Socioeconomic status and health in Australia

Abstract

Consistent with international evidence, the findings of Australian research show that socioeconomically disadvantaged groups experience significantly higher mortality and morbidity rates. Despite marked improvements in the health of all segments of the Australian population in recent decades, during this same period there has also been an increase in socioeconomically related mortality inequalities for some conditions. Socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are more likely to engage in health‐damaging behaviours, experience poorer psychosocial health, make less use of the healthcare system for preventive purposes, and have a more adverse risk factor profile. These are the main contributing factors to the poorer physiological health of low socioeconomic groups. At present, our knowledge of how socioeconomic status and health are related is limited. A necessary step in improving our understanding of this issue is to draw together all the empirical evidence and use it as the basis for developing a theory of socioeconomic health inequalities. We present a conceptual framework to facilitate this process.

Socioeconomic status and risk of car crash injury, independent of place of residence and driving exposure: results from the DRIVE Study

“…First, as patterns of risky health behaviours have been found to be aggregated in both rural residents and low SES individuals,27 28 rural and low SES drivers may share the same risky behaviours, such as high alcohol consumption and failure to wear seatbelts while driving 29 30. Second, drivers of low SES may drive longer distances or use less safe cars, which is also likely to be true for rural residents 31.…”

The use of end-quintile comparisons to identify under-servicing of the poor and over-servicing of the rich: A longitudinal study describing the effect of socioeconomic status on healthcare

“…Equity of access to healthcare in Australia is generally accepted to mean "equal access to equal care for equal need", while recognising that the underprivileged may require more access to more care for the same health problem [14,15]. Numerous studies have shown that those of lower socio-economic status have higher mortality and morbidity rates and their behaviour is more likely to be detrimental to their health; for example, they are more likely to have a poorer diet, be less physically active, drink alcohol to excess and smoke more cigarettes [2]. As a result we would expect them to have a greater requirement for health services.…”

“…It is unlikely to be a result of underlying disease prevalence, which in many cases is higher in the socially disadvantaged. [2]…”

“…A recent review of the Australian literature unequivocally showed that the "disadvantaged" had higher mortality rates from most major causes of death, experienced more ill-health and were less likely to act to prevent disease or detect it at an asymptomatic stage [1,2]. Available evidence also suggests that the disadvantaged have experienced more hospital admissions and a higher number of medical consultations [3,4].…”

Socioeconomic variations in women's diets: what is the role of perceptions of the local food environment?

“…For example, lower SEP individuals are more likely to consume diets high in fat, low in micronutrient density, and to have lower intakes of fruit and vegetables 7 – 10. As a result, studies repeatedly find that people of low SEP possess nutrient intakes and dietary patterns that increase risk of diet-related diseases 11 12…”