Some perspectives on the geographies of poverty and health: A Ghanaian context

Abstract

Poverty and health are often closely linked. However, types of settlement, sites and migration between areas may amplify or modify these relationships. The article aims at examining some poverty issues where health and geography seems to be relevant, with reference to Ghana. Some geographical structures of poverty may be related to poverty strands, such as the livelihoods approach and partly the participatory approach. A distinction between people poverty and place poverty may be relevant in a consideration of poverty outlines. An attempt is made to provide an overview and unravel the complex faces of poverty by groups and geography, and to indicate a differentiated empirical pattern of places and groups with various health conditions. The differences go beyond a ‘stereotypic’ urban–rural dichotomy and point to different adjustments in the studied areas. Possibly, women's situation seems to be more vulnerable in terms of their subordinated social position and roles in society. Some types of poverty reduction strategies that may cover various geographical scales are discussed, with a focus on the meso-level, with regional poverty reduction plans, towards more specific group and individual improvements taking place at micro-level.

Keywords:

• poverty
• geography
• health
• poverty reduction strategies
• Ghana

Notes

1. Gyan Baffour, G. 2004. The Ghana poverty reduction strategy: poverty diagnostics and components of the strategy. Paper presented on behalf of National Development Planning Commission to the Government of Ghana, Accra.

2. Weeks, J.R., Hill, A.G., Stow, D.A., Getis, A., Fugate, D. & Agyei-Mensah, S. 2006. Is the worst health found in the worst slums? Using GIS to identify health outcomes in Slums of Accra, Ghana. Paper at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, 7–11 March 2006, Chicago.

3. Lund, R. & Agyei-Mensah, S. Queens as Mothers: The role of the traditional safety net of care and support for HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in Ghana. Article under review for inclusion in the Scottish Geographical Journal.