The silent burden of stigmatisation: a qualitative study among Dutch people with a low socioeconomic position.

Background: In-depth qualitative research into perceived socioeconomic position-related stigmatisation among people living at the lower end of our socioeconomic hierarchy is necessary for getting more insight in the possible downside of living in an increasingly meritocratic and individualistic society.

Methods: Seventeen interviews were conducted among a group of Dutch people with a low socioeconomic position to examine their experiences with stigmatisation, how they coped with it and what they perceived as consequences.

Results: Social reactions perceived by participants related to being inferior, being physically recognisable as a poor person, and being responsible for their own financial problems.

Perceived classism and its relation with socioeconomic status, health, health behaviours and perceived inferiority: the Dutch Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel.

Objectives: Classism might be the downside of the prevailing ideologies of individual responsibility for success. However, since studies into perceived classism have mainly been qualitative, little is known about its association with socioeconomic status, health, health behaviours and perceived inferiority, especially in more egalitarian countries. This study, therefore, examined the associations of perceived classism with socioeconomic status, health, health behaviours and perceived inferiority.

Low socioeconomic status and perceptions of social inadequacy and shame: findings from the Dutch SMILE study.

Background: Based on presumed negative social comparisons in lower socioeconomic status groups, we set out to examine whether notions of 'internalized inferiority' are more common in these groups.

Methods: Dutch Studie naar Medische Informatie en Leefwijzen in Eindhoven (SMILE) data on 1323 participants, aged 58-94 in 2008, were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of internalized inferiority by childhood and adulthood socioeconomic indicators. Questionnaires for social inadequacy and shame were used to measure internalized inferiority.

Socio-economic inequalities in all-cause mortality in Europe: an exploration of the role of heightened social mobility.

The larger than expected socio-economic inequalities in health in more egalitarian countries might be explained by a heightened social mobility in these countries. Therefore, the aim of this explorative study was to examine the associations between country-level social mobility, income inequality and socio-economic differences in all-cause mortality, using country-level secondary data from 12 European countries. Both income equality and social mobility were found to be associated with larger socio-economic differences in mortality, particularly in women.

Income-related health inequalities: does perceived discrimination matter?

Objectives: Because of their meritocratic ideology, Western countries might promote the belief that every individual is responsible for his or her socioeconomic position. These beliefs might enhance discrimination which, in turn, might affect health. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the role of perceived discrimination within income-related health inequalities.