NEW YORK -- Poverty cannot be defined solely in terms of lack of income. A person, a family, even a nation is not deemed poor only because of low economic resources. Little or no access to health services, lack of access to safe water, illiteracy or low educational level and a distorted perception of rights and needs are also essential components of poverty. Poverty is one of the most influential factors for ill health, and ill health -- in a vicious cycle -- can lead to poverty. Every effort to improve one of them will positively affect the other.

Thus, there is a two-way link between poverty and health. Illness impairs learning ability and quality of life, has great impact on productivity and drains family savings. Poor people are more exposed to environmental risks (poor sanitation, unhealthy food, violence and natural disasters) and less prepared to cope with them. Because they are also less informed about the benefits of healthy lifestyles and have less access to quality health care, they are therefore more at risk of illness and disability.

Close to 1.5 billion people in the world live in extreme poverty, and 80 percent of them live in the developing world. Poor people have little or no access to qualified health services and education, and do not participate in the decisions critical to their day-to-day lives. Those who live in extreme poverty are five times more likely to die before age 5, and 2 1/2 times more likely to die between 15 and 59 than those in higher income groups.