word for far reaching consequences of a sociological phenomenon

Are you looking for profound?

Defined by Cambridge dictionary as:

felt or experienced very strongly or in an extreme way

In your case, poverty can have a profound effect on one's life expectancy, ability to access healthcare, social status, etc...

Maybe you’re looking for fallout — the adverse side effects or results of a situation.

Here’s a usage example:

Indigenous impoverished women not only suffer the fallout of poverty but face racism and gender-based violence.
_{Source: The Borgen Project — Homelessness in Guatemala: An Update}

You might be looking for the word legacy, which has been used and abused ad nauseam in recent years. You'll see from its entry at m-w.com that its primary meaning is purportedly a gift of money or personal property, but it also means:

"something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past // the legacy of the ancient philosophers // The war left a legacy of pain and suffering."

The word is routinely used in the media to mean the effect of something from the past on the present. You'll also often hear athletes interviewed and asked about what they want their own "legacy" to be, and in this context, the question is usually interpreted, rightly or wrongly, to mean: "How do you want to be remembered?"