Income

For centuries, poverty has been linked to ill health. It is not difficult to understand why the poor would have worse health than people with greater economic means. In addition, we now know that even middle-class people generally have poorer health than the most affluent; this may reflect the fact that economic resources shield people from certain kinds of daily stresses which, over time, are particularly damaging to health. Higher income and accumulated or inherited wealth make it easier to buy medical insurance and medical care, nutritious foods, and better child care, and to live in a safe neighborhood with good schools and recreational facilities. Moreover, ill-health can mean lower earnings, creating a cycle between income and health that can continue across lifetimes and generations.

Resources

  • United States: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

    In the United States, health among adults is powerfully linked with social factors such as household income, educational attainment and racial or ethnic group.

  • Across America, Differences in How Long and How Well We Live

    Where we live, work, learn and play dramatically affects our health—for better or for worse. Across America and within every state, there are differences in how long and how well we live. This map and accompanying chart show the highest and lowest life expectancy rates (based on county-level data) found in each state and the District of Columbia.

  • Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America

    This Commission report, Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America, describes the Commission's work and provides recommendations for moving forward to ensure all Americans have an opportunity to lead healthier lives.

    See the Report

  • Issue Brief: Race and Socioeconomic Factors

    To understand health disparities, it is not enough to consider only race or only socioeconomic factors. Both affect health. This issue brief focuses on disparities in health itself contrasted with the well-documented disparities in health care.

    PDF

More Resources

Perspectives

  • Stories

    Andrea Silva

    At Centura Health at Home in Denver, Andrea Silva resolved a struggle that many new mothers face – returning to work while continuing to provide nutritious breast milk for her baby. Meet Andrea Silva

     

    Norma Morales

    Sometimes all it takes is one good thing, leading to another, to get on the path to healthier living. At least, that’s how Norma Morales sees it. Meet Norma Morales

     

    More Stories

  • Leadership Blog

    Prevention Matters: Stopping Sickness Before it Starts

    by David R. Williams, Ph.D., Staff Director
    June 04, 2009

    When Prevention Matters, the blog for Partnership for Prevention, asked that I write a guest post about the Commission’s recommendations, I gladly accepted the opportunity. Read More

    Health Reform – We Need to Widen the Lens

    by Paula Braveman, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
    May 20, 2009

    We need health reform in the United States, and we need it quickly. There is wide consensus about the need for change, but are we likely to achieve a healthier America solely through the approaches to health reform now on the table? Read More

    Losing Your Job May be Hazardous to Your Health

    by David R. Williams, Ph.D., Staff Director
    May 13, 2009

    On Friday, the Labor Department announced that the U.S. unemployment rate hit 8.9 percent in April – the highest level since September 1983. For Americans struggling to make their mortgage payments or searching for work, the financial impact is clear. What may be overlooked, however, is the effect of losing a job on a person’s health. Read More

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News and Events

  • D.C. Region Health Check Up: Wide Differences Based on Location

    June 30, 2009

    A new report detailing the health of residents in the Washington region shows where you live in the area could add or subtract nearly 10 years from your life. The Washington Council of Governments released a joint report detailing the connection between where someone lives in the region and the quality of their health. Read More

  • USDA Report to Congress: Access to Affordable and Nutritious Food—Measuring and Understanding Food Deserts and Their Consequences

    June 25, 2009

    The report summarizes findings of a national-level assessment of the extent and characteristics of food deserts, analysis of the consequences of food deserts, lessons learned from related Federal programs, and a discussion of policy options for alleviating the effects of food deserts. Overall, findings show that a small percentage of consumers are constrained in their ability to access affordable nutritious food because they live far from a supermarket or large grocery store and do not have easy access to transportation. Read More

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