Epidemiology: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

T he United States is stratified on the basis of class and there is both upward and downward mobility. An individual?s social class is determined by three factors: education, occupation and income. It is often assumed that there are three social classes in the United States: Upper, middle, and lower, but this method of categorization is simplistic and does not give an accurate picture of America in the 21 st century. The presentation will explain the stratification system as it currently exists in the United States, and will describe key characteristics of individuals living within each stratum. Specifically, the presentation will focus on the health issues faced by Americans in each social class, and will illuminate how social class can affect one?s health, and how health can affect one?s social class.

Biography

Carol Apt received her PhD in Sociology from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts (USA), her Masters in Sociology from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts (USA), and her Bachelors in Sociology from Indiana University in Indianapolis, Indiana (USA). She also has a Certificate of French Studies from EcoleLemania in Lausanne, Switzerland. She has taught courses in Medical Sociology, Human Sexuality, and the Sociology of Genocide. She is also the host of a live, call-in radio program called ?Talk to Me,? which is broadcast on 90.3 FM-WSSB in South Carolina. The subject of her radio show is sexuality and relationships.