A Review of Urban Poor Health and Health Inequalities

Health of the nation is increasingly seen as a robust predictor of economic growth and assuring a minimal level of health care to the population is a critical constituent of the development process. While rising incomes could lead to better health, the relationship also works in the opposite direction. Urbanization is a symbol of development and also of demographic shifts representing a substantial change from how most of the world's population has lived for the past several thousand year. (In India with the rapidly growing urbanization is also increasing the urban poverty at a high pace and posing challenges to the delivery of the health care services to the urban poor) Despite focused health reforms and several growth orientated policies of the government health inequalities prevails creating not only "rural and urban divide " but also "rich and urban poor divide".

This research paper attempts to statistically review and assess urban poor health issues, reasons of health inequalities & inhibiting factors to access of health care infrastructure and based on the findings attempts to provide suggestions for improving the efficiency of the health delivery system of the urban poor for improving the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.