There are certain factors that play a roll in our lives and that will determine the decision we make and where we end up. One of these are the 'socio-economic' factors.
The socio-economic factors that determine health include: employment, education, and income. Socio-economic refers to society related economic factors. These factors relate to and influence one another. For example, your employment will dictate your income
Some factors that plays a roll in our lives cannot be changed like for instance the way you look, but some of these factors we can either blame or use to change the outcome and decide what we want to do with our lives. For instance - your father is an alcoholic and he does not treat you well, you can make sure that you change the way that you live your life after you leave home - are you just going to let go and also become an alcoholic or will you work hard at becoming the best person you can be?
Some of the socio-economic factors that plays a role in our lives and can influence our 'standing in society' are education, health, income and environment.
These factors can play a direct role in how you use or misuse food and drugs, what job you do, how healthy you are and how much you move from one place to another.
Education
Your level of education can influence your status, which means how people will see you. If you had a good education and now have a good job with a good salary, people will feel that they need to have more respect for you. The opposite is also true. If you did not finish school and are without a job, some people will judge you and not take you serious or want to give you a chance to proof yourself.
Some jobs are held in higher regards than others. Think about a doctor and a nurse - you will maybe feel that you can trust the doctor more, since he studied longer, even though the nurse are by his side every day.
This brings us to income
Certain families can afford to buy more food, go more places or drive newer cars and live in bigger houses than others.
Unfortunately if a family does not have a lot of money they will have to make some decision and decide what is more important. They will give up on certain things that will play a role later in life.
A child from a poor family will rather go and work after school than go to university, that way there will be more money for food and medicine. This then now goes back to education and status again.
Health
This is a huge measurement of you socio-economic influence in life. If you have poor health, because you do not have enough money for a health plan or the correct medicine, it will influence your performance at work and at school. You will be too weak to work and maybe loose your job, which then in turn leads to less money and then the cycle just spirals downwards.
If a person is disabled or too old to work, it also plays a huge role.
Environment
Even if it does not have to play a role, it unfortunately does. People are judged by where they grew up. Sometimes they are seen as 'they got out of their bad situation and made something of their lives' but people can also be seen as 'not good enough' for a certain job or group because they grew up in a specific environment.
Very few children that grow up in poor communities will break free from their situation, because they will again have to give up certain things that children from higher income communities take for granted, like a good education, transport, enough food etc.
It is unfortunate the there will always be people that will judge you for 'where you come from'. It is also sad that some situations will determine what opportunities you will be given in life.
But does this mean we must just give up and sit in a corner and sulk because you did not grow up in a high income house?
No. You need to make the best of the 'hand you were dealt with' and you must search for and use every opportunity that comes your way. If you give your power away to other people or just decide you are not worth the same as the kid who grew up differently than you, you will get nowhere and stay in the same situation you grew up.
Be yourself and be the best that you can be. Even if you end up being a street sweeper, be the best street sweeper they have ever seen. Be proud of yourself and even if people judge you by your 'status', hold your head high and believe in yourself.
