Socioeconomic Status
Research papers often use the term socioeconomic status to describe a demographic that is being studied.
The term "socioeconomic status" (SES) is demographic term used to describe an individual's or family's social and economic position in relationship to others in a society. Individuals or families are categorized as having either:
- High SES
- Middle SES
- Low SES
Which can be generally equated to what used to be called social class.
Socioeconomic status is determined by several factors includingz;
- Income
- Education
- Occupation
Family units higher in socioeconomic status generally place greater emphasis on education, as more education, especially college and graduate degrees, frequently translate into better paying, white-collar jobs that elevate SES. Families with low SES have less dialogue between parents and children, and less book reading, leading to deficiencies in language from a young age. High SES families frequently provide more intellectual stimulation for children.
Recently, social scientists have begun to study the link between socioeconomic status and health outcomes. Lower socioeconomic status has been connected to increases in health risks, including greater levels of stress, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and premature aging. While there are no direct correlations, people of lower socioeconomic status frequently lack access to decent medical care, can only afford processed foods, and engage in behaviors such as smoking, in greater numbers than individual s of higher SES.