Final answer:
Poorer health in lower socio-economic groups is due to factors like reduced healthcare access, unhealthy lifestyles, and systemic barriers such as discrimination, leading to various health disparities.
Step-by-step explanation:
People with lower social and economic status often experience poorer health than those with higher status, largely due to reduced access to quality health care, unhealthier life-styles, and additional systemic barriers. The health disparities that they face are numerous, including higher rates of unemployment, obesity, and poverty, as well as lower rates of home ownership, education, and wealth.
Discrimination such as racism and sexism further exacerbates these health issues, negatively impacting access to both preventive and needed care. Inequality in health care is not only a social issue but also an economic one, affecting productivity and the quality of life.