Title: [The impact of urbanization and industrialization on health conditions: the case of Nigeria]

POPLINE Document Number: 042306

Author(s):

Adegbola O

Source citation:

WORLD HEALTH STATISTICS QUARTERLY. RAPPORT TRIMESTRIEL DE STATISTIQUES SANITAIRES MONDIALES, 1987;40(1):74-83.

Abstract:

Data from Nigeria suggest direct and indirect patterns of influence of urbanization and industrialization on health conditions. Nigeria's remarkable urban growth--an average annual rate of 4.7-4.9% since the 1960s--has been accompanied by a deterioration in the quality of the urban environment. 85% of urban households live in 1 room and only 14% have a flush toilet. Houses with either a shared or no kitchen dispose their effluent waste into open drains that have no gradient or outfall. 55% of urban residents deposit their refuse or garbage in unauthorized places. Environmental conditions in the cities are aggravated by industrialization, which accounted for 39% of Nigeria's gross national product in 1982. Pollution from industrial effluent and smoke, as well as from traffic emission, is a regular feature of Nigerian cities. Regression analysis indicates that overcrowding and pollution account for 17% and 12%, respectively, of the variation in infant mortality and 12% and 16%, respectively, of the variation in life expectancy. 7 variables--room density, number of hospital beds/1000 population, urbanization index, tons of solid waste generated, per capita consumption of electricity, number of petrol stations/ 10,000 population, and industrialization index--explain 40% of the variation in the distribution of infant mortality and 43% of the variation in life expectancy. While overcrowding is more important than pollution for infant deaths, pollution is more critical than overcrowding to differential life expectancy. Nigeria's population is projected to reach 169 million by the year 2000, with urban areas absorbing the majority of this growth. The incidence of overcrowding and environmental pollution will thus continue to pose an ever-increasing threat to the health of Nigerians.

Keywords:

Nigeria
Urbanization
Industrialization
Health
Environment
Crowding
Housing
Socioeconomic Factors
Residence Characteristics
Mortality
Differential Mortality
Health Status Indexes
Ecology
Macroeconomic Factors
Infant Mortality
Life Expectancy
Research Report
Statistical Regression
Economic Development
Development Planning
Urban Population
Slums
Quality of Life
Social Development
Environmental Pollution
Population Density
Population Distribution
Population
Demographic Factors
Population Dynamics
Intermediate Variables
Length of Life
Public Health
Sanitation
Side Effects
Statistical Studies
Africa, Western
Africa, Sub Saharan
Africa
Developing Countries
Urban Population Distribution
Geographic Factors
Economic Factors
Data Analysis
Research Methodology
Population Characteristics
Social Welfare
Environmental Degradation
Treatment
Studies