Discuss the Factors Likely to Influence Current and Future Patterns of Health in the Uk.
Assignment Two – Current patterns of ill health in the UK
M2: Discuss the factors likely to influence current and future patterns of health in the UK.
In the 21st century society there are two current factors that are very obvious in affecting patterns of health. These are that of social class affecting health and lifestyle choices.
There has always been a link between social class and health, even with the welfare state and the improvements made to health in all sections of societies over the years, a difference still remains in this area. This difference is applied to all aspects of health, which include life expectancy, general levels of health and infant mortality. Many people argue that as long as the quality of life is improving in all public sectors then there is no concern for anyone. On the other hand some others argue that the failure to close this social difference is a disgrace particularly taking into account that the NHS has now been operational for 62 years and this still hasn’t removed the marked differences in all sections of health across the social classes. Since social class encompasses a number of different influences such as wealth, culture, status, employment and background, which makes the link between social class and ill health is complicated.
In 2012, an article in the Guardian newspaper, written by health correspondent Dennis Campbell, publicised that the middle class population are making the trend of attempting to improve their health thrive whilst the ones in lower class continue with risky behaviour which therefore increases their chances of developing a range of serious illnesses and put ‘unavoidable pressure’ on an already hard-pressed NHS. During the period of time where the Labour government embarked on a campaign to encourage people to live healthier lives, 2003-2008, a study was carried out to look at the differences between the health of people in different social classes. The results showed that those with no
M2: Discuss the factors likely to influence current and future patterns of health in the UK.
In the 21st century society there are two current factors that are very obvious in affecting patterns of health. These are that of social class affecting health and lifestyle choices.
There has always been a link between social class and health, even with the welfare state and the improvements made to health in all sections of societies over the years, a difference still remains in this area. This difference is applied to all aspects of health, which include life expectancy, general levels of health and infant mortality. Many people argue that as long as the quality of life is improving in all public sectors then there is no concern for anyone. On the other hand some others argue that the failure to close this social difference is a disgrace particularly taking into account that the NHS has now been operational for 62 years and this still hasn’t removed the marked differences in all sections of health across the social classes. Since social class encompasses a number of different influences such as wealth, culture, status, employment and background, which makes the link between social class and ill health is complicated.
In 2012, an article in the Guardian newspaper, written by health correspondent Dennis Campbell, publicised that the middle class population are making the trend of attempting to improve their health thrive whilst the ones in lower class continue with risky behaviour which therefore increases their chances of developing a range of serious illnesses and put ‘unavoidable pressure’ on an already hard-pressed NHS. During the period of time where the Labour government embarked on a campaign to encourage people to live healthier lives, 2003-2008, a study was carried out to look at the differences between the health of people in different social classes. The results showed that those with no
References: * http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Health-and-Social-Class.htm * http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/23/class-divide-health-widens-thinktank * http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_people_are_obese_in_the_UK * http://www.21stcenturychallenges.org/focus/britains-greying-population/