The rapid increase of people living in cities is one of the most important global health issues of the 21st century.
A study was conducted by the World Health Organization in partnership with UN-Habitat aimed at unmasking and overcoming health inequities in urban settings and includes practical examples and recommendations on specific evidence-based interventions.
Through a novel analytical approach, this report, outlines the crucial finding that urban averages often mask hidden pockets of ill-health and overlooked populations.
Take this quiz to find out more about how urbanization and health are connected http://www.hiddencities.org/quiz.html
The list of potential urban hazards and associated health risks is long: substandard housing and crowded living conditions, problems with food and water safety, inadequate sanitation and solid waste disposal services, air pollution, and congested traffic, to name a few.
Many cities face a triple threat: infectious diseases thrive when people are crowded together under paltry living conditions. Chronic, noncommunicable diseases are on the rise with the globalization of unhealthy lifestyles, which are facilitated by urban life – tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol. And urban health is further burdened by accidents, injuries, road accidents, violence, and crime.
For a detailed in-depth analysis, please download article at : http://www.hiddencities.org/downloads/WHO_UN-HABITAT_Hidden_Cities_w.pdf