Poverty And Its Effects
Poverty has far-fetched impacts on the society as a whole. It not only influences the individuals suffering from it but also the concerned authorities that attempt to solve the issues associated with poverty. Some of the most powerful and detrimental impacts of poverty are listed below:
- Malnutrition
- Health Issues
- Education
- Economy
- Social Issues
This is perhaps the most common effect of poverty. This is generally seen in the children belonging to poor families. These families do not have proper access to the required nutrition. As a result, the growth of these children is hindered. The families have stringent budgetary limits. This causes them to buy food products that do not serve proper nutrients. The issue of malnutrition is the issue that causes 45 percent of deaths among children under the age of 5. It is one of the most important factors that underlie several health issues as well.
Another major problem associated with poverty is health. The problem of malnutrition is specific to children, but the health issues can extend from children to old people, who live in poverty. The insufficient resources available to poor people make it almost impossible for them to get access to high quality and effective healthcare. As a result, the rate infant mortality, maternal death, heart disseises, and a number of psychological issues are higher among people belonging to low socio economic classes as compared to those belonging to upper classes.
People suffering from poverty do not have sufficient levels of education as well. This is attributable to a number of reasons. Firstly, they do not have the resources to finance the education. Secondly earning money is more important for them which is why children begin work at a very young age. Thirdly, they are not provided with the environment that nurtures education.
The presence of poverty in a nation has negative impacts on its economic growth. The government has to use its scarce resources to support the poor rather than increasing the economic outcome. This discourages the investors and businesses, and derails the economic activity within the nation.
Presence of poverty in a nation increases the rate of crimes. This is because people with insufficient resources have higher chances of indulging in robbery and street crime. This, as a result, destroys the peace and calm in the society.
Ultimately, educated and productive people start moving out of the society to secure the lives and belongings of themselves and their loved ones.