How do income inequalities cause health inequalities among low-income individuals?

Income and health come hand in hand in everyday society. Income shapes opportunities like being
able to afford a home, education, day-to-day meals, medical attention, medical insurance, hobbies,
and daily activities. Being able to gain wealth, higher than income from accumulating assets and
saving gives individuals the advancement of being protected from economic loss. When an
individual lacks the opportunity to gain wealth, a stable income, and finance basic human needs, it is
called income inequality. Adults who make more money and have access to more opportunities are
more likely to be in better shape regarding health. 6.8 million children in poverty are deemed to have
health issues including nutrition efficiency, language and learning development, and chronic
illnesses. It is essential for an individual to be able to afford and experience positive health because it
is in human nature to live a fulfilling and active life. Additionally, when different demographic
groups experience income disparities it leads to numerous health inequalities including, a lack of
access to healthy and nutritious foods, a lack of access to the medical and health system, issues with
behavioral control, issues regarding environmental factors, and issues with mental stability.

Lower-income families have a harder time being able to fulfill their nutritional needs due to the
fact that healthier foods cost more. In June of 2008, the lowest-cost “Thrifty Food Plan from the
United States Department of Agriculture was estimated at $588.30 per month, or around $20 per day
for a reference family of four”( Adam. D). This was said to be a reasonably affordable meal plan
amount for householders throughout the U.S; But according to Elise Goldan, lower-income families
still “ do not meet Federal recommendations for consumption of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and
low-fat dairy products, and they consume fewer servings of these nutritious foods than other
households,” while “higher-income households are more likely to buy whole grains, seafood, lean
meats, low-fat milk, and fresh vegetables and fruit”( Adam. D). This is not because it isn’t accessible
to lower-income families but because “when incomes drop and family budgets shrink, food choices
shift toward cheaper but more energy-dense foods”(Adam. D). The prices of food are a significant
factor for families who try to find a balance between affordable and nutritious foods. Even those who
are given SNAP benefits, still worry about their meals because “if they live in especially high-cost
areas, some low-income households may still face higher prices than other low-income households.
Average food prices are rarely what any particular household is likely to pay for food”( Adam. D).
Without the income advantage to pay for high nutritious quality food, lower-income families have to
settle with the more affordable options leading to low-grade health.

In addition to being worried about food, low-income individuals lack equal access to the medical
field. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “hospitals and doctors are following privately
insured patients to more affluent areas rather than remaining anchored in communities with the
greatest health care needs”(Sean. H), limiting low-income individuals' easily accessible entry to
hospitals. The Post Gazette also mentioned that “ nearly two-thirds of the roughly 230 hospitals
opened since 2000 are in wealthier, mostly suburban areas”(Lilian. T). This affects low-income
individuals and families because not all can afford to travel to these wealthier areas or afford medical
bills within the wealthier hospitals. Throughout the 1980s, “Medicare switched to paying a fixed
amount for specific services. This gave hospitals an incentive to send patients home as quickly as
possible, since they got paid the same whether a patient stayed three days or seven days, for example,
after a given procedure”(Sean H). This indicates that for years now low-income individuals have
been struggling with gaining proper care, as long as the hospitals were gaining money, the priority of
low-income individuals' care hasn't been highlighted. Evidence from the National Health Survey
states “Persons sixty-five years and older living as members of families whose known income was
less than $2,000 averaged 6.5 physician visits per year outside hospitals, while those in families with
known income of $7,000 or more saw a physician an average of 8.7 times per year”, showing that
those more finically stable are able to afford to make more stops to doctors throughout the year
compared to those who aren't financially stable. Those with less income are provided unequal care
when it comes to the medical institution and this is critical to why income plays a significant role
within health.

Along with inadequate access to medical care, those of low income are more likely to smoke and
consume tobacco. Cigarettes are a huge risk to the population, and about 34 million people smoke.
Smoking causes 480,000 deaths every year and “about 80% to 90% of lung cancer deaths in the
United States and people experiencing extreme poverty have higher lung cancer risk than those in
higher SES groups”(Cdc.gov). It is hard for lower-income individuals to stop smoking especially
when they live in poverty because “ at different points in the past 60 years, tobacco companies have
handed out free cigarettes to children in housing projects, issued tobacco coupons with food stamps
and explored giving away financial products like prepaid debit cards”, conveying automatic
unsuccess to low-income people. Cigarette companies set up these people to fail by giving them easy
access to such harmful products and continuing to make these products affordable enough so that
low-income individuals can continue to buy them.

Unfair environmental factors are a huge result of income inequality among low-income individuals.
With limited resources and money, low-income families cannot afford good housing and proper
living conditions. According to NBC News, “ Studies have shown that roaches and mice produce
powerful allergens that can kick off allergies and asthma. And while those pests can crop up in more
affluent urban neighborhoods, they are a virtual epidemic in communities inhabited by the poor”.
Low-income individuals struggle immensely with trying to keep up with living in sanitary
conditions. Along with dealing with uncontrollable pests, most also deal with mold. Mold is caused
by dampness and coldness within an environment and produces allergens and sometimes can be
potentially toxic. According to a study by Nih.gov, “The following were associated with higher
moldiness index: African American race, winter season, living in a home with a measurable
concentration of dust mite allergen, low family income (< $20,000 per year), and living in an older
home (built before 1955)”. It is clear that housing quality is essential to income, the more income the
better sustain your home is, resulting in better general health.

Maintaining mental equilibrium is essential yet it’s one of the greatest challenges in the low-income
community. Poverty can lead to depression and psychological issues. According to the ADAA, “
8.7% of people with incomes below the poverty line report severe psychological distress”. Mental
illness “influence economic preferences and beliefs and thus distort important economic decisions
made by individuals, such as how much to work, invest, and consume” (Matthew. R). The
detrimental effects of mental illness on top of income deficiency can create a cycle of ongoing
poverty resulting in ongoing income inequality. The Urban Institute stated that “constant anxiety and
stress resulting from witnessing and experiencing trauma and violence in distressed neighborhoods,
negotiating the sacrifices and trade-offs caused by food insecurity, living in unstable housing
conditions, struggling to pay bills, and dealing with numerous other worries burn up cognitive
capacity that could otherwise be used for productive activities like navigating public assistance
systems, providing for an entire family on a limited budget, and helping children with schoolwork”.
Positive mental health is such an important factor to every human and when an individual lacks that
trait in addition to also dealing with income issues, that can create major difficulties within the
individual.

In conclusion, health disparities among low-income individuals cause major stressors that put them
into states of the repetitive cycle of poverty which affect their everyday life. From not being able to
provide and afford healthy nutritious foods and leaning toward cheaper and processed options, to
having unequal access to proper medical attention and medical facilities, to engaging in unhealthy
behaviors like smoking because of its easy access, to living in unsanitary conditions and, struggling
with proper mental health, people with low income over bear negative impacts. It is important that
income inequalities are addressed in order to find the solution to health equity. Improving these
factors can ensure equitable opportunities towards income disparities creating a healthy and just
society.