Social Stratification and Health. Four Essays on the Social Determinants of Health and Wellbeing

The relationship between socioeconomic status, health, and wellbeing has puzzled researchers for decades. Individuals with higher education, a better job, or higher status, live longer and healthier. The four essays in this book offer a fresh view on crucial aspects of this relationship. Drawing on data from more than fifty countries, the multidimensional nature of socioeconomic status is explored, not only covering objective indicators of socioeconomic status—education, income, occupational prestige—but also individuals' subjective perceptions of socioeconomic status and status differentials between doctors and patients. Furthermore, the essays analyze the multilevel nature of social stratification, comparing differences in the strength of the relationship between education and health across countries and regions, as well as investigating the pathways by which income inequality affects health.