Socioeconomic disparities in health: the impact of pharmacotherapy

Abstract

Along with age and gender, socioeconomic status is a fundamental driver of health. This review discusses the meaning of socioeconomic status and how it influences health across a person’s life. Particular attention is paid to the role of psychosocial stress and self-determination. Through various pathways, socioeconomic status may affect biologic aging. This review also discusses the implications of the socioeconomic status–health relationship for understanding international differences in population health such as differences in life expectancy. The review concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for national policies and the potential impact of pharmacotherapy.

Keywords::

• disparities
• drug therapy
• health
• health services accessibility
• socioeconomic factors