Topics: Economics and Personal Finances, Socioeconomic Class. 1  Richard Fry is a senior researcher focusing on economics and education at Pew Research Center. 2  Rakesh Kochhar is an associate director of research at Pew Research Center.
In the United States, the Census Bureau determines who is poor using an economic poverty measure, by calculating official poverty estimates using a set of dollar-value thresholds, or minimum amount of income needed to meet basic needs, that vary by family size and composition.
Poor and In Poor Health. Bottom Line: In the United States, discussion about how to improve health often turns to either access to care or health. behaviors like smoking or diet. These things matter, but there are also many social and economic factors that compromise health. and impair the ability to make healthful choices in the first place that should be considered. Poverty and Poor Health. Research has shown a link between. poverty and poor health.