Abstract
The paper below presents a critique of the article “Explaining Mental Health Inequalities in Northern Sweden: A Decomposition Analysis” by Per E. Gustafsson, Nada Amroussia, and Paola A. Mosquera. Readers can study it as a powerful guideline for examining the relationship between income disparity and mental illnesses. The article critique goes further to explain how and why inequality is one of the leading determinants of such people’s social, political, health, and economic outcomes.
The major weakness of the selected article is that it fails to present proposals for guiding future scholars to examine the nature and effects of mental health inequalities. Several proposals and recommendations are also offered to guide future scholars in order to reduce the current levels of healthcare disparities. The paper concludes by encouraging communities and governments to implement evidence-based policies to minimize inequalities in mental health.
Introduction
Sociologists agree that the current level of income disparity in different regions is a major social dilemma that should be addressed using powerful theories and models. This is true because any form of inequality dictates the lives and experiences of many people. The existence of inequalities in a population is a challenge that continues to attract the attention of scholars, sociologists, and economic experts. The outcomes of inequality in societies range from poor mental health outcomes to poverty. The selected article for this discussion focuses on poor health outcomes in persons with mental illnesses. The thesis for the paper is that economic inequality in this specific population should be addressed because it is capable of influencing societies’ behaviors and norms, goals, and mental health outcomes.
Critique
Article Summary
The selected article begins by explaining why the level of economic inequality in different regions has increased significantly within the past few decades. This problem is identified as a social ill that affects the lives of many people in different parts of the world (Amroussia, Gustafsson, & Mosquera, 2017). Whenever there is disparity, numerous challenges tend to emerge, including increased cases of mental illnesses and slowed economic development and growth.
Focusing on the case of Northern Sweden, the authors assert that existing income inequalities tend to affect members of the highlighted population negatively. Patients suffering from mental illnesses will find it hard to achieve their objectives and expectations. The disparities associated with this population are catalyzed by numerous factors, including employment status, cash margin, and income (Amroussia et al., 2017). These problems affect individuals with mental illnesses in Northern Sweden.
Using evidence-based arguments from different publications, the authors argue that economic disparity affects citizens in both the developed and developing countries. Consequently, citizens find it hard to acquire adequate resources to support their goals in life. These challenges explain why such countries tend to record reduced economic growth rates. The affected individuals usually record negative health outcomes (Amroussia et al., 2017).
The article also offers a detailed relationship between social inequality and mental healthcare. This means that every initiative, policy, or agenda aimed at promoting the welfare of different citizens should focus on the two. With this understanding, the authors propose the use of evidence-based and mutually exclusive policies to address income inequality since it influences the prevalence of mental illnesses (Amroussia et al., 2017).
The authors propose powerful initiatives such as the provision of higher wages, proper systems to support people’s health needs, and implementation of superior social programs (Amroussia et al., 2017). They also believe that governments should address the leading causes of economic inequalities in order to address the predicaments many mental health patients encounter.
Article Critique
The outstanding message obtained from the above article is that inequality has become a common problem that continues to affect many people in different parts of the world. The authors refute the idea that disparity is an issue that should not be studied carefully (Amroussia et al., 2017). He goes further to support this proposition using numerous ideas and arguments. For instance, the article analyzes the nature of economic disparities and their connection with mental health outcomes (Amroussia et al., 2017). This approach makes it possible for the reader to study inequality as a real issue that all global stakeholders should take seriously.
The article begins by indicating mental health disparity as a field or area that has not received adequate attention in the recent past. Members of the targeted population are usually unable to function optimally socially (Bapuji, 2015). This means that individuals who lack adequate resources tend to be economically disadvantaged. The use of income disparity in the article, therefore, makes it easier for the authors to examine various attributes associated with the social problem. This approach explains why the article is relevant, informative, and worth reading.
From a social perspective, the authors indicate that economic disparity can influence variables that are of intrinsic value or not. For example, sociologists can use the concept of inequality to study these attributes: prestige, availability of health services, or mental wellbeing (Amroussia et al., 2017). Such disparities are also associated with different aspects, including race, personal characteristics, gender, age, and religion. The authors use this assertion to explain why scholars and analysts should not ignore the significance of inequality in the targeted population.
The article goes further to examine the origin and true nature of social disparity in Sweden and other developed countries. According to Amroussia et al. (2017), the less affluent in the society tend to earn little income. This challenge makes it impossible for them to receive high-quality medical services. Consequently, those who have mental illnesses will lack adequate information and resources to address their problems. This background information is relevant because it makes it possible for thinkers and researchers to develop evidence-based ideas and strategies to deal with it.
The reader observes that the article gives a detailed analysis of the unique effects of economic inequality on social welfare. The first one is that any form of disparity will influence economic performance and health. The article also challenges scholars who believe that initiatives implemented to minimize inequality tend to affect healthcare objectives negatively (Amroussia et al., 2017). Another unique issue discussed in this article is the relationship between economic inequality and general medical outcomes.
The scholars offer numerous insights and ideas to explain why it is impossible for researchers to analyze the leading causal factors of health disparities in different countries (Amroussia et al., 2017). However, the reader learns that the existence of inequality can result in poor living conditions and mental illnesses. The authors go further to encourage future researchers to focus on this area in order to present meaningful insights and ideas that can inform superior policies.
The study reveals that income inequalities will tend to influence numerous aspects of the targeted population. Although past studies have managed to examine the manner in which income dictates people’s health outcomes, the authors offer evidence-based insights that can guide policymakers and leaders to meet the needs of the affected citizens (Amroussia et al., 2017). This is true because individuals who are facing diverse economic challenges will record increased prevalence for certain mental health parameters, including depression, trauma, and anxiety (Amroussia et al., 2017). Since such patients are not economically empowered, it becomes hard for them to get quality medical services and resources.
The authors consider other possible factors that play important roles in explaining the potential causes of mental health disparities. For instance, gender and racial inequalities can be observed whenever focusing on the problems different citizens face. This means that many women and minority groups will record increases cases of mental conditions or diseases (Amroussia et al., 2017). Similarly, the authors have presented a detailed discussion to describe the existing relationship between gender and reduced income. Such issues have also been considered to describe the nature of mental health outcomes in Sweden.
The authors go further to support the use of evidence-based initiatives to deal with the presented predicaments. Leaders should, therefore, focus on the best strategies to support welfare programs and ensure that all people receive competitive wages. Efficient programs are needed to support citizens’ medical demands and promote the implementation of sustainable policies (Manduca, 2017). Governments should promote superior laws that treat all citizens equally.
Issues to do with economic empowerment, taxation, and poverty reduction should be informed by the unique needs of the targeted citizens (Amroussia et al., 2017). The outstanding message from the article is that reduced levels of economic inequality will minimize the major problems many people with mental diseases encounter and eventually make it possible for them to achieve their potential.
Personal Evaluation and Recommendations
With the above discussions and analyses, the reader realizes that economic inequality remains a major difficulty affecting every individual with a mental condition. Unfortunately, most of the policies and initiatives implemented to deal with disparities have failed to deliver positive results (Amroussia et al., 2017). Reduced wages is also presented as a major problem that scholars should not examine in isolation.
The studied article is, therefore, meaningful and worth reading since it describes a major social predicament affecting the selected population for this discussion. The reader realizes that economic inequality is a major issue that catalyzes a wide range of problems in every society. The authors have managed to relate it with mental health and how scholars should pursue the two in an attempt to promote equality. The presented examples and evidences from competent scholars make the article relevant. Such examples can guide researchers to examine the nature of economic inequality and address it using evidence-based policies.
Governments, communities, and regions can embrace the ideas described in this article to solve their common problems (Amroussia et al., 2017). If every community is to reduce its level of economic disparity, there is a need to embrace the suggestions presented in the above article (Manduca, 2017). The only weakness is that the article fails to offer adequate insights and ideas that can empower future researchers whenever focusing on this predicament.
Several recommendations can empower future readers, communities, and researchers to understand the nature of economic disparity and present evidence-based strategies to deal with it. Such approaches can reduce the current level of mental health disparity in different parts of the world and transform the patients’ lives. The first one is that new discussions should focus on case studies in order to identify the most appropriate policies for delivering positive results (Amroussia et al., 2017).
Secondly, scholars can combine all forms of inequalities in order to understand them much better. The recorded observations can guide policymakers to propose better ideas to minimize most of the economic disparities their people face. Basically, the article reveals that professionals and decision-makers in the medical sector should be keen to present appropriate measures that can address the root causes of mental health inequalities. Such an initiative can improve the experiences and outcomes of many individuals suffering from various psychological conditions in different parts of the world.
Conclusion
The above critique has revealed that inequality is a dilemma that researchers should study carefully ad critically. The authors of the article have encouraged community members to embrace superior strategies and initiatives in order to reduce inequalities in mental health. Such approaches can empower and make it possible for the described population to address the major challenges it faces and promote sustainable programs to meet its needs.
This is the case since economic inequality can catalyze numerous challenges, including failed personal achievements and poor mental health outcomes. In conclusion, the authors support the use of evidence-based policies to tackle the problem of economic inequality since it influences the rate of mental disparities in the affected population.
References
Amroussia, N., Gustafsson, P. E., & Mosquera, P. A. (2017). Explaining mental health inequalities in Northern Sweden: A decomposition analysis. Global Health Action, 10(1), 1305814. Web.
Bapuji, H. (2015). Individuals, interaction and institutions: How economic inequality affects organizations. Human Relations, 68(7), 1059-1083. Web.
Manduca, R. (2017). Income inequality and the persistence of racial economic disparities. Sociological Science, 5, 182-205. Web.