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Socio-economic Differentials in Health.
1University College London, UK.
Journal of Health Psychology
|October 21, 2011
Summary
The Whitehall studies reveal a social gradient in health, where lower employment grades correlate with higher mortality and morbidity risks. Factors like relative deprivation and life-course exposures, not just lifestyle, drive this health disparity.
Area of Science:
- Social epidemiology
- Public health
- Occupational health
Background:
- The first Whitehall Study identified an inverse social gradient in mortality among British civil servants.
- Lower occupational grades were associated with significantly higher mortality risks across various causes of death.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the underlying causes of the social gradient in mortality and morbidity.
- To examine the roles of health selection, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors in health disparities.
Main Methods:
- The Whitehall II Study prospectively followed British civil servants.
- Data collection included morbidity and mortality assessments, alongside reviews of potential causal factors.
Main Results:
- The Whitehall II Study confirmed marked social gradients in morbidity, mirroring mortality findings.
- Analysis suggested that health selection and lifestyle differences alone do not explain the gradient.
- Relative deprivation and cumulative, socially patterned life-course exposures emerged as significant contributing factors.
Conclusions:
- Socially determined circumstances in living and working environments are critical to understanding health inequalities.
- Psychosocial factors, particularly relative deprivation, play a key role in the social patterning of health.
- Addressing health disparities requires considering the broader social and environmental contexts influencing health outcomes.
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