Health Risks in Our Environment: Urban Slum Youth’ Perspectives Using Photovoice in Kampala, Uganda

Due to increasing urbanization, many people find themselves living in slums that expose them to several health risks. We explored urban health risks that fall short of the planetary boundaries in an urban slum in Kampala, Uganda using photovoice. We selected, trained, and assigned ten youth (five females and five males) to take photos on urban health risks. The photographs were discussed, and transcripts were analyzed based on the doughnut economics model using content analysis in NVivo 12. Environments and actions of slum dwellers expose them to health risks, and cause them to live at the edge of planetary boundaries. Environmental sanitation challenges, including solid and liquid waste management, excreta management, and food hygiene and safety expose slum dwellers to risks at the edge of the lower boundary of the planet. Urban conditions expose slum dwellers to poor physical infrastructure, undesirable work conditions, pollution, and health and safety challenges. Crime, violence, and substance use were also viewed as vices that make slum environments dangerous habitats. On the other hand, practices like inhabiting wetlands and using biomass fuels in addition to traffic fumes expose slum dwellers to effects associated with living above the planetary boundaries. Urban youth reflected on health risks that have immediate effects on their health and day-to-day living. Urbanization, especially in low resource settings, needs to be cognizant of the ensuing risks to health and thus ensure sustainable growth.