Unnatural Causes

No matter how often I watch excerpts from Unnatural Causes or Weight of the Nation, I’m always left feeling despondent and hopeless. While I realise there are steps that can be taken to reduce the negative health consequences explored in these documentaries, those featured in these films are already suffering the effects of inequality. All I can think about is how sorry I feel for the families who are forced to live unhealthily. Previously in this class, we’ve discussed how socioeconomic disparities can affect the health of specific populations; particularly in segments from Unnatural Causes, it becomes clear how many social determinants like income, zip code, and environment can account for an enormous amount of how a person can live unhealthily. However, there are factors which might not be immediately obvious to professionals. When examining why infant mortality rates were higher among black women, researchers initially thought this was due to the general statistically lower socioeconomic status of black women. Although this may have accounted for these rates partially, these statistics were still reflected in the experiences of high-income, educated black women living in healthy communities. After some time, it was determined that the systematic racism and subsequent stress experienced by this minority was affecting their health

In many ways, the social determinants discussed in these films are issues which many people disregard as having a health impact. In fact, there are some who still argue that we live in a post-racial society, or that those living in poverty are simply too lazy to work their way out of it. In my opinion, viewpoints like these reinforce the disparities displayed in these communities and disguise the inequalities which are truly making people