The Relationship of Physical and Mental Health to Social Classes as an Urban Community

Abstract

The fact that members of the lower class male and female population in Western countries become physically and mentally ill at a larger rate and that they die at a younger age has drawn attention to the living conditions of the upper and lower class. This situation has required certain political planning precautions to be taken in certain countriesdue to the life styles and inadequate opportunities of the lower class that makes up the poor segments of the society. Several socioeconomic and socio-cultural factors have been noted to have affected the health issues of the lower class, who has to live in toxical and hazardous ecologic conditions that contradict with health. It has been noted that these people have unhealthy eating habits and smoke a lot, as well as using a lot more drugs and alcohol. Furthermore, the other reason for these people to suffer from physical and mental health is that they are subject to such psychological pressure as losing job, becoming victim of an accident, family troubles and divorce, in addition to having to ends meet with a considerably low income, all of which contribute to their losing physical and mental health. This article aims at investigating and drawing attention to the consequences of unemployment and poverty, and the related corresponding effects on generations to follow, which is a current -though not receiving the necessary attention- issue in Turkey