Many people living in poverty either do not have health care or do not have good coverage, which is a problem. In Characterizing Poverty,the article states “poor health is a cause as well as an effect of income poverty. It diminishes personal capacity, lowers productivity, and reduces earnings.” (2002). People in the lower class often do not have the resources to deal with poor health. As a result, they struggle with health issues and will avoid the doctor because they cannot afford the cost of an office visit. This causes them to miss work more often, which costs them valuable income. If health care is made more available, it is possible for the less fortunate to spend less time sick and more time working. Another reason poor health care contributes to poverty is that it prevents people from planning their families. According to The Behavioral Aspects of Poverty, “Most modern-day single mothers on welfare have never been married. They typically have their first baby as a teenager and go onto welfare shortly thereafter”(Sawhill, 2003, p.87) .One of the leading causes of poverty is unplanned parenthood. If a mother has a child as a teenager, she will most likely fail to finish school or take up low income work, consequently forcing her and her child into poverty. Health care is imperative for planning families in impoverished areas. By supplying women with the tools necessary for safe and legal birth control, the number of single mothers raising children will significantly decrease, which in turn will reduce poverty as a whole. Rather than focusing on raising children, those in poverty can then focus on finishing their education, starting a career, or building a stable
Many people living in poverty either do not have health care or do not have good coverage, which is a problem. In Characterizing Poverty,the article states “poor health is a cause as well as an effect of income poverty. It diminishes personal capacity, lowers productivity, and reduces earnings.” (2002). People in the lower class often do not have the resources to deal with poor health. As a result, they struggle with health issues and will avoid the doctor because they cannot afford the cost of an office visit. This causes them to miss work more often, which costs them valuable income. If health care is made more available, it is possible for the less fortunate to spend less time sick and more time working. Another reason poor health care contributes to poverty is that it prevents people from planning their families. According to The Behavioral Aspects of Poverty, “Most modern-day single mothers on welfare have never been married. They typically have their first baby as a teenager and go onto welfare shortly thereafter”(Sawhill, 2003, p.87) .One of the leading causes of poverty is unplanned parenthood. If a mother has a child as a teenager, she will most likely fail to finish school or take up low income work, consequently forcing her and her child into poverty. Health care is imperative for planning families in impoverished areas. By supplying women with the tools necessary for safe and legal birth control, the number of single mothers raising children will significantly decrease, which in turn will reduce poverty as a whole. Rather than focusing on raising children, those in poverty can then focus on finishing their education, starting a career, or building a stable