ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH PROFILE AND PERSONAL HABITS AMONG SLUM DWELLERS RESIDING IN SELECTED URBAN SLUM AREAS: PUNJAB

Abstract

Urbanization in India has rapidly increased over the past few decades, leading to the unplanned growth of cities and the expansion of slum settlements. A slum is defined as a residential area characterized by physical and social disintegration, where maintaining an acceptable standard of family life becomes difficult. According to UN-Habitat (2020), slums are areas with non-durable housing, insecure tenure, lack of safe water, inadequate sanitation, and overcrowding 1.These conditions collectively create an environment conducive to ill-health and social vulnerability.