Impact of Poverty on Health

Abstract

Poverty is not merely the absence of money but the absence of resources to get the necessities of life. Poverty and health are always in a reciprocal relationship. This relation came to light in 1948 when the WHO defined health as complete physical, mental and social wellbeing. In 1987, the Alma-Ata declaration opened the discussion on health inequity. This opened the door for thousands of projects, proposals, and publications on this relation. Although the relationship between poverty and infectious diseases was clear, there was inequity in funding. The Global Fund invests US$ 4 billion annually for AIDS, tuberculosis, and Malaria, while other diseases lack funds. That is why they were considered neglected tropical diseases. However, the relationship between health and poverty is not limited to infectious diseases but includes noninfectious problems like malnutrition and injuries. In this chapter, we will assess the association between poverty as a predictor and health as an outcome.