These few papers look at social aspects of hierarchy that help elucidate the aspects of hierarchy measured by income distribution that have health impacts. They deal with hopelessness, social networks, relative hierarchy, and family conflict. 

1. Everson S, Kaplan G, Goldberg DE, Salonen R, Salonen JT. Hopelessness and 4-year progression of carotid atherosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology 1 1997; 17 (8): 1490-5. 

2. Kawachi I, Colditz GA, Ascherio A, Rimm EB, Giovannucci E, Stamfer MF, Willett WC. A 
     prospective study of social networks in relation to total mortality and cardiovascular
     disease in men in the USA. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 1996; 50: 
     245-251 

3. Montgomery SM, Bartley MJ, Wilkinson RG. Family conflict and slow growth. Archives of the  Diseases of Childhood 1997; 77: 326-30

4. Long JM, Lynch JJ, Machiran NM, Thomas SA, Malinow K. The effect of status on blood    
     pressure during verbal communication. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 1982; 5: 165-71