AccessomeTechnology is a defining feature of modern life, and urbanization continues to reshape the places where people live. These changes can create health challenges, especially when housing, sanitation, and environmental services do not keep pace with population growth.
Urban areas face a growing burden of noncommunicable diseases, infectious outbreaks, and injuries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) [1]. WHO notes that tuberculosis, dengue, and diarrheal diseases thrive in poor, overcrowded environments and are linked to unhealthy housing, poor sanitation, and inadequate waste management. Limited access to safe drinking water and sanitation can contribute to these risks. WHO also estimates that 91% of people in urban areas breathe polluted air [1]. Together, pollution and inadequate urban services can undermine health, particularly for residents of underserved neighborhoods.
Many current urban health challenges have historical roots. During the Industrial Revolution, steam-powered industry contributed to rapid urban growth and crowded living conditions. The World History Encyclopedia describes how city life became cramped and the air less clean as industrialization advanced [2]. This history helps show how urban planning and infrastructure can shape health long after cities first expand.
Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle offers a literary depiction of industrial-era urban hardship. In one scene, he describes buildings silhouetted against the sky, with “the river of smoke streaming away to the end of the world” [3, p. 24]. The novel is fictional, but the image reflects concerns about pollution and unhealthy living environments. Today, however, urban health challenges are best understood through current evidence and the conditions residents face.
There are ways to improve urban environments. The University of the Built Environment recommends planting trees and supporting local shops among strategies for addressing urban sprawl [4]. Trees and green spaces can help clean the air and encourage walking, while nearby shops can reduce some car trips. These measures should complement broader investments in safe water, sanitation, healthcare, and equitable urban planning.
Urbanization has transformed where and how people live. While some health challenges are rooted in long-standing patterns of industrial growth, today’s decisions about housing, sanitation, green space, transportation, and essential services can shape whether cities support well-being. With thoughtful, equitable planning, urban areas can become healthier places for everyone.
Sources
- [1] World Health Organization. “Urban health.” March 19, 2025. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/urban-health
- [2] Cartwright, Mark. “The Steam Engine in the British Industrial Revolution.” World History Encyclopedia, February 8, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2166/the-steam-engine-in-the-british-industrial-revolut/
- [3] Sinclair, Upton. The Jungle. Penguin Books, 2008, p. 24.
- [4] University of the Built Environment. “How can we deal with urban sprawl?” March 20, 2025. https://www.ube.ac.uk/whats-happening/articles/urban-sprawl/