Evidence for Healthy Cities: reflections on practice, method and theory

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Urban Planning
• Health Policy

Background:

• The European Healthy Cities project is a broad social movement focused on improving urban population health through diverse interventions.
• While quantitatively successful, the project faces criticism regarding the generation and utilization of evidence on its effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the nature of evidence within the Healthy Cities project.
• To analyze the interface between evidence, politics, and urban governance.
• To identify barriers to implementing evidence-based health notions in urban settings.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual framework combining knowledge utilization theory, health policy development, theory-based evaluations, and planned intervention approaches.
• Review of evidence and its relationship with political and governance factors.
• Analysis of qualitative critiques and perceptions of evidence.

Main Results:

• The Healthy Cities project demonstrates a vast array of initiatives and is quantitatively impressive.
• Despite overwhelming evidence supporting interventions, significant barriers hinder implementation.
• Critiques often stem from the politics of science, urban governance, and differing views on evidence utility.

Conclusions:

• The European Healthy Cities project, while a significant initiative, must address systemic barriers to effectively translate overwhelming evidence into practice.
• Further attention to the interplay of evidence, politics, and governance is crucial for the movement's sustained success and impact on urban health.