Impact of urbanization on health and disease, Poverty, and health. Urbanization, the process by which rural areas become transformed into urban areas, significantly impacts health and disease patterns, a topic of major interest in the field of Social and Preventive Pharmacy.
This field focuses on the social determinants of health and the implementation of preventive measures to improve community health outcomes.
Urbanization has Seriou's implications:
1. Increased Pollution:
Urban areas tend to have higher air and water pollution, which can lead to respiratory diseases (like asthma), cardiovascular diseases, and other health complications.
2. Chronic Diseases:
Urban lifestyles often entail sedentary behavior, leading to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other non-communicable diseases.
3. Mental Health:
Urban living has been associated with higher levels of stress, anxiety, and other mental health disorders, partly due to the fast-paced life, noise, and social isolation.
4. Infectious Diseases:
High population density can facilitate the spread of infectious diseases. Also, in poorly planned urban areas, inadequate sanitation can lead to the spread of diseases like cholera or typhoid.
5. Access to Healthcare:
While urban areas often have better healthcare facilities, not everyone has equal access, especially the urban poor, leading to health disparities.
6. Unhealthy Diets:
Urban areas are flooded with processed foods, fast foods, and sugary beverages, leading to poor dietary habits and related health issues.
7. Violence and Accidents:
Urban areas can have higher rates of road traffic accidents, crimes, and violence, leading to injuries and fatalities.
8. Heat Islands:
Concrete and lack of green spaces create 'heat islands' causing increased temperatures in urban areas, which can lead to heat-related illnesses.
9. Vulnerable Populations:
Slums and informal settlements, common in rapidly urbanizing areas, have inadequate housing, sanitation, and healthcare, leading to various health challenges.