A person's zip code affects their life expectancy more than their own genetic code. We often relate chronic diseases to habits such as diet, lack of physical exercise, smoking or heredity. However, the factor that most influences health is the environment in which we live and circumstances such as poverty, lack of decent housing, overcrowding, environmental safety or exclusion … [Read more...] about Healthy Cities: your zip code influences your health more than your genetic code
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Has the pandemic exacerbated urban inequality in Latin America?
More than 6.5 million people have died worldwide from COVID-19. Latin America and the Caribbean LAC has been one of the regions most affected by the pandemic, with some of the countries having the highest mortality rates. As mentioned in previous blog posts in this series on Healthy Cities, the region is highly urbanized and has wide health inequities. In this blog, we … [Read more...] about Has the pandemic exacerbated urban inequality in Latin America?
How does the city I live in affect my health?
Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) cities are spaces of contrasts and inequality. We have recently explained how the place of residence within a city can affect the chances of finding a job, or of being more successful in studies. In today's blog, which is part of a series on Healthy Cities, we will try to answer the following question: why are people healthier in some … [Read more...] about How does the city I live in affect my health?
Why are cities so important for health?
There are many variables that affect our health, both at the individual and community level. Among the latter, as the COVID experience has made clear, urban services play a fundamental role in the health of the population. But this role is not relevant only at times of health crises; urban services are also fundamental for improving public health in a comprehensive manner for … [Read more...] about Why are cities so important for health?
How to improve the access of migrants, refugees, and displaced people to health?
Every year on June 20, the world celebrates World Refugee Day to honor refugees and displaced people around the world. This year, the focus will be on the right to seek protection. Every person in the world has the right to seek protection, no matter who they are, where they come from or when they have had to flee, including the protection of their health needs. Health is a … [Read more...] about How to improve the access of migrants, refugees, and displaced people to health?