Urban Health

by Sandro Galea (Editor), Catherine K. Ettman (Editor), David Vlahov (Editor)

Overview

An essential collection that advances our understanding of how cities influence our health More than half the world's population lives in cities -- a figure that will grow to two-thirds by 2030. As global populations rapidly consolidate around urban centers, the scientific understanding of what this means for human health faces a new and greater urgency. Urban Health connects urban exposures -- the experiences, choices, and behaviors shaped by living in a city -- to their impact on population health. By using the ubiquitous aspects of the urban experience as a lens to study these exposures across borders and demographics, it offers a new, scalable framework for understanding health and disease. Its applications to public health, epidemiology, and social science are virtually unlimited. Enriched with case studies that consider the state of health in cities all over the world, this book does more than capture the state of a nascent field; it holds a critical mirror to itself, considering the next decade and arming a new generation with the tools for research and practice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190915872
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	04/04/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	312
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

Sandro Galea is Robert A. Knox Professor and Dean of the School of Public Health at Boston University. He is a past president of the Society for Epidemiologic Research and of the Interdisciplinary Society for Population Health Science, chair-elect of the board of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, and is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. Catherine K. Ettman is Chief of Staff at the Boston University School of Public Health and a doctoral student at the Brown University School of Public Health. She is interested in the non-health policies that shape health in urban areas. David Vlahov is Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the School of Nursing at Yale University. He is former Dean of the University of California School of Nursing, founding president of the International Society for Urban Health, editor of the Journal of Urban Health, and is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine.

Table of Contents

Contributors Foreword SECTION 1: Why cities, why health 1. The present and future of cities Sandro Galea, Catherine K. Ettman, David Vlahov 2. Why cities and health? Cities as a determinant of health Catherine K. Ettman, David Vlahov, Sandro Galea SECTION 2: Health challenges and opportunities in cities 3. Economic conditions Atheendar S. Venkataramani, Alexander C. Tsai 4. Reducing poverty, improving health Sanjay Basu 5. Housing Roshanak Mehdipanah, Alexa K. Eisenberg, Amy J. Schulz 6. Transportation Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Haneen Khreis 7. Aging populations Kathleen A. Cagney 8. Children and adolescents in cities Shakira F. Suglia 9. Inequities in cities and in urban health Ben Brisbois, Patricia O'Campo, Janisha Kamalanathan 10. Migration Sabrina Hermosilla, Tahilia J. Rebello 11. Education Jennifer Karas Montez, Amy Ellen Schwartz 12. Healthy places to play, learn, and develop Renée Boynton-Jarrett 13. Pollution Jonathan M. Samet 14. Climate change and the health of urban populations Patrick L. Kinney 15. Crime and criminal justice in cities Matt Vogel, Steven F. Messner 16. Improving access to healthy food in cities Monica L. Wang, Marisa Otis 17. Disasters James M. Shultz SECTION 3: Methods and approaches to understanding health in cities 18. History Richard Rodger 19. A systems science approach to urban health Danielle C. Ompad, Yesim Tozan 20. Sociology Lei Jin, Eric Fong, Chenyu Ye 21.Urban planning: leveraging the urban planning system to shape healthy cities Helen Pineo, Nici Zimmermann, Mike Davies 22. Health services research: studying health care services in the city Michael K. Gusmano 23. Environmental Health Impact Assessment Carlos Dora 24. Multi-level perspectives on urban health Dustin T. Duncan, Yazan A. Al-Ajlouni, Ilgaz Hisirci, Basile Chaix 25. Cells-to-society approaches Guia Guffanti 26. Social networks Abby E. Rudolph 27. Urban design Oliver Gruebner, Layla McCay 28. Urban land use and health Rohan Simkin, Karen C. Seto 29. Community-based participatory research: an approach to research in the urban context Barbara A. Israel, Amy J. Schulz, Chris M. Coombe, Edith A. Parker, Angela G. Reyes, Zachary Rowe, Richard L. Lichtenstein SECTION 4: Case studies in urban health 30. The Healthy Cities movement Agis D. Tsouros 31. The Partnership for Healthy Cities: activating urban governments as engines of public health practice Ariella Rojhani, Charity Hung, Sally Chew, Christina Honeysett, Sandra Mullin, Adam Karpati 32. CityHealth: policies for today's urban health challenges Brian C. Castrucci, Elizabeth A. Corcoran, Shelley L. Hearne, Katie Keith, Elizabeth Voyles, Catherine Patterson 33. New York City: the Fit City example Karen Lee 34. Boston, a case study Russ Lopez 35. Richmond, CA: health equity in all urban policies Jason Corburn, Joseph S. Griffin 36. Case studies in urban health: Nairobi, Kenya Alex Ezeh, Blessing Mberu 37. Observatory for urban health in Belo Horizonte City: an innovative and cross-sectoral collaboration in urban health Waleska Teixeira Caiaffa, Amélia Augusta de Lima Friche 38. Rapid urbanization in China Brian J. Hall, Teng Ieng Leong, Wen Chen 39. Regional planning for health David Siscovick, Mandu Sen, Chris Jones 40. Going biophilic, living and working in biophilic buildings Jie Yin, John D. Spengler SECTION 5: The future of cities, the future of health 41. City health departments: leading urban public health practice Daniel Kass, Thomas Matte, Adam Karpati 42. City leadership for health, equity, and sustainable development Agis D. Tsouros 43. Teaching urban health Nicholas Freudenberg 44. Urban health: looking to the future David Vlahov, Catherine K. Ettman, Sandro Galea Index

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Janice Phillips, PhD (Rush University Medical Center)
Description: This is a unique and timely book outlining cities as a determinant of health. The discussion nicely complements current efforts to integrate the social determinants of health into the discourse surrounding the health of many nations. Cities across the globe are applying a variety of approaches to improving the health of their populations in the midst of numerous challenges and even possibilities. This book provides invaluable information regarding what's being done to improve health in cities across the globe and offers unique insights into creating healthier and more equitable cities regardless of size or demographic composition.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide a very detailed discussion and analysis on the role of cities (urban areas) in shaping the health of populations residing in them. Across five sections and 44 chapters, the authors cover a wide variety of topics focused on social, political, behavioral, environmental, and economic factors that influence health and disease in cities across the globe regardless of size or geographic location. The authors very ably accomplish their objectives and provide a unique perspective on a less frequently described determinant of health, namely cities.
Audience: In addition to health professionals, the book is suitable for a diverse group of individuals interested in improving the health and wellbeing of populations. Urban planners, law enforcement professionals, sociologists, elected officials, and demographers are just of few of those who may benefit from reading this book. Implications for populations across the life cycle are also a strong feature of the book, making this an interesting read for a wide and diverse audience. The audience for this book goes way beyond those in the health professions.
Features: The book's five sections outline the role of cities as a determinant of health and underscores challenges and opportunities that cities face in improving population health. The authors do an excellent job of integrating transdisciplinary perspectives to achieving population health, underscoring the tremendous role that multiple sectors must play if we are to advance the health and well-being of urban residents. The discussion complements the current movement to integrate a health-in-all policies approach to policymaking. The authors also provide a number of case studies and exemplars on what cities are doing to improve the health of constituents and communities at large in their respective arenas. Authored by influential leaders in public health and nursing, contributors include national and international experts who provide a rich discussion of urban health from a global perspective. Tables and diagrams are nicely depicted and appropriately placed, bringing more depth to the discussions.
Assessment: This unique book provides a comprehensive discussion of urban health that has not been previously addressed. The wide array of topics is an attractive feature capable of reaching a broad and diverse audience. This is a must read for individuals interested in gaining a deeper understanding of how cities themselves constitute an influential determinant of health capable of impacting the health and well-being of urban dwellers.

Doody's Review Service