Page 80 - Human Rights

Faculty of Nursing
Adult care Nursing Department

The considerable increase in average life expectancy in civilized societies is the paradigmatic

example of this dynamic and evolutionary relationship between social factors and the health of a

population.

In essence, socioeconomic improve mint, both individually and collectively, generates health
benefits. Regardless of the overall quality of the health system, as perceived by citizens, there has

been a notable increase in health indicators.

The relationship between the socioeconomic status of an individual and the emergence of health
risk factors has long been clearly and unequivocally stab lashed.

Even temporal evolution does not alter the essence of this reality, given that while the major

causes of mortality have changed over the past few centuries, their association with
socioeconomic status has remained constant.

This situation manifests as early as the first years of the life of an individual.

It is, according to Steven Garmaker, the first injustice to be maintained and developed throughout

life, even in old age.

Thus, there is a life-long positive correlation between a per son’s socioeconomic status, average

life expectancy, and other health indicators (Garmaker and Wise 1997).

There are several ways in which a person of higher socioeconomic status can achieve greater

health gains:

1 Better access to healthcare;

2 Higher quality treatment;

3 Better access to public health programs (e.g., vaccination and neoplasm screening);

4 Well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet (e.g., fruits and vegetables);

77 Academic Year 2025/2026