5.3.5

Inequalities in Access 2

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Social Class and Access to Healthcare

Inequalities in access to healthcare concern themselves with whether or not people have equal opportunity to make use of the services they require and need or whether some are less effective than others in getting their need met.

Causes of inequality

Causes of inequality

  • Those in poorer social classes access healthcare less, relative to their needs, than those in higher social classes.
  • Those in poorer social classes are less likely to own their own transport, resulting in added time required to get to hospitals or GP surgery’s.
Causes of inequality cont.

Causes of inequality cont.

  • Because there are fewer GP’s in poorer areas, people living in these areas have to wait longer for appointments.
  • Some people from poorer social classes may find it more difficult to take time off to attend appointments.
  • While wealthier people might be able to afford private healthcare, poorer groups have to rely on solely on the NHS.
Quality of healthcare

Quality of healthcare

  • Middle class people might get a better quality of healthcare than working class patients due to higher levels of cultural capital.
  • The middle-class are generally better educated, know more about illness and understand better how to prevent it, as well as a better understanding of how the healthcare system works and how to access it.
Accessing quality healthcare

Accessing quality healthcare

  • The middle-class are generally more self-confident, effective and assertive with doctors and other health professionals.
  • The middle-class are more likely to be able to effectively express their health needs and describe their symptoms, resulting in a more accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
Accessing quality healthcare 2

Accessing quality healthcare 2

  • The middle-class are more likely to demand and get longer consultations with the doctor, ask more questions and get a more detailed explanation about their illness.
  • The middle-class are more likely to be able to persuade doctors to refer them to specialist consultants.
  • The middle-class are more likely to fight against inadequate medical services and use complaint procedures.

Gender and Access to Healthcare

Inequalities in access to healthcare concern themselves with whether or not people have equal opportunity to make use of the services they require and need or whether some are less effective than others in getting their need met.

Women

Women

  • Women access healthcare more than men.
  • Women’s socialisation encourages them to take better care of themselves.
  • Women are more willing to report physical and mental health problems to their GP.
Female socialisation

Female socialisation

  • Women are generally the managers of family health matters, that is, they are usually the ones who take the children to see the doctor and generally concern themselves with family health matters.
Men

Men

  • Men are less likely to access healthcare than women.
  • Men have a greater fear of consulting doctors.
  • Men are more likely to believe that healthcare services have less to offer them, especially in regards to mental health.
Male socialisation

Male socialisation

  • Masculine identities often mean that men see help-seeking as emasculating.
  • Gender socialisation means that men are less open and willing to discuss their health problems.

Ethnicity and Access to Healthcare

Inequalities in access to healthcare concern themselves with whether or not people have equal opportunity to make use of the services they require and need or whether some are less effective than others in getting their need met.

Education

Education

  • Ethnic minorities are less likely than other groups to access healthcare for a number of reasons.
  • Poorer levels of education and social marginalisation means that they may not be aware of, or understand how to take advantage of, the healthcare services available.
Language

Language

  • Language, communication and culture differences may result in poorer levels of engagement and understanding between ethnic minority patients and healthcare staff.
Cultural diversity

Cultural diversity

  • Lack of cultural diversity in the healthcare workforce might mean that patients are unable to see a healthcare professional who speaks their language or understands their culture, leading to lower levels of empathy and less patient satisfaction.
Stigma

Stigma

  • Stigma and lack of trust.
  • For example in the Roma and traveller community, discrimination and harassment have led to a fear and distrust of authority.
Jump to other topics
1

Theory & Methods

1.1

Sociological Theories

1.1.1Marxism1.1.2Feminism1.1.3Social Action Theories
1.2

Sociological Methods

1.2.1Types of Data1.2.2Positivism & Interpretivism1.2.3Research Design1.2.4Research Considerations1.2.5Values in Research1.2.6Modernity & Post-Modernity1.2.7Sociology as a Science1.2.8Sociology & Social Policy1.2.9End of Topic Test - Sociology Methods & Theories
1.3

Sources of Data

1.3.1Introduction1.3.2Experiments1.3.3Surveys1.3.4Longitudinal Studies1.3.5Questionnaires1.3.6Types of Questionnaires1.3.7Interviews1.3.8Observation1.3.9Case Studies1.3.10Documents1.3.11Official Statistics1.3.12End of Topic Test - Sources of Data
2

Education with Methods in Context

2.1

Role & Function of the Education System

2.1.1Introduction2.1.2Functionalist Theories2.1.3Marxist & Feminist Theories2.1.4The New Right
2.2

Educational Achievement

2.2.1Social Class: Internal Factors2.2.2Social Class: External Factors2.2.3Social Class: Attitudes to Education2.2.4Social Class: Difference in Achievement2.2.5Gender2.2.6Ethnicity
2.3

Relationships & Processes Within Schools

2.3.1Processes2.3.2Labelling2.3.3Categorisations2.3.4Student Experience2.3.5End of Topic Test -Education with Methods
2.4

Educational Policies

2.4.1Equality2.4.2Privatisation2.4.3Marketisation2.4.4Government Policies by Party2.4.5Globalisation2.4.6End of Topic Test- Educational Policies2.4.7Practice Exam Question - Social Policies
3

Option 1: Culture & Identity

3.1

Conceptions of Culture

3.1.1Culture3.1.2Mass Culture3.1.3Popular Culture3.1.4Global Culture3.1.5End of Topic Test - Culture and Identity
3.2

Identity & Socialisation

3.2.1Identities3.2.2Socialisation3.2.3Secondary Socialisation3.2.4Theories of Socialisation3.2.5End of Topic Test - Identity3.2.6Practice Exam Question - Socialisation & Equality
3.3

Social Identity

3.3.1Social Class3.3.2Upper & Middle Class3.3.3Working & Underclass3.3.4Social Class Evaluation3.3.5Gender3.3.6Changing Gender Identities3.3.7Ethnicity3.3.8Age3.3.9Disability3.3.10Nationality3.3.11End of Topic Test - Social Identity
3.4

Production, Consumption & Globalisation

3.4.1Production & Consumption3.4.2Globalisation3.4.3Evaluation3.4.4End of Topic Test - Production
4

Option 1: Families & Households

4.1

Families & Households

4.1.1Definitions4.1.2Functionalist & New Right Perspectives4.1.3Marxist & Feminist Perspectives4.1.4Postmodernist Perspective4.1.5End of Topic Test - Families & Households4.1.6Practice Exam Question - Function of Family
4.2

Changing Patterns

4.2.1Marriage4.2.2Divorce4.2.3LAT Relationships4.2.4Child-Bearing4.2.5Lone Parenthood4.2.6Diversity4.2.7The Sociology of Personal Life4.2.8Government Policies Post-WW24.2.9End of Topic Test - Changing Patterns
4.3

The Symmetrical Family

4.3.1The Symmetrical Family4.3.2Evaluation
4.4

Children & Childhood

4.4.1Childhood4.4.2Childhood in the UK4.4.3Childhood as a Social Construct4.4.4The Disappearance of Childhood4.4.5Child Abuse4.4.6Domestic Violence4.4.7End of Topic Test - Family & Childhood
4.5

Demographic Trends UK

4.5.1Introduction4.5.2Birth Rates4.5.3Death Rates4.5.4The Ageing Population4.5.5Studies on the Ageing Population4.5.6Migration4.5.7Globalisation4.5.8End of Topic Test - Demographics UK
5

Option 1: Health

5.1

Social Constructions

5.1.1The Body5.1.2Health, Illness & Disease5.1.3Disability5.1.4Models of Health & Illness5.1.5End of Topic Test - Social Constructions
5.2

Social Distribution of Healthcare

5.2.1Social Class5.2.2Gender5.2.3Ethnicity5.2.4Regional
5.3

Provision & Access to Healthcare

5.3.1The NHS5.3.2Inequalities in Provision5.3.3Sociological Explanations5.3.4Inequalities in Access5.3.5Inequalities in Access 25.3.6End of Topic Test - Distribution Health
5.4

Mental Health

5.4.1The Biomedical Approach5.4.2Social Patterns5.4.3Social Constructionist Approach
5.5

The Globalised Health Industry

5.5.1The Functionalist Approach5.5.2The Postmodernist Approach5.5.3The Globalised Health Industry5.5.4End of Topic Test - Mental Health & Globalisation
6

Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

6.1

Poverty & Wealth

6.1.1Types of Poverty6.1.2Types of Poverty 26.1.3Distribution of Wealth UK6.1.4Sociological Theories6.1.5Sociological Theories 26.1.6Distribution of Poverty UK6.1.7End of Topic Test - Poverty & Wealth
6.2

Welfare

6.2.1The Welfare State6.2.2Theoretical Approaches to Welfare
6.3

Labour Process

6.3.1Nature of Work6.3.2Technology & Control6.3.3Work & Life6.3.4The Effects of Globalisation6.3.5Globalisation & Worklessness6.3.6End of Topic Test - Welfare & Labour
7

Option 2: Beliefs in Society

7.1

Ideology, Science & Religion

7.1.1Types of Religion7.1.2Ideology & Belief Systems7.1.3Social Stability & Religion7.1.4Social Change & Religion7.1.5End of Topic Test - Ideology, Science & Religion
7.2

Religious Movements

7.2.1Religious Organisations7.2.2New Religious Movements7.2.3New Age Movements7.2.4Practice Exam Question - Growth of NRMs
7.3

Society & Religion

7.3.1Social Groups & Religion7.3.2Gender & Religion7.3.3End of Topic Test- Religious Movements & Society
7.4

Contemporary Religion

7.4.1Secularisation UK7.4.2Against Secularisation7.4.3Secularisation US7.4.4Fundamentalism7.4.5Economic Development & Religion7.4.6End of Topic - Contemporary Religion
8

Option 2: Global Development

8.1

Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality

8.1.1Development8.1.2Underdevelopment & Global Inequality
8.2

Globalisation & Global Organisations

8.2.1Globalisation8.2.2Transnational Corporations & International Agency8.2.3Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
8.3

Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation

8.3.1Development: Aid & Trade8.3.2Development: Industrialisation & Urbanisation8.3.3Development: Environment & War
9

Option 2: The Media

9.1

Contemporary Media

9.1.1New Media9.1.2Control of the Media9.1.3Sociological Approaches: New Media9.1.4Globalisation9.1.5News Selection9.1.6Moral Panics9.1.7End of Topic Test - Contemporary Media
9.2

Media Representations

9.2.1Age9.2.2Social Class & Ethnicity9.2.3Gender9.2.4Sexuality & Disability9.2.5Practice Exam Questions - Presentation of Women
9.3

Audiences

9.3.1Media Theories9.3.2Media Theories 29.3.3Media Representations & Audiences
10

Crime & Deviance

10.1

Crime & Society

10.1.1Functionalism10.1.2Subcultural Theory10.1.3Marxism10.1.4Realism10.1.5Other Approaches10.1.6End of Topic Test - Crime & Society10.1.7Practice Exam Questions - Social Construction
10.2

Social Distribution of Crime

10.2.1Ethnicity10.2.2Gender10.2.3Globalisation & Crime10.2.4Media & Crime10.2.5Types of Crimes10.2.6End of Topic Test - Social Distribution of Crime
10.3

Prevention & Punishment

10.3.1Surveillance10.3.2Prevention10.3.3Punishment10.3.4Victimology10.3.5End of Topic Test - Prevention & Punishment

Practice questions on Inequalities in Access 2

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Middle-class advantages when accessing quality healthcare:True / false
  2. 2
    Middle-class advantages when accessing quality healthcare:Fill in the list
  3. 3
    Women's use of healthcare services:True / false
  4. 4
    Men's use of healthcare services:True / false
  5. 5
    Reasons ethnic minorities are less likely than other groups to access healthcare: Fill in the list
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Inequalities in Access

End of Topic Test - Distribution Health