Coping Strategies of the Slum Dwellers during Health Aliments and Child Birth

Abstract

A significant result of rapid urbanization is an increase in the urban population in the towns and cities of both developing and developed countries. Especially, cities in the developing countries face a multitude of problems such as improper housing, lack of access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation facilities, degradation of the environment and poor health. Although, urban areas have access to better facilities and services as compared to rural areas, there exist disparities within the cities. The slum dwellers are the most affected groups as compared to other groups. Under such conditions, the urban poor has evolved/adapted their own strategies to survive in the hostile urban milieu. Against this backdrop, the present study attempts to a) identify diverse contingencies encountered by the slum dwellers and b) exemplify the coping strategies adopted by them to meet contingency related to Health Aliments and Child Birth. The study was set in the city of Bangalore. Data was collected from 134 slum households by using structured interview scheduled.  The study discloses that the coping strategies adopted by the slum households at the times of health-related contingencies/ emergencies for both financial and non-financial help was to depend upon their support networks such as relatives and friends. Lack of financial resources at their disposal, inadequate public healthcare delivery system and the high cost of private health care had forced many to depend upon informal money lenders to meet their health needs.