Why Poor goes with Poor Health

Here are the problems underlying a common sense

A Lot of Folks in the same Predicament

Racism and other social biases tend to restrict the poor to certain neighborhoods. This limits their educational and employment opportunities and can trap them for generations. The urban infrastructure, physical environment and quality of life crumble around them, exposing them to health risks from lead to dirty air, vermin, drugs and crime - and hampering their access to quality healthcare.

The corner Store with the Marlboro Sign in the Window

In this case, the gun really is smoking. According to CDC data, a disproportionate number of smokers in the United States are poor. The tobacco companies do their part by marketing heavily in poor neighborhoods. And government cuts in funds for stop-smoking programs are undermining their effectiveness.

A Rap as the Bad Part of Town

The poor (specifically, poor and non-white) have less access to decent Healthcare, and discrimination can compound their health problems. A 2003 University of Michigan analysis of 53 studies found that feeling racial or ethnic bias can cause physiological and psychological stress, and systematic exposure to discrimination may have long term effects.

A Couple of Shady-Looking Guys Hanging out on the Corner

A study revealed that people who reported a greater fear of crime were nearly twice as likely to suffer from depression as those who reported less fear. They also exercised less and were less social. Why? If you’re worried about the local hoods, you won’t leave the house as often. This restricts your social life and outdoor activities. And the stress of a constant crime watch is another health downer.

A Lot of Men Hanging out because they can’t Find Work

Anything less than breadwinner status can translate, in a man's own eyes, into loser status. Among studies in a 2003 American Journal of Public Health review, one noted that men in Harlem who were unemployed or underemployed were more likely to smoke and have high blood pressure than men who worked full-time.

A study done in the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s collapse found that through four years of unemployment, rising inflation and falling income, life expectancy for Russian men declined by six years.