In 2010 there was a demographical shift whereby, for the
first time in history the percentage of people living in an urban environment
was greater than the percentage of people living in a rural one. The health of these
people is one of great importance as the health inequalities for urban
residents are much more extreme than those living in the country. This is due
to wider socioeconomic determinants affecting the education and income
opportunities of urban communities which lead to the urban poor typically
living in polluted and isolated areas.
Within cities, influences and decisions on people’s health
does not just lie with the health sector but with local authority, education, urban
planners, engineers and those who determine physical infrastructure and access
to social and health services.
This coupled with an increased prevalence of infectious
diseases (such as HIV/AIDS, TB and pneumonia), non communicable diseases (such
as asthma, heart disease, cancer and diabetes) and, violence and injury
(including road traffic accidents) make it very difficult for the urban poor to
stay healthy.
The severity and
magnitude of these issues cannot be easily addressed, which is why
international collaboration and knowledge exchange is fundamental to public
health enhancements.
The International Conference on Urban Health (ICUH) offers
the perfect forum for such interaction. The 11th International
Conference on Urban Health will take place between the 4th and 7th
March 2014 in Manchester, United Kingdom.
You can also follow ICUH and find out more about urban
health problems on twitter at www.twitter.com/icuh2014/
