Suchergebnisse

The impact of urbanization on the health of citizens in developing countries has received increasing attention recently. This book addresses the problems in an integrated way, looking in detail at both the problems themselves and the action and research necessary to alleviate them. It includes contributions from leading practitioners and advisors to many of the main international agencies and presents the latest thinking of those institutions. It also presents recent information on research findings, the management and financing of urban health services and trends in urban health policy. Case

The last major review of urban health in developing countries was published in 1992. At that time, knowledge was largely limited to crude rural-urban comparisons and some ad hoc studies of low-income urban communities. Most research was done on communicable (infectious) diseases and little was known about the relationship between urban life in developing countries and chronic illness such as mental ill-health, heart disease and cancer. This paper updates knowledge by reviewing recent research on intra-urban health inequalities, urban health-seeking behaviour and the importance of urban-rural links for health. It also presents a new model of urban health that incorporates changes in urban health research and practice.

This article addresses the relationship between a Ministry of Health and a City Council, and identifies key issues to consider in the decentralisation of urban health activities: roles and responsibilities; legislation; co-ordination and communication; and resource constraints. The case-study highlights aspects of planning which need to be considered by national and local governments. (DSE)