The History of Health Inequality

 Intro:

Health inequalities are just as prevalent now as they have ever been, and they stem from the same root cause: access to healthcare. The inequality of health can be traced back over 2000 years when there was a huge gap between the wealthy and poor in ancient Greece and Rome. Slaves had to work on the fields all day long and were poorly fed, which made them far more vulnerable to disease than their owners who could afford better food, clean water, and proper housing conditions.

 

Farming Practices

The most significant factor in health inequality for much of history was simply whether a person could afford to eat. Those who couldn’t pay for food were less likely to be healthy, plain, and simple. The advent of farming helped even out some of these discrepancies because many more people had steady access to food—but it also allowed people with wealth to expand their girths. Wealthy families typically owned more livestock, which they ate or sold; they also had slaves available to do things like threshing wheat and transport goods, freeing up time and energy for leisure pursuits like hunting and feasting on wild game (think: lords’ excesses in Game of Thrones). As such, there was a correlation between being wealthy and being healthier.

 

Sedentary Lifestyle

Recently, research has begun to show that a sedentary lifestyle (that is, living a lifestyle in which an individual spends little time engaging in physical activity) can have negative effects on one’s health. Sedentary individuals are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and depression than those who engage in regular physical activity. Additionally, sedentary lifestyles increase obesity rates.

 

The stigma attached to Mental Illness

The United States has long been regarded as a nation with high levels of social and economic inequality. Where you end up in life—by wealth, health, education, or occupation—is generally where you started; a child born into poverty is likely to remain poor, while someone who comes from a wealthy family will be more likely to stay wealthy. Mental illness runs along similar lines: A person living with a mental disorder is often defined by that illness and its stigma may discourage him or her from seeking treatment. Moreover, racial minorities are more likely to experience mental disorders than Caucasians.

 

Alcohol Consumption & Smoking

According to Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, people who do not smoke and drink alcohol experience significantly lower rates of death from many preventable causes compared to those who do. They’re also more likely to have very good or excellent health. If you currently enjoy a few drinks here and there, consider curbing your alcohol consumption (you can still take advantage of other nights on which you do imbibe). However, if heavy drinking is starting to become an issue for you, abstaining may be in your best interest.

 

Transportation Safety

Traffic-related air pollution is responsible for over 3 million deaths each year, making it one of humanity’s most pressing problems. However, according to a recent World Bank report, about 80% of all these deaths are preventable with low-cost interventions, such as access to cleaner modes of transportation and better street design. For example, in developing countries, motorcycles are often more prevalent than cars because they’re less expensive and more efficient—but they also produce ten times more pollutants per mile traveled. If you have access to cleaner modes of transportation (bicycles, subways), do so whenever possible. And if you don’t live in a city with a subway system or bike lanes, then lobby your local government officials to provide them!

The History of Health Inequality