Biosociology of HealthBiosociology of Health

Effects of Genes and Environment on HealthEffects of Genes and Environment on Health– Diseases in different parts of the worldDiseases in different parts of the world– Differences across developed countriesDifferences across developed countries– Sex differences in death and diseaseSex differences in death and disease– Race and Ethnic Differences in Death and DiseaseRace and Ethnic Differences in Death and Disease– Sex differences in mental healthSex differences in mental health

Social Status influences HealthSocial Status influences Health– Physical healthPhysical health– Mental HealthMental Health

Health influences Social StatusHealth influences Social Status– Height and social statusHeight and social status– Lack of deformity, disability and statusLack of deformity, disability and status– Beauty and statusBeauty and status

Effects of both genes Effects of both genes and environment on and environment on healthhealth The diseases you get are a result The diseases you get are a result

of your genetic predispositions of your genetic predispositions and the environment you live in.and the environment you live in.

Social behaviors also have a Social behaviors also have a genetic basisgenetic basis

Some social behaviors influence Some social behaviors influence later health statuslater health status– E.g. number of sexual partnersE.g. number of sexual partners

Diseases in different Diseases in different parts of the worldparts of the world One important aspect of your One important aspect of your

environment is whether you live environment is whether you live in a rich or a poor countryin a rich or a poor country

In poor countries, you are much In poor countries, you are much more likely to die of violent more likely to die of violent causes and infectious diseasecauses and infectious disease

In rich countries, you are more In rich countries, you are more likely to die of heart disease and likely to die of heart disease and cancercancer

Variations among rich countriesVariations among rich countries U.S. does poorly in infant U.S. does poorly in infant

mortality, for example.mortality, for example.

Sex differences in Sex differences in death and diseasedeath and disease Males are more likely to die, Males are more likely to die,

beginning in uterobeginning in utero Death rate for 15-24 year old Death rate for 15-24 year old

males is more than twice that of males is more than twice that of their female counterparts.their female counterparts.

Life expectancy is greater for Life expectancy is greater for women than men (US Men 75, women than men (US Men 75, Women 80).Women 80).

As a result, seniors are As a result, seniors are disproportionately femaledisproportionately female

The longest lived person on The longest lived person on record was Frenchwoman Jeanne record was Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who died at age 122.Calment, who died at age 122.

Sex difference is found Sex difference is found throughout the worldthroughout the world

Why?Why? Sex differences in lifestyle and Sex differences in lifestyle and

dietdiet– Evolutionary reason – more Evolutionary reason – more

important for wellbeing of offspring important for wellbeing of offspring that mothers stay alivethat mothers stay alive

Race and ethnic Race and ethnic differences differences In the U.S. African Americans at In the U.S. African Americans at

every age are more likely to die every age are more likely to die of almost every cause than whitesof almost every cause than whites

Mostly because African Americans Mostly because African Americans are more likely to be poorare more likely to be poor

Sex differences in Sex differences in mental healthmental health Men are more likely to get most Men are more likely to get most

kinds of mental diseases, except kinds of mental diseases, except for depression and anxietyfor depression and anxiety

Men are more likely to abuse Men are more likely to abuse alcoholalcohol

True the world overTrue the world over

Leading causes of years Leading causes of years lived with disability, 15-lived with disability, 15-44 year olds, world44 year olds, world

Men Women

Social Status Social Status influences healthinfluences health Stress influences the way Stress influences the way

children’s brains developchildren’s brains develop Children who experience more Children who experience more

poverty experience more stresspoverty experience more stress Working memories have smaller Working memories have smaller

capacities.capacities.

Being low man on the totem pole Being low man on the totem pole also influences stress levels and also influences stress levels and subsequent health.subsequent health.

E.g. British civil service studyE.g. British civil service study

Social status also influences Social status also influences mental healthmental health

People who have low levels of People who have low levels of income and education are more income and education are more likely to have poor mental healthlikely to have poor mental health

Health influences Health influences social statussocial status Health and nutrition affect height, Health and nutrition affect height,

which in turn influences social which in turn influences social statusstatus

Tall men in particular benefitTall men in particular benefit In U.S. Presidential elections, the In U.S. Presidential elections, the

taller candidate usually wins.taller candidate usually wins.

Good health and nutrition, plus Good health and nutrition, plus medical care, mean that you are medical care, mean that you are less likely to have a deformity or less likely to have a deformity or disabilitydisability

Deformity and disability lower Deformity and disability lower status in interactionsstatus in interactions

Healthy people are also more likely Healthy people are also more likely to be good lookingto be good looking

Beauty also brings better treatment Beauty also brings better treatment from others and higher status.from others and higher status.– Good looking people are more likely to Good looking people are more likely to

be helped by strangersbe helped by strangers– Good looking people are more likely to Good looking people are more likely to

be treated leniently in courtbe treated leniently in court

ConclusionConclusion

Complex of feedback Complex of feedback relationships between health and relationships between health and social status.social status.