Spatial justice and health (in)equity: the case of vector-borne diseases

Abstract From a spatial justice perspective, this article argues that the spatial plane is ‘constructed’ and that socio-spatial configurations can create and intensify health inequities for vulnerable sections. Employing a mixed methods design, the study inquired about the impact of socio- spatial elements on Vector-Borne Diseases (VBDs) in Puducherry, India. The quantitative phase involved geospatial mapping and household surveys of 650 random individuals from Puducherry who had recovered from dengue, chikungunya or scrub typhus over one year, followed by qualitative in-depth interviews of 30 individuals selected purposively from the first phase participants. The findings show how people are ‘placed’ in spatial planes that are constantly being ‘constructed’ by social forces, leading to an inevitable ‘entanglement’ with vectors. While certain sections possess the resources to ‘modify’ or ‘nullify’ these disadvantages, the disadvantaged continue to live in this entanglement. The complex interaction of geographical and social components in the case of VBDs necessitates debates on health equity from a spatial justice perspective. In fact, it can be argued that spatial justice serves as the foundation for health equity, on which other interventions can be built in communities endemic to VBDs.