At birth, a person is a blank slate with a specific set of genes. People are born and do not know what lies ahead, what social conditions they will grow up in, what problems they will have to face, and how this will affect their personality formation. Human biology is highly flexible, influenced by many factors such as individual behavior, access to resources, social status, and discrimination, and race.
Individual behavior affects the level of human health by only a quarter. A person is born with a particular set of genes, which partially determines their health status. Leading an unhealthy lifestyle, obesity, and smoking are a significant factor in health, but they only add to overall picture. Proper nutrition and exercise do not solve the problem alone; social conditions are also necessary. Individual behavior is a significant factor but does not form a complete picture of health.
Access to resources takes pride in the system of ensuring the well-being of individuals and the population. In each city, the territory is divided zonally, hence access to the resources of people living this way depends. It has nothing to do with biology but depends on politics or the lack of it, causing inequality (Unnatural Causes, 2018). Consequently, people living in disadvantaged areas for a long time have more stress and increased cortisol release, which leads to impaired immune function.
Discrimination, including one based on race, hurts human health, which leads to an increase in the death rate at an earlier age. In most countries, discrimination exists, and even if a person is of high social status, is well educated, and lives in favorable conditions, he sometimes cannot calmly go to the store. Discrimination is a component of the socio-economic factor since we are constantly in society and subject to the country’s economy; therefore, if a person has weak biology, this leads to health problems.
Behavior, habits, and a person’s personality are formed throughout life and depend on many reasons. Individual behavior is expressed in the question of what kind of life he will lead. Access to resources and social status determines the circumstances; it depends on how educated and self-confident a person will be. Discrimination leads to increased stress levels and poor health; a black person of high social status can also experience stress because of racial discrimination. A person’s biological traits play an essential role at birth, but many more factors ensure well-being and health.
Reference
Unnatural Causes. (2008). In sickness and in wealth [PDF document]. Web.