Max Weber defined social class as a group with similar power, wealth, and status. Status refers to the honor and prestige related to one’s occupation, while power is described as the ability to convince others to do what you desire. In the United States, social class is divided using the five class model: upper, upper middle, lower middle, working class, working poor, and underclass. Social class is measured using three factors: education, wealth, and occupation. The most often used measure of social class in the United States is education, because it is easy to report and remains relatively stable across the adult life. In Europe, however, occupation is the most commonly used measure. According to the “Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making
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Proximal causes are those that directly result in the disease or ailment, such as a bacterial infection. Intermediate causes explain where an individual was infected or how they acquired the disease. Finally, and most importantly, distal or fundamental causes are the most upstream influences of disease. As proved by Link and Phelan, SES is most often the fundamental cause of disease and therefore strongly influences health. SES is a fundamental cause of mortality and disease due to the relationship between low SES with illness, disability, and death. SES has historically been considered a factor in determining health, but is now considered as “having a causal role.” Link and Phelan established four tenets of a social variable that must be fulfilled if it is to be considered a cause of sickness and mortality: influence multiple disease; affect these disease through multiple pathways of risks; be reproduced over time; and involve access to resources that can be used to avoid risks or minimize the consequences of disease if it occurs. SES fits all of these determinants and truly has a causal role in all instances of health and sickness. Overall, “a fundamental social cause of disease and health is related to the resources that determine the extent to which people are able to avoid risks for morbidity and mortality,” and those of lower SES face daily difficulties in attaining a healthy lifestyle as a result of their status. This plays a determining role in health and
Proximal causes are those that directly result in the disease or ailment, such as a bacterial infection. Intermediate causes explain where an individual was infected or how they acquired the disease. Finally, and most importantly, distal or fundamental causes are the most upstream influences of disease. As proved by Link and Phelan, SES is most often the fundamental cause of disease and therefore strongly influences health. SES is a fundamental cause of mortality and disease due to the relationship between low SES with illness, disability, and death. SES has historically been considered a factor in determining health, but is now considered as “having a causal role.” Link and Phelan established four tenets of a social variable that must be fulfilled if it is to be considered a cause of sickness and mortality: influence multiple disease; affect these disease through multiple pathways of risks; be reproduced over time; and involve access to resources that can be used to avoid risks or minimize the consequences of disease if it occurs. SES fits all of these determinants and truly has a causal role in all instances of health and sickness. Overall, “a fundamental social cause of disease and health is related to the resources that determine the extent to which people are able to avoid risks for morbidity and mortality,” and those of lower SES face daily difficulties in attaining a healthy lifestyle as a result of their status. This plays a determining role in health and