Please read and summarize the main points of the article URBAN HEALTH: Evidence, Challenges, and Directions by Galea and Vlahov (posted in course documents).

Urbanization is one of the most important demographic shifts worldwide during the past century, representing a sentinel change from how most of the population has lived for the past several thousand years. At the beginning of the 19^th century only 5% of the world’s population was living in urban areas and by the end of 21^st century that number will increase to about 46%. New York’s metropolitan area becomes the first urban area to become a megacity – containing more than 10 million inhabitants. Today there are more than 15 megacities worldwide.  Unfortunately for the current science there are multiple and inconsistent definitions of urbanization. An appreciation of this complication is essential for the understanding of how urbanization may affect human health.

The study by Sandro Galea and David Vlahov about Urban Health shows how urbanization can affect population health. First of all, there is no one way in which urbanization may affect health and the potential effects of urbanization really rests on the varying characteristics of place; different cities across different countries have different characteristics but are defined as urban. The U. S Bureau offers its definition, “An urbanized area comprises a place and the adjacent densely settled surrounding territory that together comprise a minimum population of 50, 000 people… The densely settled surrounding territory adjacent to the place consists of at least 1000 people per square mile”. There are a number of different definitions employed all over the world regarding urbanization. The complexity of cities and city living may mean that urban characteristics important in one city may not be important in others cities, limiting the generalization that can be drawn about how urban living influences health. The complexities of the urban environment and its effect on the health of the urban population suggest that cross-disciplinary work is needed to improve understanding both general and specific to shape up population health.

The key factors in understanding those complexities affecting the health of those living in the city are the: physical environment, social environment and the availability of and access to health and social services. The complexities have not kept public health practitioners and researchers from developing specific training programs and institutes aimed at teaching students the study of urban health. Also, organizations like WHO are working directly with local governments to promote health in cities internationally. In fact those complexities are helping them better understand what urbanization might mean all. The key factors affecting the health of those living in the city is the: physical environment, social environment and the availability of and access to health and social services together.

As results of urbanization some of the threats to poor health are associated with poverty, malnutrition, poor housing, inadequate sanitation, pollution, economic stress, psychological stresses as well as with inadequate services. Urbanization increased the human exposure to health hazards, biological, chemical, physical, social and psychological.  Environmental problems pose health hazards to both, wealthy and low income in the urban areas. They include air pollution from motor vehicles and industrial emission, water pollution, insufficient water supplies, inadequate solid waste management, which eventually leads to disease vectors, contaminated food and noise. Children are often exposed to multiple environmental threats combined with other behavioral, social, and economic risk factors. Many of environment health risks factors are shared among children’s home, school, and community.  Likewise the benefits of the urbanization are the convenience of goods and services, access to more educational and medical services, which increase literacy and better health. There is use of less personal vehicles and more availability of public transportation. More social integration, different religions, ethnic backgrounds, social classes and races reside in the same areas. Another benefit of urbanization is the possibility of greater earning because of the more job openings. The New York Metropolitan area is the best example of both threats and benefits of urbanization based upon my experience.

References:

Goldstein, G. (1990). Urbanization, health and well-being: A global perspective. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series D (The Statistician), 39(2), 121-133.

Smolinski, M. S., Hamburg, M. A., & Lederberg, J. (2003). Microbial threats to health: emergence, detection, and response. National Academy Press.

benefitof.net/benefits-of-urbanization/