Tuning the self: Revisiting health inequities through the lens of social interaction

Abstract

In this article, we examine the subjective experiences of people who, according to their education level and income, belong to the lowest social classes—indicators that are commonly associated with poor health behaviors and poor health status. Drawing on 18 months of fieldwork among white, working‐class people in Denmark, we draw attention to the negative stereotypes connected to health inequities and how people attempt to navigate and mitigate perceived bias. We draw particular attention to the proposed concept of tuning, which we identify as acts intended to mitigate practitioner bias and secure higher esteem and adequate care by differentiating oneself from stereotypes. Ultimately, we aim to contribute to more nuanced conversations on health inequity and how it is conceptualized and acted upon by individuals through the concept of tuning.

Good cancer follow-up for socially disadvantaged patients in general practice? Perspectives from patients and general practitioners

“…Researchers looking at the historical development of the Danish welfare state have argued that welfare benefits increasingly seem to come with a set of expectations rooted in ideas of managing on one’s own, referring to post-social reform Danish society as the independence society [ 33 ]. The reluctance to seek care from general practice may reflect a moral obligation of only using the healthcare system when it is necessary [ 23 ], but it also carries a sense of not being good or deserving enough [ 34 ]. In Nordic contexts it has been argued that individual autonomy is institutionalised through a range of welfare initiatives, ‘ through a plethora of laws and policies affecting Nordics in matters minute and mundane as well as large and dramatic ’ [ 35 , 15].…”

General practitioners’ experiences of providing somatic care for patients with severe mental illness: a qualitative study

“…Adding to this complexity, individuals with SMI frequently encounter prejudice and societal marginalization [28], fostering distrust in authorities, including healthcare personnel. This further impedes the nurturing of a robust patient-GP relationship [29,30]. To counteract the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of somatic diseases and associated risk factors among patients with SMI, addressing concerns such as symptom presentation, overshadowing, and distrust is imperative within the consultation process.…”