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Symbolic capital, consumption, and health inequality

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  • Sweet, E.

Abstract

Research on economic inequalities in health has been largely polarized between psychosocial and neomaterial approaches. Examination of symbolic capital-the material display of social status and how it is structurally constrained-is an underutilized way of exploring economic disparities in health and may help to resolve the existing theoretical polarization. In contemporary society, what people do with money and how they consume and display symbols of wealth may be as important as income itself. After tracing the historical rise of consumption in capitalist society and its interrelationship with economic inequality, I discuss evidence for the role of symbolic capital in health inequalities and suggest directions for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Sweet, E., 2011. "Symbolic capital, consumption, and health inequality," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(2), pages 260-264.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2010.193896_4
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2010.193896
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    1. Elgar, Frank J. & Pickett, William & Pförtner, Timo-Kolja & Gariépy, Geneviève & Gordon, David & Georgiades, Kathy & Davison, Colleen & Hammami, Nour & MacNeil, Allison H. & Azevedo Da Silva, Marine &, 2021. "Relative food insecurity, mental health and wellbeing in 160 countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    2. Anaïs Falk & Catherine Macombe & Denis Loeillet & Jean-Marc Deboin, 2022. "How Can a Company Assess Social Needs to Reduce Poverty among Its Workers? The Case of the Export Banana Industries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-21, August.
    3. Tommy Haugan & Sally Muggleton & Arnhild Myhr, 2021. "Psychological distress in late adolescence: The role of inequalities in family affluence and municipal socioeconomic characteristics in Norway," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(7), pages 1-25, July.
    4. Sakketa, T.G., 2018. "Relative Deprivation in Income, Assets, and Social Capital: Motivational and Deterrent Impacts on the Well-Being of Rural Youth," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277116, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Sweet, Elizabeth & Nandi, Arijit & Adam, Emma K. & McDade, Thomas W., 2013. "The high price of debt: Household financial debt and its impact on mental and physical health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 94-100.
    6. Adjaye-Gbewonyo, Kafui & Kawachi, Ichiro, 2012. "Use of the Yitzhaki Index as a test of relative deprivation for health outcomes: A review of recent literature," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 129-137.
    7. Lucio Esposito & Shatakshee Dhongde & Christopher Millett, 2021. "Smoking habits in Mexico: Upward and downward comparisons of economic status," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 1558-1575, August.
    8. François Dengah, H.J., 2014. "How religious status shapes psychological well-being: Cultural consonance as a measure of subcultural status among Brazilian Pentecostals," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 18-25.
    9. Hiroaki HAYAKAWA, 2017. "Socio-cultural Evolution, Institutionalized Dispositions, And Rational Expressive Behavior," Journal of Economic and Social Thought, KSP Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 1-40, March.
    10. Sakketa Tekalign Gutu & Gerber Nicolas, 2018. "Working Paper 296 - Relative Deprivation and Well-Being of the Rural Youth," Working Paper Series 2423, African Development Bank.
    11. Esposito, Lucio & Villaseñor, Adrián & Rodríguez, Enrique Cuevas & Millett, Christopher, 2020. "The economic gradient of obesity in Mexico: Independent predictive roles of absolute and relative wealth by gender," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    12. Maite Blázquez Cuesta & Santiago Budría, 2013. "Does income deprivation affect people’s mental well-being?," Working Papers 1312, Banco de España.
    13. Esposito, Lucio & Villaseñor, Adrián, 2017. "Relative deprivation: Measurement issues and predictive role for body image dissatisfaction," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 49-57.
    14. Kuo, Chun-Tung & Chiang, Tung-liang, 2013. "The association between relative deprivation and self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and smoking behavior in Taiwan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 39-44.
    15. Pearson, Amber L. & Pearce, Jamie & Kingham, Simon, 2013. "Deprived yet healthy: Neighbourhood-level resilience in New Zealand," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 238-245.

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