Urban health indicators help us understand the link between local environments and health. Decision-makers can use this data to inform policy and investment.
healthy
cities index
Healthy cities index
City governments are often interested in using data to inform strategies and programs. There are many metrics about wellbeing and health that can be useful. Indicators can be used to understand the current status, set targets and judge progress. My research on indicators showed how cities use them to:
- understand a place and its impact on health to inform the development, monitoring and adjustment of urban policies
- compare places or success of policy programmes (e.g. within a city, across cities or internationally)
- support funding bids and/or decisions
- involve the community in agreeing priorities.
With funding from the BRE Trust and Dubai Land Department, I conducted a two-part systematic review (identifying 8006 indicators) describing the characteristics of urban health indicators and how they are used by policy-makers. I also developed the BRE Healthy Cities Index.
I have translated the results of this research into guidance on how to use indicators, available on the Healthy Urbanism website. This resource provides a database of urban health indicators.
Use of indicators
Policy-making is complex and contested, and health is only one goal among many to be achieved through implementing urban planning policy. My doctoral research focused on exploring the complexity of the healthy planning process using a systems thinking approach, mapping out the value of urban health indicators in two case studies (read more).
Using systems thinking I mapped participants’ mental models of how indicators were used in planning policy and decision-making. For example, I found that inter-sectoral relationships led to increased urban planning policy that would be health-promoting. In 2019, I received First Prize for my presentation of this research at The Lancet UK Public Health Science Conference.
Design protocol for transport and health
Transport and mobility infrastructure in cities has many impacts on health and wellbeing, that can be positive or negative. Increasing public transport access to jobs and schools is good for health, while reliance on cars causes pollution and reduced pedestrian safety.
A research collaboration between Arup, BRE, University College London and AREA Research (Perkins+Will) aimed to help decision-makers deliver better mobility infrastructure in their cities through an improved understanding of the impact of mobility/infrastructure on wellbeing.
The resulting design protocol explained the links between physical and mental health to the availability of active and non-active transport modes for daily journeys.