Living Healthy or Living As We Can? The Influence of Social Factors and Family Background on Perception of Health and Health Behavior in Rural North Carolina

Abstract

How do social factors such as family background and social position influence health behavior? Many factors shape how people perceive health. Thirty low socioeconomic adult patients at a community care clinic in a rural region of North Carolina were interviewed about health behavior and how they define health. Many people understand the importance of health behavior, however, some assess their own health based on their ability to work and their control in life rather than how much they exercise or what their diet is. Social position correlates with socioeconomic status and is deterministic of access to resources that support beneficial health behaviors. Family background influences the health behaviors people practice throughout adulthood, and the health values and attitudes integrated into a family socialize people to perceive health in a certain way. Many social factors determine perception of health and channel behavior, explaining the health gradient across socioeconomic groups.