What is poverty? And how does it affect mental health?

Does this mean that you do not have enough food or clothes?

Poverty has different meanings in different cultures.

In Slovenia, someone who cannot buy a computer and new clothes is considered poor. In less developed countries, however, a poor person is someone who does not have food and water.

Childhood poverty is rarely treated the same, explains Urban Boljka from the Institute of Social Welfare of the Republic of Slovenia.

When we evaluate how well children live, we do not only take into account the material possessions of their family. We also consider: the family context, characteristics of the place they live, the accessibility and quality of education, peer group inclusion, health, risky behavior, and free time.

Poverty is also affected by more unpredictable events.

One of them is natural disasters – which can happen anywhere and anytime.

Natural disasters, such as the recent floods in Slovenia, do not choose whether they affect rich or poor. But this does not mean that all children and families are equally able to deal with the disaster’s consequences.

For those who were already living on the brink of poverty before the floods, their situation was exacerbated by new problems and more stress.

All this puts many individuals in mental distress.

Even before the floods, the mental state of Slovenian teenagers was not at a desirable level.

One in six young people aged 11 to 17 have experienced feelings of loneliness in the last year, according to a survey conducted by the Slovenian National Institute of Public Health.

Before judging a friend, always consider where they’re coming from. The root cause determines a person’s actions and thinking.

Glossary

To eradicate means to completely get rid of something; eradication.

To exacerbate means to make a bad situation worse.

The root cause is a phrase for the basic reason for something.

Points to Consider

1. Which other events can have an impact on children’s mental health?
2. How do you assess the socio-economic status of your family?
3. Do you have a personal computer at home?

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The original version of this article was published on 17^th October.