The Social Capital of Groups Socially Excluded from Health Care and Its Policy Implications

Abstract

Health is one of the main indicators used to measure social exclusion. Health exclusion not only results from other categories of social exclusion, but also causes other social exclusions. This article divides the survey respondents into four groups (a non-excluded group and excluded groups 1-3) according to the degree of exclusion from multiple health domains concerning subjective health, depression, and access to medical services. In addition, this study analyzed each group’s demographic characteristics, social capital, ways of coping with the problematic situations, and perception of welfare. The analysis results are as follows. First, the proportions of low-educated, low-income groups were higher in the health-excluded group. Second, the level of social capital was lower in the health-excluded group than in the non-excluded groups. Third, the health-excluded group had weaker private and public networks to receive help when faced with health problems than the non-excluded groups. Fourth, the health-excluded group had high levels of agreement on the seriousness of income inequality and on the intention to participate in society to correct social problems. In the end, we emphasize the need for an approach that strengthens the public support system for the excluded and activates social participation of these groups in order to overcome social exclusion.