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Health Outcomes

Growing up in poverty has health consequences, many of which will affect you for the rest of your life. Income levels are one of the main social determinants of health. The social determinants of health as stated by the Government of Canada are “the broad range of personal, social, economic and environmental factors that determine individual and population health.” As a result of having low income and low pay, individuals are more likely to be stressed and report that they are not in excellent or very good health conditions. Low wage workers are also not afforded paid sick leave or are not given employer benefits that would allow them to seek and pay for medical services including dental care, vision care, therapy, and prescription drugs. This, in return, causes many individuals to continue going to work when sick or injured resulting in them spreading the illness to their coworkers or injuring themselves more. For many people, this is a matter of making this month’s rent. The health effects of poverty don’t only affect adults but children as well. Children who grew up in low-income homes were at higher risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers. This will continue to affect them into adulthood even if they move up on the income ladder. People holding off on seeking medical services also often only go to the hospital or doctor when it is an emergency. This causes people to stay in the hospital longer and needing more care than if it was treated early. 

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In some cities with higher rent costs, many individuals often end up living in their cars and are at risk for high levels of being exposed to air pollution. This will put them at further risk of respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer. Low-income women are also less likely to seek testing for cervical cancer than people in higher-income groups. A study in Ontario between 1993 and 2014 showed that people living in the poorest neighbourhoods were twice as likely to die from preventable causes. People who live in higher-income neighbourhoods also have better access to family medicine compared to those who are in lower-income neighbourhoods. 

 

How would basic income help support individual health:

 

The implementation of basic income would allow individuals to afford a healthier lifestyle including a healthy diet. It would also provide individuals with the money to buy prescription drugs, pay for dental and vision care as it is not currently covered by Medicare. It would also allow individuals to take time off of work and go to the doctor to seek medical services. Basic income would also allow people to quit their second or third job and spend more time with their families, which has been shown to improve an individual's mental health. We need to start treating poverty as a public health emergency. 

 

My personal opinion of this matter is that basic income should be in addition to increased coverage for Medicare and other benefits. This included increased coverage for dental, vision, and Pharmacare along with paid sick leave. 

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