Beyond the income inequality hypothesis: class, neo-liberalism, and health inequalities
D. Coburn. Social Science & Medicine (1982), 58 (1):
41--56(January 2004)PMID: 14572920.
Abstract
This paper describes and critiques the income inequality approach to health inequalities. It then presents an alternative class-based model through a focus on the causes and not only the consequences of income inequalities. In this model, the relationship between income inequality and health appears as a special case within a broader causal chain. It is argued that global and national socio-political-economic trends have increased the power of business classes and lowered that of working classes. The neo-liberal policies accompanying these trends led to increased income inequality but also poverty and unequal access to many other health-relevant resources. But international pressures towards neo-liberal doctrines and policies are differentially resisted by various nations because of historically embedded variation in class and institutional structures. Data presented indicates that neo-liberalism is associated with greater poverty and income inequalities, and greater health inequalities within nations. Furthermore, countries with Social Democratic forms of welfare regimes (i.e., those that are less neo-liberal) have better health than do those that are more neo-liberal. The paper concludes with discussion of what further steps are needed to "go beyond" the income inequality hypothesis towards consideration of a broader set of the social determinants of health.
%0 Journal Article
%1 coburn_beyond_2004
%A Coburn, David
%D 2004
%J Social Science & Medicine (1982)
%K Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Class, Countries, Developed Factors, Health Humans, Indicators, Infant Infant, Justice, Medical, Middle Mortality, Newborn, Political Politics, Poverty, Preschool, Social Socioeconomic Sociology, Status Systems, World
%N 1
%P 41--56
%T Beyond the income inequality hypothesis: class, neo-liberalism, and health inequalities
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14572920
%V 58
%X This paper describes and critiques the income inequality approach to health inequalities. It then presents an alternative class-based model through a focus on the causes and not only the consequences of income inequalities. In this model, the relationship between income inequality and health appears as a special case within a broader causal chain. It is argued that global and national socio-political-economic trends have increased the power of business classes and lowered that of working classes. The neo-liberal policies accompanying these trends led to increased income inequality but also poverty and unequal access to many other health-relevant resources. But international pressures towards neo-liberal doctrines and policies are differentially resisted by various nations because of historically embedded variation in class and institutional structures. Data presented indicates that neo-liberalism is associated with greater poverty and income inequalities, and greater health inequalities within nations. Furthermore, countries with Social Democratic forms of welfare regimes (i.e., those that are less neo-liberal) have better health than do those that are more neo-liberal. The paper concludes with discussion of what further steps are needed to "go beyond" the income inequality hypothesis towards consideration of a broader set of the social determinants of health.
@article{coburn_beyond_2004,
abstract = {This paper describes and critiques the income inequality approach to health inequalities. It then presents an alternative class-based model through a focus on the causes and not only the consequences of income inequalities. In this model, the relationship between income inequality and health appears as a special case within a broader causal chain. It is argued that global and national socio-political-economic trends have increased the power of business classes and lowered that of working classes. The neo-liberal policies accompanying these trends led to increased income inequality but also poverty and unequal access to many other health-relevant resources. But international pressures towards neo-liberal doctrines and policies are differentially resisted by various nations because of historically embedded variation in class and institutional structures. Data presented indicates that neo-liberalism is associated with greater poverty and income inequalities, and greater health inequalities within nations. Furthermore, countries with Social Democratic forms of welfare regimes (i.e., those that are less neo-liberal) have better health than do those that are more neo-liberal. The paper concludes with discussion of what further steps are needed to "go beyond" the income inequality hypothesis towards consideration of a broader set of the social determinants of health.},
added-at = {2011-03-11T10:05:34.000+0100},
author = {Coburn, David},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2cf49c734937f46a0a181537656815783/jelias},
interhash = {5fdfeb777f8c67efabbeaf1be86c3099},
intrahash = {cf49c734937f46a0a181537656815783},
issn = {0277-9536},
journal = {Social Science \& Medicine (1982)},
keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Class, Countries, Developed Factors, Health Humans, Indicators, Infant Infant, Justice, Medical, Middle Mortality, Newborn, Political Politics, Poverty, Preschool, Social Socioeconomic Sociology, Status Systems, World},
month = jan,
note = {{PMID:} 14572920},
number = 1,
pages = {41--56},
shorttitle = {Beyond the income inequality hypothesis},
timestamp = {2011-03-11T10:06:25.000+0100},
title = {Beyond the income inequality hypothesis: class, neo-liberalism, and health inequalities},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14572920},
volume = 58,
year = 2004
}