Slum Prevalence and Health in Developing Countries: Sustainable Development Challenges in the Urban Context

Building on prior research, this study investigates the effects of urban slum prevalence or proportion of the total population living in urban slum conditions on multiple macro-level health outcomes in developing nations. Results of two-way fixed effects panel analyses of 43 countries for the 1990–2007 period indicate that infant and under-five mortality rates are positively associated with urban slum prevalence, while average life expectancy for both women and men exhibits a negative association. These findings are statistically significant, net of various other factors including overall urbanization, economic development, fertility rates and HIV prevalence. Overall, the results highlight the importance of examining the ‘upstream’ effects of the built urban environment on human health in the developing countries and the challenges confronting the sustainable development of human societies.