Vulnerability to Poverty

For families in poor countries, risk and shocks such as storms and floods, illness and accidents, unemployment and civil conflict are often part of everyday life. This book provides comprehensive empirical evidence of risk management strategies in developing countries and how they impact on the lives of the poor. Possible strategie include (i) reducing risk factors (ii) mitigating the impact of risks through formal insurance and insurance substitutes, and (iii) seeking support to better cope with negative shocks. The chapters of this book empirically assess several development policies that aim to improve risk management strategies, including social health insurance to mitigate risks; and urban infrastructure to improve health risks associated with water and sanitation. The clear focus on policy implications, derived from rigorous statistical analysis, makes this book a useful guide for policy makers, researchers and students of development economics and related fields.