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Megaurbanisation and Public Health Research: Theoretical Dimensions

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Health in Megacities and Urban Areas

Part of the book series: Contributions to Statistics ((CONTRIB.STAT.))

Abstract

Human health is a complex phenomenon influenced by socioeconomic, demographic, psychological, genetic, social, behavioural and environmental factors. Human health in megacities and urban areas is even more complex. Megacities in developing and transitional countries (e.g. in China) experience fast urbanisation processes due to continuing rural-to-urban migration (Ping and Pieke 2003; Tunon 2006; Wong et al. 2007). For instance, an estimated number of 150 million Chinese working migrants moved to cities from rural areas to find new opportunities (Tunon 2006). The migrant population is particularly affected by difficult living conditions because they mostly suffer from low socioeconomic status and experience restricted access to health care and education (Li et al. 2006). They often pay higher health costs as compared to non-migrants (Zheng and Lian 2006) and are more frequently exposed to low-standard living and working conditions (Ping and Pieke 2003; Zheng and Lian 2006). These living conditions often coined by poor hygiene and crowded living space increasing the risk for infectious diseases (Zheng and Lian 2006). Besides the somatic health risks, migrants are also threatened by psychological diseases and symptoms. For instance, Wong et al. found in their study on mental health among Chinese migrant workers that about 25% of their male participants could be classified as mentally unhealthy (Wong et al. 2008:486).

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This paper presents our theoretical background of public health research in megaurban environments, which is also basis of our activities in Guangzhou, South China. They are part of the SPP 1233 and are jointly conducted with colleagues from the School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou.

  2. 2.

    Own translation; taken from Hurrelmann (2006:146)

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Acknowledgements

We thank the German Research Foundation for funding this research. We are grateful to our colleagues, Mrs. Prof. Dr. Li LING, Mrs. Lu HAN and Mrs. Yinghua XIA, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, which performed the interviews and supported us in designing the questionnaire and during the project coordination. Special thanks are given to our friend Mr. Fei FANG, PhD candidate at the School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, who continuously supported us by social and practical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany

    Heiko J. Jahn, Md. Mobarak Hossain Khan & Alexander Krämer

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  1. Heiko J. Jahn
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  3. Alexander Krämer
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Correspondence to Heiko J. Jahn .

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  1. Fak. Gesundheitswissenschaften, Universität Bielefeld, Universitätsstr. 25, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany

    Alexander Krämer

  2. , Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Public Health, Bielefeld Unive, Bielefeld, 33501, Germany

    Mobarak Hossain Khan

  3. , Institute of Geography, Cologne University, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, Cologne, 50923, Germany

    Frauke Kraas

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Jahn, H.J., Khan, M.M.H., Krämer, A. (2011). Megaurbanisation and Public Health Research: Theoretical Dimensions. In: Krämer, A., Khan, M., Kraas, F. (eds) Health in Megacities and Urban Areas. Contributions to Statistics. Physica, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7908-2733-0_3

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