Poverty is one of the biggest problems that we have on our planet and it just doesn't seem to disappear. It makes life harder for many families, it causes individual health issues, and it generates societal issues. Poverty is a type of life where people live in bad conditions and can’t afford to have a normal life and meet day-to-day needs. This problem just keeps getting worse because the cost of living in major cities and the price of an apartment is increasing a lot. There are many different ways in which families suffer the biggest consequence of poverty.
To begin with, many families in our world struggle with having to pay for the materials that kids need for their school and the food they consume. The problem of not having enough money stresses out parents who are trying to survive with low-paying jobs. Some kids are motivated to have a good education and do well in school but do not have materials or good food to keep them running through life. The family's living conditions could also affect the way they end up in the future physically. For example, the website Statista states, “There are a total of 7.4 million families living in poverty just in the United States.” This shows that many families struggle with this issue in just one country; imagine how many there are in our world.
In addition, families that live in poverty struggle with many issues that make life harder for everyone in the family, especially in behavioral health. Children and adults struggle when they are in poverty, this could lead to them having behavioral issues and may begin to use substances. For example, the US Department of Health and Human Services states that “adults living in poverty are at risk of adverse health effects such as obesity, chronic stress, substance abuse, and smoking.” The mental health of an adult is important; they have to support the family, and for that to happen, they need motivation and energy. They have to make sure to raise each of their kids well and make sure they are disciplined and intelligent so they can have a better future. Let's say one adult in the family starts becoming an alcoholic and a substance abuser, in that case, they won’t be able to keep up with the family expenses which will make the family's situation even worse since they’re already struggling with poverty. Once an adult starts stressing a lot, they may try to find anything to get them to sleep or not feel any sort of tiring pain. If they ever get out of poverty it will stick with them, which is why poverty harms families in this particular way.
Furthermore, poverty affects everyone in the family differently. Some families cannot even afford to have clean drinking water, and kids become malnourished because of the struggle to afford food. The United States Census states that “in 2021 the government assisted 45.4 million people out of poverty.” This states how there are people who are trying to fix the problem that destroys our world's families, but there have to be more actions taken to address this problem.
The United States Census Bureau states that “there are 37.9 million people in the US that live in poverty and that is about 11.5 percent of the official poverty rate”. Many people who live in poverty often get judged by people who see them not as human but rather as inhumane. We do not understand how their situation has not been easy and they probably don't get or have the resources they need to get out of their situation. Some homeless people also struggle with mental health problems and choose to not get the help they need based on their living conditions. Many people in the US are struggling but are also trying not to give up on their lives.
Poverty can follow a person through their whole life and destroy their chances at certain opportunities. For example in “Why Is Infant Mortality Higher in the United States Than in Europe?” Alice Chen et al state, “infant mortality is higher among the deprived. Adults die younger as well. Mental health issues are common among the poor.” This shows how poverty destroys someone's life and makes it miserable for them to live it.
Likewise, wise people who live in unhealthy conditions can end up having chronic food problems. For instance, a blog post on Move for Hunger named “The Effects Of Poverty” states, “The effects of poverty can follow a child into adulthood, leading to chronic illness and lack of education or the ability to work. The effects of poverty are more than just missing a meal. Families struggle with chronic food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition.” Individuals can struggle with consumption issues just because they can't have daily meals every day like they are supposed to. These kids will grow up and have issues with applying to work because of the health issues they had growing up. They won’t be able to work for themselves or others.
Lastly, poverty has an effect on societies and negatively affects businesses that are around impoverished neighborhoods. For instance, the website named “US Department of Health and Human Services” states that “poverty can also limit access to educational and employment opportunities, which further contributes to income inequality and perpetuates cyclical effects of poverty. Unmet social needs, environmental factors, and barriers to accessing health care contribute to worse health outcomes for people with lower incomes.” For example, if people are not well educated they won’t be able to get employed by the companies that may end up needing someone to work for them. If people live in poverty they won’t be taken seriously and they won’t be able to get employed by a company.
In conclusion, poverty is one of the things that destroys our world and its chances of being fully stable and safe. We all need to realize how big of a problem is and there needs to be more action taken upon it. A way to fix this problem is for there to be a program in each country where poverty is high, where families or individuals sign up and people are given food and help financially if it is needed monthly. Many more things need to be taken into account, but there is always a start and an idea that could be brought to life with the right people helping out.
Works Cited
Statista. “U.S. - Number of Poor Families 2019.” Statista, 3 Nov. 23AD, www.statista.com/statistics/204743/number-of-poor-families-in-the-us/.
United States Census Bureau. “National Poverty in America Awareness Month: January 2024.” Census.gov, United States Census Bureau, Jan. 2024, www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/poverty-awareness-month.html.
Chen, A., Oster, E., & Williams, H. (2016).
Why Is Infant Mortality Higher in the United States Than in Europe? American Economic Journal. Economic Policy, 8(2), 89. https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20140224
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Home of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion - Health.gov.” Health.gov, 2019, health.gov/.
I was inspired to write this essay on the national problem of poverty in our world. My writing process was difficult because I had to do a lot of research on this topic and almost all of the things that I read made me feel so lucky but so horrible at the same time. Reading about the harsh situations people have to live through is difficult. I structured my essay in a list format, I researched the reasons why this problem should be fixed. I ensured I had evidence for each piece of writing and listed ways each issue could be fixed.