Physical Health
The Canadian Council on Social Development has noted that poverty often is accompanied by a higher rate of infant mortality, childhood health problems, psychosocial disorders, and school dropout rates. Low income is associated with increased risk of living in a household with a smoker, living with a single parent, not reporting a high level of social support, self-esteem below the median, being a daily smoker, not having a regular doctor, having been a patient overnight in a hospital in the last 12 months, and having seen a social worker or counselor in the last 12 months. [2]
The proportion of adolescents with a regular medical doctor declines significantly as family income declines. Also of concern is the proportion who require but do not receive health care or advice is higher in the lowest income groups compared to the highest. Lower income groups are slightly more likely to report not seeing any health professionals in the last 12 months, but those who do see health professionals do so at a higher rate than higher income groups. [2]
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2. Abernathy, T. J., Webster, G., Vermeulen, M. (2002) Relationship Between Poverty and Health Among Adolescents. Adolescence, 37, 145 , 55-67.
