Citation

Weiss D, Eikemo TA. Scand. J. Public Health 2017; 45(7): 714-719.

Affiliation

Departments of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Associations of Public Health in the Nordic Countries Regions, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1403494817711371

PMID

29162014

Abstract

Social inequalities in health have been categorised as a human-rights issue that requires action. Unfortunately, these inequalities are on the rise in many countries, including welfare states. Various theories have been offered to explain the persistence (and rise) of these inequalities over time, including the social determinants of health and fundamental cause theory. Interestingly, the rise of modern social inequalities in health has come at a time of great technological innovation. This article addresses whether these technological innovations are significantly influencing the persistence of modern social inequalities in health. A theoretical argument is offered for this potential connection and is discussed alongside the typical social determinants of health perspective and the increasingly popular fundamental cause perspective. This is followed by a proposed research agenda for further investigation of the potential role that technological innovations may play in influencing social inequalities in health.

Language: en

Keywords

Social; diffusion of innovations; fundamental cause; health; inequalities; marmot; medical sociology; social determinants; technology