Class — The Ignored Determinant of the Nation's Health

Abstract

In this article, the authors argue that although racial and ethnic disparities in health have attracted appropriate attention, the association between health and class (i.e., income, education, and occupation) is not widely appreciated. Pointing to strong correlations between higher income and educational levels and better health, they suggest that the nation's health would be greatly enhanced by investment in social and economic policies that address class differences.