Poor residents live shorter lives, health report says

"To identify continuing wide gaps between wealthy and less wealthy communities and between different ethnic groups is sobering and disconcerting," said Fielding. "Why should an unincorporated community in South L.A. (Westmont) have an average life expectancy that is 10 years lower than a city (Culver City) only 10 miles away? It's important to examine these disparities and seek answers as to how to reduce these unacceptable differences."

Some poorer neighborhoods and communities of color have fewer grocery stores which sell fresh fruits and vegetables, and many lack parks and safe places where children and families can gather and play together, Fielding said.

"There is a strong and consistent relationship between a person's health and what social and economic resources are available to that person," Fielding said. "People living in impoverished neighborhoods may have less opportunity to obtain a good education and be fully employed, have less social support, and have less opportunity to participate in activities that promote health. These things affect how long a person lives."

Poverty is hard work. It also creates a lot of stress. Its hard to get through a day when you are constantly hungry, have no reliable transportation, deal with people who believe you are only poor because you are lazy, and do without many basics.

How does a parent not stress when they have to worry every single day about having enough food for their children? When they can't afford any shoes or clothing, let alone good shoes or clothing?

What kind of toll does it take on their health when they know their children are being ostracized at school for being poor or needing to use the lunch program?

There is a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness that goes on generation after generation because they aren't being educated, not just at school but in ways that they can use to make the world work on their behalf. How to open a bank account or get a loan (without being ripped off) is a mystery to many poor people. How to dress for a job interview is not something we all just know. We have other people teach it to us, but if no one we know knows how to dress for a job interview, how are we going to learn?

The Holmes and Rahe stress scale is a list of 43 stress factors in all of our lives. They assigned a number value to these life events we all endure, with the total indicating health or illness. If we add in feeling helpless and hopeless to these numbers, who high would the points soar?

For instance, losing a job for anyone is stressful. However the impact would be different for someone who has a savings account and skills they know they can use to obtain another job. But when the loss of the job means immediate eviction, no food on the table tomorrow and no prospect or belief they can get another job, the stress has to skyrocket.

Rising stress factors are reported due to the current employment situation. People who are used to having jobs don't, and they are wondering if they'll get another job again any time soon. Reports of domestic violence and substance abuse have skyrocketed because of this.

That is widely recognized for the middle class, so why isn't this factored into the shorter life spans of the poor? Why just ignore it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale