社经地位与健康的关系，依循的是一条渐近曲线：从社会阶梯的最高阶往下掉一阶，预期寿命及其他指标的降低幅度，不像从最低第二阶降至最低一阶那麽激烈。

• The relation between SES and health follows an asymptotic curve: dropping from the uppermost rung of society's ladder to the next-to-top step reduces life expectancy and other measures much less drastically than plunging from the next-to-bottom rung to the lowest level.