Cultural capital and social inequality in health

Abel, Thomas (2008). Cultural capital and social inequality in health. Journal of epidemiology and community health, 62(7), e13. London: BMJ Publishing Group 10.1136/jech.2007.066159

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Economic and social resources are known to contribute to the unequal distribution of health outcomes. Culture-related factors such as normative beliefs, knowledge and behaviours have also been shown to be associated with health status. The role and function of cultural resources in the unequal distribution of health is addressed. Drawing on the work of French Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, the concept of cultural capital for its contribution to the current understanding of social inequalities in health is explored. It is suggested that class related cultural resources interact with economic and social capital in the social structuring of people's health chances and choices. It is concluded that cultural capital is a key element in the behavioural transformation of social inequality into health inequality. New directions for empirical research on the interplay between economic, social and cultural capital are outlined.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)

UniBE Contributor:

Abel, Thomas

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 360 Social problems & social services

ISSN:

0143-005X

ISBN:

18572429

Publisher:

BMJ Publishing Group

Language:

English

Submitter:

Factscience Import

Date Deposited:

04 Oct 2013 15:03

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:19

Publisher DOI:

10.1136/jech.2007.066159

PubMed ID:

18572429

Web of Science ID:

000256807600019

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.27357

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/27357 (FactScience: 106412)

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