The health risks of rural living in Papua New Guinea

Jones, C.A. (2008) The health risks of rural living in Papua New Guinea. Epidemiologic Focus, 1 (1). e1. ISSN 1944-3307

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Abstract

Research in developing countries suggests that urban residence can offer a health advantage over rural residence. Likewise, my observation, based on 16 months at a government health clinic in the remote Aiyura Valley of the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG), is that rural residence can be associated with very distinct disadvantages to health, particularly among children. For example, we conducted a full-coverage vaccination survey in the rural Aiyura Valley area that revealed only 2% vaccination completion rate by 1 year of age in a village 2 hours from the clinic. Rural Papua New Guineans tend to delay seeking medical treatment until illness is dire and considered incurable by their homeopathic and/or religious techniques. Therefore, rural living in Papua New Guinea may have a deleterious effect on the health of Papua New Guineans.

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