Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Poverty and how it affects health
Effects of poverty on health
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Poverty and how it affects health
Poverty and health infections are inextricably related. The term “diseases of poverty” is used to describe disabilities or diseases that are more prevalent in poor countries than their developed counterparts. It is estimated that 50, 00 people, of which 30,000 are children, die due to poverty-related diseases each day in underdeveloped countries (Stevens, 2008). This is exclusive of other millions of people who die from unpreventable diseases in these countries. Nearly three-quarters of people living in the third world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, fight to survive without clean water or food. In some cases, diseases of poverty are considered to be obstacles to the economic development that would curb poverty. In contrast to diseases of poverty there are diseases of affluence. Affluence diseases are ailments or disabilities that are more prevalent in developed countries. Activists claim that virtually all diseases of poverty in underdeveloped countries are neglected. Many scholars argue that the pharmaceutical industry has not taken any substantial steps in investing and has failed to devote sufficient efforts in research for these diseases. The discussion in this paper expands more on some of the common diseases in low-income countries; also seeks to explore why these diseases are …show more content…
It is projected that nearly 200 million people across the globe are infected with this disease (Stevens, 2008). Notably, the diseases are most prevalent in young people living in underdeveloped countries of Africa. Also, it is specifically targeting poor African American women and poor communities of certain parts of Asia. This is one of the neglected diseases despite it being associated with increased risk for premature deliveries and HIV-infections, which should increase concern. This is an area that does not only call for great attention, but also requires an extensive and thorough
Throughout the world, in countries rich and poor, people have no access to basic physical and mental healthcare nor to immunizations from infectious disease. Some people have no access because they lack the resources to buy and the state does not provide it. Others may be able to afford healthcare but because there are no services available in their communities they must do without it.
Poverty in Developing and Less Developed Countries The world includes less developed countries and developing countries. Less developed countries are countries considered to be poor and often contain many people who are in absolute poverty. Developing countries are countries like India, which are gaining in wealth. There are two types of poverty within the world.
There is an enduring unequal distribution of the wealth that is produced by the economic growth as demonstrated by the Gini coefficient of 38.9 in 2013, in addition to the fact that at least 9.56% of the population lives below the poverty threshold of less than $US 1 per day [9]. These inequalities may contribute to alarming health consequences. According to Echuffo-Tchegui and Kengne, the recent years have seen a considerable increase in the burden of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which “accounted for 43% of all deaths in 2002” [10]. Increasing urbanization is exposing the Cameroonian population to highly processed foods (usually high in fat, salt, and sugar) and increasingly sedentary lifestyles [10]. Currently, 53% individuals live in urban areas [1]. It has been shown that that these socio-economic changes could now lead Cameroon to face “the double burden of infectious and chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs)” [10]. The burden of infectious diseases is mainly driven by HIV/AIDS, malaria, and lower respiratory infections [11]. In 2012, the prevalence of HIV among Cameroonian adults was 2217 per 100 000 population [1]. The incidence of malaria was 16877 per 100 000 population [1]. Yet at the same time, the country experiences an increase in the burden of NCDs, displaying elements of an
By the year 2000, 58 million people have been infected by HIV/AIDS and alarming numbers such as 22 million would have already died. And the epidemic continues to spread. HIV/AIDS historically is considered to be one of the longest running worldwide epidemics that we have ever seen, and figures cannot be placed on the true death tolls or estimation of the damage as the cycle still is yet to reach an end (Whiteside 2002). With Africa being the worst hit continent in the world in terms of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the severity of it’s prevalence; one can only begin to question whether HIV/AIDS and poverty and directly connected or the inter-linkages exacerbate one or the other. This paper aims to argue that HIV/AIDS is a manifestation of poverty, and simultaneously poverty contributes to growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Development in response both to poverty reduction and to HIV/AIDS is complicated when both have multi-dimensional and multi-faceted impacts on a society, whether it be social, economic or human development impacts. This paper will argue that pre-existing socio economic conditions within a country such as high levels of poverty, poor sanitation, malnutrition, environmental degradation and poor public healthcare systems and limited access to preventative care are crucial factors in contributing to the transfer of the infection (Pasteur: 2000, Mann: 1999).
Nearly 50,000 people, including 30,000 children, die each day due to poverty-related problems and preventable disease in underdeveloped Countries. That doesn’t include the other millions of people who are infected with AIDS and other incurable diseases. Especially those living in Sub-Saharan Africa (70%), or “the Third-World,” and while we fight to finish our homework, children in Africa fight to survive without food, or clean water. During the next few paragraphs I will give proof that poverty and disease are the two greatest challenges facing under developed countries.
Dr. S.M. Shamim ul Moula, “Fighting Disease” May 9, 2001 African Networks for health research and development; retrieved Dec. 9, 2003 http://www.afronets.org/archive/200105/msg00035.php
Many people in advanced industrialized nations are often unaware of infectious diseases that plague underdeveloped countries. This is primarily due to factors that are so often taken for granted like having proper sanitation, adequately treated water, properly prepared food, easy access to medical care, and economic viability. The sad truth is that many of these infectious diseases could easily be prevented if the countries where they run most rampant had only a few of the factors mentioned above. The concentration of this paper will be to focus on one such disease named Cholera and its impact on the country of Zambia, Africa.
Institute for Research on Poverty. (2013). Health & Poverty. Retrieved February 20, 2014, from http://www.irp.wisc.edu/research/health.htm
As developed countries quench their thirsts for petrol, developing countries around the world are left behind, force to watch on without any help from the outside community. Being poor means to be disadvantaged in every single way. It means not being able to support yourself or your family or have the basic necessity to life. Without substantial help for these helpless people then we should be feeling guilty that we are living lives far better than what others are experiencing. Poverty may because by wars, disease or lack of education and infrastructure and the resulting consequences may be hunger, starvation, crime and ultimately death. If poverty is not eradicated then injustice will continue, increasing death tolls and lives.
As a result of the poverty that people are living in, many people are getting sick and ill from the poor hygiene conditions that they are living in as
Every morning when I wake up the first thought in my mind is usually: FOOD! I often lie in bed for a few extra minutes, planning out what I am going to eat for breakfast. Seldom as I go through this routine do I stop to think about those who are less fortunate than me. I often take for granted that everyone wakes up and eats breakfast. But this is far from true, not everyone shares the luxuries that we have in the United States. Some people wake up and wonder if they will eat at all that day, let alone eat breakfast. Why? Because food, like many other things, is unequally distributed throughout the world.
The spread of HIV/AIDS through mother-to-child transmission has had an interesting development over recent decades. In the past, most infected Nigerians were males, such as those who engaged in homosexual relations and intercourse with sex workers. However, in recent years the number has increased. Now the majority of adults living with HIV are female, which is estimated to be about 57% of Nigerians (Adeyi, et al, 349). This is an imperative issue beca...
Preventing diseases is every countries’ responsibility, whether they are poor or rich. Poor countries lack the knowledge and the money to gain, and expand medical resources. Therefore, many people are not been able to be cured. For wealthy countries, diseases are mutating at incredible speeds. Patients are dying because drug companies do not have enough data to produce vaccines to cure patients. When developed countries help poor countries to cure their people, the developed countries could help underdeveloped countries. Since developed countries can provide greater medical resources to poor countries, people living in the poor countries could be cured. As for the developed countries, they can collect samples from the patients so that the drug companies can produce new vaccines for new diseases. When trying to cure diseases, developed countries and poor countries would have mu...
Yao, J., Murray, A.T. and Agadjanian, V., 2013. A geographical perspective on access to sexual and reproductive health care for women in rural Africa. Social Science & Medicine (1982), 96, 60
The emergence of HIV/AIDS is viewed globally as one of the most serious health and developmental challenges our society faces today. Being a lentivirus, HIV slowly replicates over time, attacking and wearing down the human immune system subsequently leading to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) at which point the affected individual is exposed to life threatening illnesses and eventual death. Despite the fact that a few instances of this disease have been accounted for in all parts of the world, a high rate of the aforementioned living with HIV are situated in either low or medium wage procuring nations. The Sub-Saharan region Africa is recognized as the geographic region most afflicted by the pandemic. In previous years, people living with HIV or at risk of getting infected did not have enough access to prevention, care and treatment neither were they properly sensitized about the disease. These days, awareness and accessibility to all the mentioned (preventive methods, care etc.) has risen dramatically due to several global responses to the epidemic. An estimated half of newly infected people are among those under age 25(The Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic). It hits hard as it has no visible symptoms and can go a long time without being diagnosed until one is tested or before it is too late to manage.