The Status Syndrome - by Michael Marmot & M G Marmot (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"Bold, important and masterful . . . Marmot's message is not just timely, it's urgent."
-The Washington Post Book World

You probably didn't realize that when you graduate from college you increase your lifespan, or that your co-worker who has a slightly better job is more likely to live a healthier life. In this groundbreaking book, epidemiologist Michael Marmot marshals evidence from nearly thirty years of research to demonstrate that status is not a footnote to the causes of ill health-it is the cause. He calls this effect the status syndrome.

The status syndrome is pervasive. It determines the chances that you will succumb to heart disease, stroke, cancers, infectious diseases, even suicide and homicide. And the issue, as Marmot shows, is not simply one of income or lifestyle. It is the psychological experience of inequality-how much control you have over your life and the opportunities you have for full social participation-that has a profound effect on your health.

The Status Syndrome will utterly change the way we think about health, society, and how we live our lives.

Review Quotes

"[The] cutting edge of public health research... [Marmot] transformed the health establishment's thinking about the link between status and health." --The New York Times

"Shows that all societies demonstrate the same truth... social status provides two crucial props to good health and personal well-being." --The Observer (London)

"A wake-up call to those of us in the wealthy industrialized world who think our social status has no impact on our health. [The Status Syndrome]... will make readers look at the rat race in a whole new way." --Publishers Weekly

"Michael Marmot is a world-class scientist who writes deeply about matters of life and death with the grace of a world-class essayist. Anyone concerned about the health of our society should read this book." --Robert D. Putnam, author of Bowling Alone and Better Together

About the Author

Michael Marmot is a professor of epidemiology and public health at University College, London, where he is also the director of the International Center for Health and Society. He serves as an adviser to the World Health Organization and lectures around the world. He lives in London.