A Biological Caste System? An Investigation of Epigenetics and Socioeconomic Status in Western Society

Abstract

Epigenetic research has revealed that socioeconomic status (SES) affects people’s lives much more than previously thought. Studies have previously found links between SES and health outcomes that could not be explained by factors classically attributed to the phenomenon of health disparities between the rich and the poor. Further research suggests that epigenetic markers that correlate with SES can have physiologic effects on the individual carrying them, including risk for cardiovascular disease and depression. These markers modulate gene expression without altering the genetic code and are typically regulated by the environment in which an individual or their ancestors lived. Current findings highlight the importance of putting medical care in the context of patient experience, but this research only scratches the surface of the association between SES-related changes in the epigenome and social mobility. Future studies can further investigate if stressors related to low SES are driving epigenetic changes that affect health outcomes. This relationship may have societal consequences and could shape the future of medicine by influencing policy making and personalized patient care.