Urbanization
More than half the world's population now resides in cities. Urbanization in low-income countries could offer billions of people better access to jobs and health-care services and a gateway to the world economy. To reap those benefits, those nations will have to confront the looming health and environmental challenges of urban life. This section examines the ways in which health and infectious diseases shape urbanization, but also the ways in which cities will define the future of global health.
Urbanization
1 in 10
One in ten Americans has asthma, making the United States the worldwide leader in asthma prevalence rates
The link between poverty, housing, and asthma in the U.S.
4 Percent
In Kampala, Uganda, the city loses up to 4 percent of its economic activity due to congestion
Learning from Lagos
6 Years
Gaza’s sole power plant, sewage plants, hospitals are among essential infrastructure lost to 6 years of war
Destruction of essential infrastructure during war in Gaza
#3
In 2019, road traffic injuries were the third most common killer in people age 20 and younger in Lebanon
Injuries and youth in Lebanon
90%
Of future urban growth will be in Africa and Asia
Contribution of Africa and Asia to future global urban growth
55%
World’s population residing in urban areas in 2018
World’s population residing in urban areas in 2018
2.0 B
Projected number of people living in slums by 2030
Projected number of people living in slums by 2030
Featured
Injuries: A Leading Killer of Youth in Lebanon
Traffic accidents are wreaking havoc on young lives, especially children who are refugees
Urban Design and the Shift from "Doing Less Harm" to "Doing Good"
Architects Richard Hassell and Wong Mun Summ on building design that gives back to the community, city, and environment
Obstacles to Healing Asthma
The link between disparities in housing, access to care, and respiratory health among Black Americans
Cities: Creating Transformative Spaces that Address Climate and Health
Nature-based and social solutions benefit cities in low- and middle-income countries
Learning from Lagos
How a "lite" rapid transit system in the Nigerian city transformed commuting
NATO for Health
Why the health of the world's cities needs a model more like NATO than the WHO
Syndemic Urbanism: Urban Injustice in Traumatized Cities
How violence, neglect, and health are entangled in urban territories
Health Care in Africa: The Challenges of Innovating at the Interface of the Public and Private Sectors
An interview with Bright Simons, technology innovator, development activist, and social entrepreneur
The Golden Hour: The Critical Time Between Life and Death
From road traffic injury prevention to definitive trauma care
One Year From the Front Lines of COVID-19 in New York City
Frontline providers found a solution to communication breakdown during the pandemic: talking to each other
Emergency Departments: A Site for Future COVID-19 Vaccinations
Given equity considerations, emergency departments should be used to expand vaccine distribution
The Africa We Want: Protecting Health and Livelihood
Deepening economic integration to boost intra-African trade requires an equal investment in public health structures
Bridging Health Gaps With Inclusive Urbanization
To tackle health disparities, the global health community must promote inclusive urbanization
Plague Ships, Shotgun Mobs, and the "Saffron Scourge"
Recalling the massive, deadly New Orleans yellow fever epidemic of 1878—and what lessons it holds for coronavirus today