There is much historical evidence of the spread of disease through human mobility. Today in spite of medical advances and international health measures there is still much cause for concern. There is now more mobility, facilitated by modern transport and sometimes precipitated by major natural and man-made disasters. Redistribution of population is occuring in the developing world, particularly massive rural-urban movements. Population mobility has contributed to the transmission of malaria and prejudiced programmes for control and eradication; but mobility and other human factors have not been adequately studied. Parasites and vectors receive more attention than do people. Epidemiological studies need to pay greater attention to the nature and variety of population movements and to their differing impacts upon disease and health. It is essential to distinguish between migration (involving change of residence) and circulation (movement away from residence with sebsequent return). In tropical Africa various spatial and temporal dimensions can be applied to differentiate within these two major categories of mobility. In turn there are various associated physical and psychological health hazards.

Significant interactions between disease and population mobility have been demonstrated in tropical Africa in recent decades. Problems arising are greater than in the past. During the last two decades forced movements have become important. These are associated with refugees, coerced resettlement and victims of environmental catastrophe. The health hazards associated with them are reviewed from medical and social science literature for North East Africa (refugees and resettlement) and for West Africa (pastoralists affected by drought). Political, social and economic settings are of importance but tend to receive only limited attention. There is need for more social science input in studying and ameliorating problems arising from health hazards associated with and exacerbated by forced movements of population.

"This article focuses upon circulation, or reciprocal flows of people, with specific reference to Third World societies." Aspects considered include attempts to standardize terminology and to formulate typologies of population movement; the development of explanatory models of circulation and modernization, social networks, family welfare, and capitalism; and "the transfer of methods and concepts to societies and populations different from those from which they initially evolved and in which they were first tested."

"This article sets out the broad nature of population movements and changes in distribution which are taking place in the major continental areas of the Third World, while making comparisons and contrasts. It outlines the differing approaches to these movements, and the interpretations of varying ideological and disciplinary points of view. It describes contemporary practical problems and indicates possible future developments." The primary focus is on internal migration.

No abstract