斜阳草-小飞虫
幼苗
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Scientists have long known that those better off economically tend to live longer, healthier lives than those on the lower economic rungs. The poorer you are, the greater your risk of cancer, heart disease, ulcers, respiratory disorders, rheumatoid disorders and psychiatric illnesses. The degree of difference between the health of the poor and the wealthy is considerable. In some cases, the likelihood of those in the poorest segment of society becoming sick or dying is more than five times greater than for the wealthiest segment.
It's logical to assume that this marked difference between the health of the rich and poor is due to unequal access to health-care. After all, poor people can't easily afford periodic checkups, preventive measures, and medical specialists, as can the rich. But studies show that unequal access is not a factor. Countries with universal health care show the same health differences between rich and poor, and diseases such as juvenile diabetes, which are not affected by health-care access or preventive measures, follow the same pattern.
Another factor that might explain the rich/poor health differences is the exposure of the lower classes to greater health risks. The poor are more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol and be obese, and they are more likely to live in violent neighborhoods, work in dangerous jobs, or live near toxic waste dumps. However, even when scientists control for these factors, the wealthy still come out on top healthwise.
Low educational levels and the stress induced by a life of poverty may be minor contributing factors, but scientists find that many diseases unaffected by these variables still show a greater prevalence in the poor.
While society's less well-to-do suffer a higher incidence of most diseases, there are a few diseases that seem to have a mysterious affinity for the wealthy, such as autoimmune diseases and multiple sclerosis. Melanoma and endometriosis are also more common among the wealthy.
One study clearly illustrates the powerful influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on disease and longevity. Scientists developed health profiles for a group of elderly nuns who had lived together for decades. For many years, these women had the same diet, medical care and exposure to health risks and benefits. Despite these similar environments, their longevity and disease incidence was predicted by their SES at the time they became nuns half a century earlier.
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