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04-Jul-2026
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Arch Hellen Med, 43(5), September-October 2026, 597-606 REVIEW Intergenerational poverty and health: The need for a new perspective in social medicine A.F.Α. Mentis,1 Μ. Dalamaga2 |
"Intergenerational poverty" constitutes a multidimensional socio-economic phenomenon with profound and complex implications for public health. This article adopts an interdisciplinary approach while focusing on the Greek context, to explore the economic, social, political, and potentially neurobiological mechanisms perpetuating this phenomenon. The vicious cycle of impoverishment negatively impacts population health on mental, physical, and social levels and is closely linked to structural system weaknesses, educational inequalities, and early neurodevelopmental trauma. Considering this issue, intergenerational poverty should be understood primarily as a public health and policy issue rather than merely a socio-economic problem. Recognizing it as such necessitates a fundamental reorientation of health policies, emphasizing human-centered and preventive interventions aimed at breaking the "poverty trap" and strengthening social cohesion.
Key words: Economy neurodevelopment, Poverty, Public health, Social inequity, Social medicine.
