Citation

Pearce N, Davey Smith G. Am. J. Public Health 2003; 93(1): 122-129.

Affiliation

Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University Wellington Campus, New Zealand. n.e.pearce@massey.ac.nz

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, American Public Health Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12511401

PMCID

PMC1447706

Abstract

There has been vigorous debate between the "social capital" and "neomaterialist" interpretations of the epidemiological evidence regarding socioeconomic determinants of health. We argue that levels of income inequality, social capital, and health in a community may all be consequences of more macrolevel social and economic processes that influence health across the life course. We discuss the many reasons for the prominence of social capital theory, and the potential drawbacks to making social capital a major focus of social policy. Intervening in communities to increase their levels of social capital may be ineffective, create resentment, and overload community resources, and to take such an approach may be to "blame the victim" at the community level while ignoring the health effects of macrolevel social and economic policies.

Language: en