Evaluate different sociological explanations for patterns and trends of health and illness in two different social groups.

The four sociological explanations on deciding on the quality of evidence given for the differences in health, are the Statistical artefact explanation, the Natural or Social selection, the Cultural or behavioral and lastly the Material or structural.

Statistical artefact explanation

This explanation stated that statistics promoted a biased picture. According to the researchers of the Black Report 1980 there were people in the lower social classes that consisted of high numbers working in traditional and dangerous industries which resulted to expectations of them suffering from an increased rate of illnesses rather than those who are younger working in offices and other service industries. Proving that age and employment of people are the causes of high levels of lower life expectancy and problems to health and wellbeing. Researchers of the Black Report also prompted that the fact that the statistics themselves produced a biased picture could be the explanation of the differences. According to the recent studies it is shown that there is a strong link found between low social class and high levels of illness and lower life expectancy.

However artefact fails to explain the differences in gender and health because it doesn’t state facts on how either men or women tend to have a longer life expectancy. This explanation only explains the differences that it’s not class but age and employment that effects higher rates of