Being poor can hurt you in more ways than just your wallet, but also your health. Low socioeconomic status has been linked to a reduced life expectancy as a major factor for ill health and early death.
This has been shown in a recent study published in the journal Lancet involving over 20 researchers from all over the world. The study took data from 48 studies involving 1.7 million people from UK, France, Switzerland, Portugal, Italy, USA and Australia. A person's job title was used to estimate their income and socioeconomic status which was correlated to whether they died earlier not.
A senior author of the study, Prof. Paolo Vineis, said:
"Socioeconomic status is important because it is a summary measure of lifetime exposures to hazardous circumstances and behaviors, that goes beyond the risk factors for non-communicable diseases that policies usually address"
The study was part of an effort to meet the 25x25 initiative established by the World Health Organization in its Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. The plan is to cut mortality from non-communicable diseases by 25% by 2025. Previous studies did not include socioeconomic factors in noncommunicable diseases. This study looked at the contribution that a low socioeconomic status plays in mortality and years of life lost, compared to other 25x25 risk factors such as physical inactivity, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and high alcohol intake.
Those of lower socioeconomic status were 1.5 times (or 46%) more likely to die before they were 85 years old compared to wealthier people.
It's also estimated that 41% of men and 27% of women are in the low socioeconomic status, and this correlates to a reduction in life expectancy of 2.1 years, which is close to the life reduction from being inactive at 2.4 years shorter lifespan.
The greatest risk factor was for those who smoke or have diabetes, at 4.8 and 3.9 years lost for each. But socioeconomic status does reduce life expectancy more than blood pressure at 1.6, obesity at 0.7, and high alcohol consumption and 0.5 years gone.
The accuracy might not be perfect, as previously mentioned the socioeconomic status was determined by the occupation the person currently had in order to determine their life expectancy. This can oversimplify the complexity that socioeconomic status actually has. Someone might have a low socioeconomic status but still maintain a high enough level of health despite such circumstances.
Separating the effects of low socioeconomic status from other risk factors is difficult. Including it with other factors might make for a better assessment of how it plays a part either individually to affect life expectancy, or if it's more related to the increase in influence of other factors in someone's life. The degree of poverty might correlate with smoking and poor eating to develop diabetes, and also low physical activity that can lead to other health issues, such as blood pressure and being overweight, and also affect the increase in consumption of alcohol.
Dr. Silvia Stringhini, the lead author of the study highlights the importance of this information:
"Reducing poverty, improving education and creating safe home, school and work environments are central to overcoming the impact of socioeconomic deprivation. By doing this, socioeconomic status could be targeted and improved, leading to better wealth and health for many."
References:
- Low socioeconomic status reduces life expectancy and should be counted as a major risk factor in health policy, study says
- Dr Silvia Stringhini et al. Socioeconomic status and the 25 × 25 risk factors as determinants of premature mortality: a multicohort study and meta-analysis of 1·7 million men and women. The Lancet, January 2017 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32380-7
Thank you for your time and attention! I appreciate the knowledge reaching more people. Take care. Peace.
If you appreciate and value the content, please consider:
Upvoting , Sharing
or Reblogging
below.
me for more content to come!
Please also consider supporting me as a Steem Witness by voting for me at the bottom of the Witness page; or just click on the upvote button if I am in the top 50:
