Prioritizing Health and Health Care Inequalities Discussion

In Chapter 14 and Module 7, we learn about issues in health care. In the chapter on health care, one of the theories introduced was the fundamental cause theory which examines the connection between socioeconomic status and health outcomes. After reviewing the relevant material, please answer the following two questions, making sure that you clearly link your response to the chapter and that you support your argument with applicable evidence:

1. According to the fundamental cause theory, what are the four factors that explain the impact of socioeconomic status on health? (Make sure to clearly cite your source of information, for example, the page number in the chapter where you found it).
2. Considering those four factors together, what does fundamental cause theory suggest about the best way to confront health differences in our society? (In order to answer this question, you need to consider all the factors together – not separately. You are not picking the most important factor of the four. Instead, you need to think about what they all, combined, tell us about the “fundamental cause” (as the name of this theory suggests) of health disparities in our society, and based on that cause, what the best solution would be).