Social indicators are factors that are used to evaluate the economic status and overall welfare of a community. From studying them, the human poverty index (HPI) can be determined. Correspondingly, a research on some of the common social indicators of poverty observable in a struggling neighborhood may help to clarify what factors are essential to improve its inhabitants’ living standards. Such indicators as availability of proper sanitation and access to clean water, the level of income, a low drug abuse rate, and presence of social amenities are significant for any communal entity to thrive https://writingleader.com

In a community with a high poverty index, lack of proper sanitation and inaccessibility of clean drinking water are often evident. A research study conducted by Richard Garriga and Agusti Foguetconfirm these observations. A good water supply and sewage disposal leads to the rise of living standards and, therefore, alleviates households from poverty. Additionally, better sanitation has a significant influence on socio-economic status of developing countries. Thus, it can be noted that the quality of water and sanitation has a direct relationship to communal social progress.

Abuse of substances, such as alcohol and drugs, among youths is found in a poor community. The relation between low social status and excessive use of drugs reveals negative consequences for health, family, and income of an individual. Furthermore, cities that have increased concentration of poverty also report high rates of illegal substances use. Consequently, when residents of a neighborhood are heavily engaged in drinking and addiction, it serves as the crucial social indicator and, therefore, communities that want to prosper should address this problem.

Low life expectancy is another factor that is prevalent in a poor community where a considerably large number of premature deaths are seen regularly. One of the causes of a short lifespan is an insufficient income level. Raj Chetty and his team of researchers present this conclusion in their study, which aimed to determine the relationship between people’s earnings and life expectancy. Similar to some other studies, the researchers’ findings show a clear correlation of poverty with a limited lifespan. As a result, early deaths of community residents are a critical indicator of their poverty and an issue that society should overcome to achieve socio-economic growth.

Finally, the absence of community centers has also been observed in neighborhoods that are impoverished. Public amenities should be easily and freely available to local residents. Offering such facilities can help a community to improve living conditions. For example, most of the centers should be equipped with libraries, which would create an opportunity to reduce illiteracy rate and help people to form strong social connections and to avoid idleness that may lead to drug abuse. When community members cannot exploit useful resources such as learning centers, it has direct impact on poverty and lowers academic achievements. Therefore, it can be concluded that provision of social amenities to any individual regardless of age and background is important for a community to become a healthy social environment.

In conclusion, there are many social indicators that can be used to determine the social status of a community. According to various researches, there is a general agreement on some of the major factors that allow one to identify whether a neighborhood is prosperous. They include the good quality of water supply and sanitation, zero tolerance to drug and alcohol abuse, high life expectancy, and accessible social amenities such as community centers. Therefore, any community that needs to improve its living standards and eventually reduce poverty should solve these social problems