ABSTRACT
The term culture is the obvious starting point and as so often in the social sciences there is little unanimity when it comes to what might seem a fairly basic term. The notion of social divisions is broad and correlates with other concepts in social theory, including hierarchies, equality/inequality, culture, poverty, and identity. The central, controversial issues pertain to commonalities, which are shared across a group of people within a culture or a society, and diversities within a group, culture or society. Inequalities in health exist regardless of the way in which socio-economic class is measured and at all stages of the life span. People of the lowest socio-economic status are at far higher risk, not only of physical illness and early death, but also of accidents, premature births, mental illness and suicide. The documented views of black disabled people consistently speak to experiences of segregation and marginalisation within services.
