for a nurse because it gives me a deeper understanding of how social factors like income, education, and race affect health outcomes. This will then help me provide better and well-tailored care for the diverse patients that I get to help. Secondly, it is only through this learning that I can advocate for more equitable healthcare practices and work towards reducing health disparities. Thirdly, this knowledge will also put me in a position where I can help them navigate the healthcare system and connect them with community resources that address their specific needs. In order to be a more effective nurse, I must have an understanding of the impact of stratification and inequality on health.

References

Kendall, D. (2016). Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials. United States: Cengage Learning.

Hu, X., Wang, T., Huang, D., Wang, Y., & Li, Q. (2021). Impact of social class on health: The mediating role of health self-management. Plos one, 16(7), e0254692.

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Instructions
This week we are learning about social stratification and inequalities in the United States and in other parts of the world. In this assignment, we will practice explaining the impact of stratification and inequality on health to either a future patient or to a family member who is unaware of these connections you are learning about in your “Culture and Society” class and how it applies to your work as a nurse working with diverse, multicultural patient populations.

In 2–3 pages, write an essay that uses these headings and provides this information:

Section 1: Health Issue
In this section, choose one of the health issues explained in our textbook (chapters 7-8) and explain why you chose this issue:

Life expectancy
Infectious disease risk
Degenerative disease risk
Hunger and food access
Infant mortality
Section 2: Stratification and Health
In this section, explain what stratification is and explain how your chosen health issue is related to stratification and the inequalities that people experience.

Section 3: Application to Nursing
In this section, pretend that you are explaining this information to a future patient or to a family member. Explain to this person why you learning about connections between stratification and its impact on health and applies to your future work as a nurse working with diverse, multicultural patient populations.

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