How Does Urbanization Affect Access to Healthcare in Growing Cities?

The Reading section of the IELTS test assesses your ability to understand and process written texts in English. This part of the exam usually includes one long text and two shorter ones. Topics in the past have frequently covered issues related to urbanization — a subject that is both timely and recurrent, suggesting a high likelihood of appearing in future exams. One notable topic within this scope is “How does urbanization affect access to healthcare in growing cities?” This has been a significant issue globally due to the rapid urban growth and its myriad impacts on various aspects of urban life, including healthcare access.

Main Content

Reading Passage: Urbanization and Healthcare Access

Here is a sample reading passage designed to reflect the difficulty level commonly seen in IELTS exams. This passage aims to help you practice comprehension and question-answering skills.

Reading Passage

Urbanization and Its Impact on Healthcare Access

Urbanization has become a defining characteristic of the 21st century. As cities grow, they attract an influx of people seeking better opportunities. However, urbanization presents unique challenges, particularly regarding access to healthcare. While the promise of improved healthcare services draws many to urban areas, the reality often falls short due to various systemic issues.

Overcrowded Hospital Waiting Room

Foremost among these issues is the sheer scale of rapid urbanization. Cities often struggle to expand their healthcare infrastructure in tandem with their growing populations. In many developing nations, hospitals and clinics are overwhelmed, resulting in long waiting times and increased patient-to-doctor ratios. These conditions degrade the quality of medical care available to urban residents.

Another significant factor is the economic disparity prevalent in urban settings. While wealthier individuals can afford private healthcare services, the economically disadvantaged are left relying on underfunded public healthcare systems. The skewed distribution of resources exacerbates health inequities, with poorer communities facing higher incidences of untreated conditions and inadequate medical attention.

Furthermore, urban environments themselves pose specific health risks. High population density contributes to the rapid spread of diseases. Pollution, another byproduct of urbanization, exacerbates respiratory issues and other health conditions. These factors collectively add stress to already overburdened healthcare facilities.

There are also social barriers to consider. Migrants, who often make up a substantial portion of the urban population, may lack proper documentation, making them ineligible for state-sponsored healthcare. Cultural and language barriers further hinder their access to medical services, highlighting the need for more inclusive and accessible healthcare policies.

In addressing these challenges, cities must adopt comprehensive strategies that include expanding healthcare infrastructure, ensuring equitable resource distribution, and implementing public health policies tailored to urban dynamics. By prioritizing healthcare access, cities can better meet the needs of their growing populations.

Questions: Practice Exercise

This reading passage is targeted to provide a medium level of difficulty. Here are some practice questions:

Multiple Choice

1. What is the primary cause of deteriorating healthcare quality in expanding cities?

   • A) Lack of adequate medical equipment.
   • B) Rapid urbanization outpacing infrastructure development.
   • C) High cost of healthcare services.
   • D) Insufficient number of trained healthcare professionals.

2. Which group is most adversely affected by healthcare disparities in urban settings?

   • A) Middle-class families
   • B) Wealthy individuals
   • C) Economically disadvantaged communities
   • D) Tourists

Identifying Information (True/False/Not Given)

3. Wealthier individuals mainly use public healthcare services.

   • A) True
   • B) False
   • C) Not Given

4. Pollution in urban areas has no significant impact on healthcare facilities.

   • A) True
   • B) False
   • C) Not Given

Matching Sentence Endings

5. Cities must implement public health policies …
   • A) to reduce healthcare costs.
   • B) tailored to urban dynamics.
   • C) only for documented migrants.
   • D) to limit population growth.

Matching Information

6. Match the reasons for healthcare access challenges with the explanations:
   • I. Economic disparity
     • a) Overwhelms public healthcare systems.
   • II. Rapid urbanization
     • b) Skews resource distribution.
   • III. High population density
     • c) Exacerbates health risks.

Answer Key

1. B (Rapid urbanization outpacing infrastructure development)
2. C (Economically disadvantaged communities)
3. B (False)
4. B (False)
5. B (tailored to urban dynamics)
6. I-b, II-a, III-c

Common Mistakes

1. Misreading the question and incorrectly identifying information as True, False, or Not Given.
2. Not understanding the subtle differences between answer choices in multiple-choice questions.
3. Overlooking keywords in the passage that align with sentence-ending matches.

Vocabulary

Here are some challenging words from the passage, along with their pronunciation and definitions:

1. Influx /ˈɪn.flʌks/ (noun): The arrival of a large number of people or things.
2. Disparity /dɪˈspær.ɪ.ti/ (noun): A great difference.
3. Exacerbate /ɪɡˈzæs.ə.beɪt/ (verb): To make something worse, especially a problem or situation.
4. Equitable /ˈɛkwɪtəbl/ (adjective): Fair and impartial.

Grammar Focus

A complex grammatical structure used in the passage is the Relative Clause. For example:

• “Migrants, who often make up a substantial portion of the urban population, may lack proper documentation.”

  • Relative Pronoun: who
  • Clause: who often make up a substantial portion of the urban population

  This clause provides additional information about the migrants without starting a new sentence.

Tips for IELTS Reading Success

1. Practice Regularly: Regular reading practice helps improve speed and comprehension.
2. Identify Keywords: Focus on keywords in the questions and locate them in the text.
3. Skim and Scan: Learn to skim the passage for general understanding and scan for specific information.
4. Time Management: Allocate specific time for each section and stick to it.
5. Expand Vocabulary: A broader vocabulary helps in better understanding the passages.

By following these strategies and practicing regularly, you can significantly improve your performance in the IELTS Reading section.