Sociology — Stratification & Health Disparities
Social stratification is the ranking of individuals and groups in a hierarchy of unequal access to resources, power, and prestige.
Dimensions of stratification (Weber's three P's):
Property (class) — economic resources
Prestige (status) — social honor and respect
Power (party) — ability to achieve goals despite opposition
Social mobility:
Vertical — moving up or down in status
Horizontal — moving to equivalent position
Intergenerational — children's class vs. parents'
Intragenerational — individual's mobility within lifetime
Health and socioeconomic status:
Lower SES → higher rates of chronic disease, lower life expectancy, less access to care
Social determinants of health: income, education, housing, food security, neighborhood
Health disparities disproportionately affect racial minorities and low-income populations
Intersectionality: Multiple social identities (race, class, gender) interact and compound disadvantage. Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw.
Reference:
TaskLoco™ — The Sticky Note GOAT
