Assessment of socioeconomic and health vulnerability among urban slum dwellers in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health, 24(1), 2946.

Authors: Md Zahid Hasan, Md Golam Rabbani, Mohammad Wahid Ahmed, Gazi Golam Mehdi, Khadija Islam Tisha, Daniel D. Reidpath, Syed Manzoor Ahmed Hanifi &  Shehrin Shaila Mahmood (2024).

Published October 2024

Approximately half of Bangladesh’s its urban population reside in deprived slums, this cross-sectional study aims to assess the level of vulnerability within and between slums via various socioeconomic and health indicators. Identifying the key indicators to construct the socioeconomic and health vulnerability index for the urban slums of Bangladesh (SEHVI-BD). 27 socioeconomic and health indicators were identified. The key indicators were used to generate a scale for levels of vulnerability which were categorised into three levels: mild, moderate, and severe vulnerability. The prevalence of severe vulnerability in the Korail slum was approximately 9% and moderate vulnerability was 30% whereas these values were approximately 58% and 37%, respectively, in the Shyampur slum.

This study emphasizes the importance of integrating comprehensive vulnerability assessments such as the SEHVI-BD into public health policies to reduce inequalities and improve well-being.

Read the full paper here Assessment of socioeconomic and health vulnerability among urban slum dwellers in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study