With their greater levels of exposure to poor sanitation, overcrowded conditions, inadequate nutrition, social stresses, and environmental pollutants and their limited access to health care, they are more likely both to get sick and to remain sick. Moreover, the economic consequences of illness tend to be more serious among the poor, often undermining the already fragile finances of the household. Nor are the health differentials between wealthy and poor confined to the developing world. In cities in developed countries as well, the poor show disproportionately high rates of death and disease for a range of problems. Similar patterns can be discerned in social risks too.
Urban violence tends to concentrate in particular areas of cities and towns.
The study's authors conclude that the mortality rates among people in Harlem justify classifying Harlem as a natural disaster area. Data on the distribution of violence within cities in the developing world are sparse. The Special Vulnerability of Children and Women Even among the poor, certain groups are more susceptible to both biological and social risks than others. The very young and the very old, for instance, tend to be more susceptible to infectious diseases and are more likely to die if they do become ill. Studies show that the increased health risks that impoverished children face in cities can be significant.