Humans are basically allergic to socio-economic stratification; Why & How?

Author Name: Mr. Veereshkumar Topalakatti

Volume: 02/01

Country: India

DOI NO.: 11.2023-61555522 DOI Link: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/06.2024-49547655/GIJNR

Affiliation:

1. Vice-Principal, Department of Community Health Nursing, Kushma College of Nursing, Hubballi, Karnataka, India.

ABSTRACT

Humans are inherently sensitive to socio-economic stratification, which creates profoundly negative effects on mental and physical health. This paper explores how economic inequality induces high psychosocial stress, leading to chronic inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and mental health disorders. The stress of relative poverty, characterized by social insecurity and low self-worth, triggers an allostatic overload, preventing the body from returning to a balanced state and causing rapid deterioration. Socio-economic disparities contribute significantly to violence, child abuse, lower IQ, poor educational outcomes, and decreased overall lifespan. The evidence suggests that inequality is a severe social pollutant with no justifiable basis for its perpetuation, underscoring the urgent need to address economic disparities for improved public health.

Key words: Socio-economic stratification, psychosocial stress, relative poverty, allostatic overload, public health, inequality, mental health, chronic diseases, violence, child abuse