Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
07:12
Façade-Level Monitoring of CO2 Variability under Urban Heat Island Conditions using Low-Cost Sensor Data Loggers
Published on: December 12, 2025
Healthy Cities in a global and regional context
Roderick J Lawrence1, Colin Fudge
1Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, Human Ecology Group, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland and 2RMTI University, Melbourne, Australia. roderick.lawrence@unige.ch
Health Promotion International
|November 17, 2009
Summary
Global health promotion strategies have evolved, facing challenges from economic shifts and urban health issues. The WHO Healthy Cities project is crucial for addressing complex urban health and sustainable development interrelations.
Area of Science:
- Public Health and Urban Studies
- Environmental Health
- Health Policy and Governance
Background:
- The WHO European Healthy Cities Network, established in 1987, operates within evolving global and regional health promotion contexts.
- International frameworks like the UN Millennium Goals (2000) and sustainable development agendas (Rio 1992, Johannesburg 2002) have influenced health promotion.
- Socio-economic changes including governmental role redefinitions, budget reductions, privatization, economic instability, and migration have impacted health policies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the changing landscape of health promotion in urban environments.
- To highlight the persistent and emerging health challenges in urban areas.
- To underscore the need for new strategic policies and research linking urban ecosystems, sustainable development, and human well-being.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical trends and policy shifts in urban health promotion since 1987.
- Analysis of empirical studies from the 1990s detailing urban health issues.
- Examination of European Commission agendas concerning health, environment, and social policies in urban settings.
Main Results:
- Urban areas exhibit high rates of communicable and non-communicable diseases, including tuberculosis, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, obesity, and mental health issues.
- Significant prevalence of substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, violence, and accidental injuries in urban populations.
- Emergence of new health threats from environmental exposures such as persistent organic pollutants, toxic substances, radioactive waste, and food poisoning.
Conclusions:
- Existing urban health problems and new environmental threats necessitate urgent policy and research interventions.
- The interrelations between urban ecosystems, sustainable development, and human health require comprehensive strategic approaches.
- The WHO Healthy Cities project serves as a vital mechanism for advancing urban health and well-being globally and regionally.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Primary Healthcare Services
Primary care promotes wellness and prevents disease. This care includes health promotion, education, protection (such as immunizations), early disease screening, and environmental considerations. Settings providing this type of healthcare include physician offices, public health clinics, school nursing, and community health nursing.
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
01:21Dimensions of Health and Illness
The factors influencing the health-illness continuum can be internal or external and may or may not be under conscious control. They are related to the following eight human dimensions, and each dimension is interrelated to one other.
01:25Selected Data About Geographic Locations
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) rely on two core types of data: spatial data and attribute data.Spatial DataSpatial data defines the physical location of features within a coordinate system, typically expressed in terms of latitude and longitude. It provides precise positioning for elements like roads, rivers, or buildings.Attribute DataAttribute data complements spatial data by adding descriptive information about these features. For example, a road's spatial data includes its start and...
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
At the different levels of the healthcare system, we see varying methods of healthcare used. These methods include managed care systems, case management, and primary healthcare.
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is limited...
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is limited...
01:43Sustainable Development
As the human population continues to grow and use resources, we must be mindful of our planet’s natural limits. Sustainable development provides a pathway to maintain and improve human life now while also ensuring that future generations will have the resources that they need. The long-term success of sustainability efforts rests on understanding the interplay between human actions and ecological systems.
01:28Global Regulatory Systems
Global regulatory systems in bacteria enable rapid and coordinated responses to environmental changes by integrating sensory inputs with gene expression, ensuring efficient adaptation to fluctuating conditions. Key global regulatory mechanisms include regulons, two-component systems, sigma factors, and secondary messengers.Regulons and Global RegulatorsA regulon is a collection of genes and operons controlled by a common global regulator. These regulators enable bacteria to prioritize resource...