Urban equity and urban health: Using existing data to understand inequalities in health and environment in Accra, Ghana and Sao Paulo, Brazil

This paper describes the methods used to study inequalities in health status and environmental conditions between different groups in the cities of Sao Paulo and Accra. The studies used existing data, drawn from different sources, and involved staff from different government agencies (from city authorities and higher levels), academics and NGOs in determining how best to use it. The paper also provides a summary of the main findings, including a discussion not only of inequalities in health between the best quality and worst quality zones in each city but also on how health risks differ by age group. The paper begins by considering why information on such inequalities is so important for policy makers and why so little data on this are available in most cities in the South.