The stratification system of the United States: Correlations between social class and health

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Carol Apt

South Carolina State University, USA

: J Immunol Tech Infect Dis

Abstract

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The United States is stratified based on class and there is both upward and downward mobility. An individual's social class is determined by three factors: education, occupation, and income. It is often assumed that there are three social classes in the United States: upper, middle, and lower, but this method of categorization is simplistic and does not give an accurate picture of America in the 21st century. This presentation will explain the stratification system as it currently exists in the United States, and will describe key characteristics of individuals living within each stratum. Specifically, the presentation will focus on the health issues faced by Americans who live in the lower social classes, with emphasis on poverty, obesity, and life expectancy.

Biography

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Carol Apt has received her PhD in Sociology from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, her Master's Degree in Sociology from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts, and her Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from Indiana University in Indianapolis, Indiana. She also has a certificate of French Studies from Ecole Lemania in Lausanne, Switzerland. She is a Professor of Sociology and the Coordinator of the Sociology Program at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, where she has been for 20 years. She teaches courses in Human Sexuality, Medical Sociology, Social problems, and the Sociology of Genocide. In 2011, she was honored as the South Carolina State University Professor of the Year. She is a Member of several Editorial Boards and is a Consulting Member of the South Carolina Medical Association Bioethics Committee. In addition to her experience as an author and newspaper and magazine columnist, she is the host of a live, call-in talk radio show entitled, "Talk to Me," which addresses issues of sexuality and relationships. It is broadcast on 90.3 FM, WSSB, an NPR affiliate.