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Unit 10 Sociological Perspectives Assignment 2
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Zhanet SadullaUnit 10 part -2
Explain how social inequalities affects different groups in society
In society there are many inequalities that can affect different groups, these can include economic,
social and environmental factors in addition to prejudice, stereotyping, labelling, migration and
discrimination that can lead to the inequalities occurring.
For example, there are many social inequalities that affect our social classes. This includes the
amount of money people receive in their incomes which can cause effects on their health and the
environment around them, such as ill health, morbidity and their life expectancy. This is because
people in the higher social class known as 'bourgeoisie' can afford healthier nutritious food as well
as more private healthcare check-ups meaning that they are able to look after their health and
receive better medical attention as they have more money to pay the expenses rather than those
from poorer backgrounds. As the richer, higher social class are able to care for their health a lot
better than those who are poor, this means that they are more likely to live longer lives as they are
able to treat their ill-health with better and faster medical attention. People that come from poorer
backgrounds known as the 'proletariat' or the 'working class' are unable to afford the healthier food
choices meaning that they are not consuming the high-nutrient foods they need but are consuming
more fatty and high-sugar foods as these tend to cost less. However, this leads to ill-health with
results leading to different types of cancers and diseases that affect their heart. As they cannot
afford private healthcare they have to wait longer to receive medical attention therefore meaning
that they are suffering longer with their illnesses which can cause some diseases to progress further
resulting in the death of more people in the poorer class than those in the higher class.
In addition, social classes also face inequalities due to marginalisation, this is when a group of people
are discriminated against and prevented from having equal rights or assessing services within society
(Pearson, 2016). For example, this can include those who are on low incomes or facing poverty may
feel out of place or as if they do not belong in settings that have private healthcare. This could be
because some private healthcare places may come with limited payment plans therefore making it
harder for those in the working class to pay off for private healthcare. This causes discrimination
against those who are poorer as they are unable to afford the same healthcare resources that the
higher class are able to receive. This can then cause the working class to feel inferior compared to
the higher class as they are shifted to the back of the line whilst the higher class come first.
Labelling is another factor that creates social inequalities, this is where stereotypical views of
particular groups are applied whilst the individual differences are then ignored (Pearson, 2016). For
example, in healthcare settings some people may be labelled' as poor based on their appearance
out in public or because of their income. This could then result in those that are 'poor' being given
the cheapest medication or treatment that's available as they are deemed to not be able to afford
any other treatment that may be higher in price despite the public services such as the NHS that are
available.
Another social group that experiences inequalities is sex, which defines a person's gender. Sex can
affect the health of people due to lifestyle and environmental factors that affect both men and
women differently. For example, a woman's life expectancy is stereotypically higher than that of a
mans by five years (Pearson, 2016), this can be linked to how men have higher levels of smoking
cigarettes and drinking which men often see as a way to keep up their 'status' or as a way to bond
with other guys. In addition to this, men are more likely to participate in riskier and dangerous sports
as they are more likely to 'show-off" as they do not want be categorised as a man who is scared
therefore they want to show their 'strength' to those around them. However, because men are most
likely to take part in risk-taking behaviours, there has become a relatively high death rate of young
men between the ages of 17 and 24 in association with the death rates from road accidents
(Pearson, 2016).
On the other hand, economically, women are still earning less income compared to men, this is
shown in a survey by the Higher Education Statistics Agency portraying how women with degrees are
, still commonly paid less than a man who has the same degree. This also includes how a higher-
proportions of women are in low paid part-time jobs compared to men working in these jobs, this
results in women having less money to care for themselves such as buying nutritious foods and
caring after their health. Women are most likely to be the main carer in a lone-parent family and
receive benefits meaning that they have to provide for their kids without the additional support
from having a partner to help them, however these women are still paid less causing them to
financially struggle more than what a man would. This then means that they are more likely to say in
poverty as they are less likely to receive occupational or full state pensions due to their family
responsibilities meaning that they are never given the chance to be provided with better living
conditions or to become financially secure. Popay and Bartley (1989) studied houses in London to
find out that women spent more time doing houework than men, even when working a full-time job.
This conveys how women will still go to work to come home and carry on with household chores
therefore they are managing on a limited budget and working long hours without having any time
for themselves to relax (Pearson, 2016). This will end up resulting in women experiencing stress
without taking time for themselves which can lead to consequences relating to their overall health
such as increasing their risk of developing cardiovascular disease due to rises in their blood sugar
levels (WedMd, 2019).
Explain how demographic data is used in service provision in a local health and care setting
Demography is a technical term used to describe the study of changes in the size and structure of
the population (Pearson, 2016). Demographic data can be used in wide range of areas within the
health and social care setting. This is because demographic data can be used to identify needs in
addition to planning services and assessing the effectiveness of current methods that are already in
place, therefore using the data to help update and develop the policies and methods to use in the
future.
When using demographic data, it is important to make sure that the various areas that the data can
be used in provide services that are appropriate to the needs of the population as this will allow the
figures to relate to everybody in society. In the health and social care setting demographic data can
be used to help health professionals to determine what funds they have available to run specific
wards in the hospitals. For example, health professionals may need to find out how much funds they
have available to run a maternity ward to ensure that the ward have significant facilities available.
The health professionals can also use the data to ensure they are not over or under-spending the
available funds for the specific departments. In addition, they will be able to identify how many staff
they need so that they know they have the correct amount off staff in each area such as the amount
of midwives they will need in one delivery room to ensure that the department and the hospital AE
running smoothly. Another example of using demographic data in a health and social care setting
includes the national
census. This census provides us with a breakdown of all the factors in society that the health and
social care sector should be addressing. For example, they should consider the amount of that are
offered unpaid care, the levels of ill-health and the amount of those in unemployment. We are then
able to use this information to plan services around these requirements in relation to addressing the
funding needed to meet these needs. Making sure that these are considered will help enhance the
health in different areas of society. For example, unpaid care has been associated with negative
impacts on the carer, especially carers who work prolonged hours. These impacts affect the carers
overall health as their mental health becomes affected due to the amount of stress they are put
under when providing care in addition to struggling with their finances, leaving the body suffering
with the symptoms related to experiencing mental health issues. Local authorities have a duty to
identify carers (Aine Kelly, Caroline Kenny, 2018) therefore knowing whom they should address the
needs, they would then know which carers need support. Upon providing these carers with support
it will help to increase their wellbeing by reducing the amount of stress they have been experiencing.
In addition to this, the carers can be provided with more education or training to help further the
carers' understanding of the health conditions (Aine Kelly, Caroline Kenny, 2018).
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