ABSTRACT
The percentage of urban dwellers has been on a steady rise since 1950. Currently estimated at 55% using a population threshold of 300,000 people, the percentage of urban dwellers is projected to hit 68% by the year 2050 with cities in Africa recording higher proportions. Despite a lack of consensus on a universally accepted population threshold for, and variations in country-specific definition of urbanity, an incontrovertible issue, around which all urban stakeholders share a common position is the health effects of living in an urban settlement. Given the higher rate of urbanization in Africa and the poor urban health outcomes on the continent that are likely to worsen with increased urban population, this chapter reviews the urban health dimensions of demographic research in Africa with a view to identifying areas covered and gaps for future research to improve health outcomes on the continent, particularly those of urban residents. The review covered the urban health content, the demographic cohort studied, and the temporal shifts in the urban health focus of the studies.
