Using Salutogenesis to Understand People–Environment Interactions that Shape Health in a Context of Poverty

Abstract

For many people living in low-income countries, poverty implies an increased exposure to conditions that threaten health and well-being. Despite the challenging conditions caused by poverty, people may consider themselves healthy because they have learned to cope with their situation. This may be as a result of life experiences which expose people to both challenges and potential solutions. In this chapter, we have used the salutogenic approach as a useful way to increase our understanding of the way people deal with health challenges in conditions of poverty. Our study calls for health promotion strategies that develop context-specific analysis of the relationship between poverty and health and an integrated approach in which the stressors, resources, and mechanisms people employ to deal with these stressors have a more prominent place of consideration. This is important for health promotion as it opens new lenses through which targeted interventions can be made.