Your Opinions
Being Born Into Poverty Shouldn’t Shorten Anyone’s Life
The Birmingham News
February 22, 2007
Recently, The News featured an essay written by a member of the Alabama Poverty Project that highlighted the “link between our wellness and our economic conditions across our lifespan.” Poverty and healthcare issues are strongly related and need to be addressed as such. Superficially treating a few health concerns of those living in poverty will not solve the problem of poor health and the far-reaching consequences of having to deal with these illnesses.
Living in poverty reduces a person’s life expectancy by seven years. Living in poverty usually means an increased risk of residing in substandard housing with possible exposure to lead paint and asbestos, inhabiting an area with higher levels of dangerous pollutants and having no health coverage. A person working exceptionally long hours and acting as a single parent, which is quite common in households below the poverty line, rarely has the luxury of exercise and healthy eating. Healthy food is expensive, and its preparation is time consuming.
Low-income families are an extremely at-risk group for many health problems. Yet, they are also the most likely to receive no preventive medical care. The truth is: Addressing environmental factors, subpar housing and nutritional concerns and providing at least basic health coverage is far more cost-efficient in the long term than covering the cost of emergency treatments and huge hospital bills that these families will probably never be able to pay. But more so, it is the decent thing to do. Being born into poverty should not shorten anyone’s life.
Brandy Duncan
Pinson