The US Census Bureau and Sociology Perspective of Poverty
The US Census Bureau defined poverty using money income excluding non-monetary benefits and capital gains in comparison to a family threshold (Hagenaars, 2017). Therefore, families whose total revenue is below the threshold are considered poor. From a sociologist’s perspective, poverty is defined as relative or absolute deprivation (Hagenaars, 2017). Absolute denial is the complete lack of shelter and food necessary for survival in extreme cases that could cause deaths and starvation. Relative poverty is the lack of adequate essential resources in measures deemed appropriate for personal comfort and development (Hagenaars, 2017). While sociologists determine poverty using the deprivation of basic amenities, the US Census Bureau compares the monetary income versus the reasonable financial needs to determine the existence and degree of poverty within a population.
The Role of Poverty as Related To Illness in the US
Americans in poverty are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and asthma among other infections. An estimated 31% of adults living below the poverty line have been diagnosed with mental disorders (Krishna, 2011). Also, an approximated 32% and 17% of these populations suffer from obesity and asthma respectively, figures which are six times higher than in communities living above the poverty line (Krishna, 2011). High blood pressure, heart attacks, and diabetes are also three times prevalent in poor populations. Some of the reasons attributed to these instances include the inability to access or pay for appropriate medical care and necessary commodities, thus resulting in high-stress levels.
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Personal Biography
Living in a middle-class State, I encountered various health issues such as obesity and anxiety that are directly evident. A twenty-minute walk through a local street highlights a worrying number of obese people who are likely to suffer from other conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure. The situation is different from that in wealthier states such as New York where people easily access medical, educational, and professional opportunities.
References
Hagenaars, A. J. (2017). The definition and measurement of poverty. In Economic Inequality and Poverty: International Perspectives (pp. 148-170). Routledge.
Krishna, A. (2011). One illness away: Why people become poor and how they escape poverty . Oxford University Press.
