Health and housing. Urban agglomerates in Argentina 2003-2011
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31052/1853.1180.v17.n2.6834Keywords:
infant mortality, housing building materials, drinkable water, sewage systemAbstract
Since 2003, Argentina has gone through a decade of important growth. Being aware of the importance of the environment conditions on the population’s health, the objective of this study is to analyze the changes as regards housing characteristics and ownership as well as whether there have been improvements in the provision of drinkable water and sewage systems in urban agglomerates in Argentina. On the other hand, considering
that infant mortality rate is an important health indicator of the population and future generations and therefore, of the economic development of a country, we have taken it as
a proxy variable associated with ownership and housing conditions. This is a descriptive correlational study with longitudinal design.
Results obtained show that: from 2003 to 2011 the relationship quintile 5 to quintile 1 (i.e. the difference between the richest 20% and the poorest 20%) in income distribution fluctuated from 15:1 to 11:1. At country level, the percentage of homes increased by 21%. Proportionally houses with tile, wood, ceramic and carpet floors increased as well as water supply within the houses and flush toilets; the number of hunts and houses with adobe walls decreased. In agglomerates the quantity of owners was reduced and the number of tenants and unauthorized occupants rose.
If we refer to urban agglomerates, we can see improvements in floor materials, the lowest categories are found in the northern area of the country. Almost a third of the houses have zinc sheets as roof covers and more than 85% of roofs have ceiling.
The proportions in supply of running water from public net, pipe system within the house, bathrooms within the house and flush toilets go beyond 90%. Drainage to sewage system is around 76%.
The analysis of factors shows that infant mortality rate makes up an axis with housing risk indicators such as floor type, overcrowding, ceiling, running water in the house and
type of toilet drainage.
The country is divided into three classes; the first one corresponds to the southern provinces and Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA) where we find the lowest infant mortality rates and the best housing conditions. In this first group we also find San Luis, possibly due to housing indicators. In the second class we find the worst conditions of infant mortality with greater risk conditions in the houses; and in the third class we find
intermediate development agglomerates.
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