Health as a Planning Problem: Combatting Diseases of Poverty

Abstract

Diseases of Poverty (DOP), a group of parasitic and bacterial diseases characterized by their high prevalence and debilitating effects on poor communities, affect almost 12 million Americans per year. With over 20 variations, including hookworm and Chagas, DOP can have profoundly detrimental impacts on the individuals and communities affected. We can understand the issue of DOP within the United States as a result of two main factors: the lack of private and public knowledge of DOP and failing infrastructures across the South. Because many determinants of DOP are outside the direct control of the health sector and are laden with social, economic, and environmental influences, an effective policy solution should focus on improving disease-promoting environments and the failing water and waste infrastructure systems in which at-risk individuals live. Policies focused on water and waste infrastructure can play a proactive role in preventing the spread of DOP through ensuring safer and cleaner living spaces, aiding in the prevention – not just treatment – of DOP. More specifically, a multi-level infrastructure policy that targets funds and resources to rural, low-income communities through cooperation between all levels of government is essential to address DOP. I propose a DOP infrastructure program specifically for rural, low-income communities in which the federal government provides block grants to state governments and sets guidelines for spending while localities are responsible for the collection, use, and application of state-appropriated funds.