Healthy Communities

Steve Johnson, Ph.D

Urban Studies and Planning

Winter, 2009

Healthy Communities January 7

Housekeeping Overview Reading Material Neighborhood Health Assessment

Projects

Built (Urban) EnvironmentLand UsePatterns

Urban Design Transportation

Activities Patterns

Public Health

Food Nature

Health of Cities 19th Century: Miasma, mixed uses But also exercise was a part of life The Automobile changed everything Focus of Frank book is how can cities

be designed to incorporate exercise that is recreational and has purpose

Place Matters We are urbanizing. In 25 years 2/3 of us will

live in cities (worldwide) Many of us live in placeless world Place is physical, cultural, social and mental All places have some risk and hazards

Physical, social, and psychological Place does matter, more for some than others

Ecologies of Disadvantage Being in the wrong place may be a

function of social structure While placeless, some of us live in

Medieval-like gated or walled communities

Birmingham case

Disturbing Trends Mortality rate for urban children increased by 50%

between 1980 and 1988. Residents in 100 largest cities, twice as often victims

of crime and murder rates also twice as high Infant mortality rate 25% higher in 100 largest cities Of 880 most disadvantaged neighborhoods, 99% in

cities 40% of urban children below poverty level 30% to 50% of city children inadequately immunized

New forms of Segregation and Isolation

Inner city neighborhoods that are more isolated and less capable of “taking care of themselves.”

Bridging and bonding social capital

Segregation and Health Risks Segregation ensures that

neighborhoods with limited resources for protection against risk will be particularly vulnerable since their isolation restricts their access to the range of resources available in the larger community.

SOCIAL CAPITAL

James Coleman Goal: to re-establish sociology's worth

in an age dominated by economics To place value on social relations,

social networks and community building

Examples New York Diamond business Safe parks and Jane Jacob’s public

characters

Coleman’s definition According to Coleman, social capital is not human

capital, anymore than it is economic capital. "It is present," he said, "and yet not tangible, in all social interactions." Social capital, according to Coleman, "comes about through changes in the relations among persons that facilitate action. If physical capital is wholly tangible, being embodied in observable material form, and human capital is less tangible, being embodied in the skills and knowledge acquired by an individual, social capital is less tangible yet, for it exists in the relations among persons."

Bourdieu’s Class definition

Bourdieu defined social capital as "the sum of the resources, actual or virtual, that accrue to an individual or group by virtue of possessing a durable network of more or less institutionalized relations of mutual acquaintance and recognition."

Bridging and Bonding Social Capital Difference between bridging (or

inclusive) and bonding (or exclusive) social capital

Bonding capital constitutes a kind of sociological super-glue, whereas bridging social capital provides a sociological WD-40

Remember: In hard times the most valuable asset

you have is your social network\--bridging and bonding

January 12, 2009

Built (Urban) EnvironmentLand UsePatterns

Urban Design Transportation

Activities Patterns

Public Health

Food Nature

Review of Concepts Urban form changes community health

concerns (19th century vs. now) Ecologies of disadvantage (Walls—Children

of men video)

Urban form and policies impact on social capital

Neighborhood Projects Group lists Go over handouts Methodologies

Methods Observations Interviews Secondary Data

Census and other data Periodicals/newspapers Reports

Using Demographic Data Use only data that is central to your profile

and health assessment In most cases use percents not total numbers Use comparisons, to city, metro region, other

cities, national If data is “old” how important is that? Combine categories for emphasis Use appropriate charts and graphs

Healthy Communities January 14

Readings: Reformation movements Knowing Home Zoning and land use 101 Food systems (video)

Stages of Urban Reformation Health Reformers, 19th century Housing Reform, progressive era Garden Cities/City Beautiful Health, Safety, Welfare--Zoning Innovation Post World War II—GI loans, redlining, Highways,

suburbs Cities Burning (1960s) Housing and Community Development Movement Urban Villages/New urbanism (1990s--)

Knowing the Place we Live bioregionalism refers both to geographical terrain and

a terrain of consciousness--to a place and ideas that have developed about how to live in that place.

living in place means following necessities and pleasures of life as they are uniquely presented by a particular site, and evolving ways to ensure long-term occupancy of that site.

Outback, Salmon and Columbia stories

Food Systems Introduction Diggable Cities

January 21, 2009

Planners aren’t always Loved

Zoning 101 Underlying premise and government

legal right: safety and policing First zoning was to protect rich people

Frank Focus of Frank book is how can cities

be designed to incorporate exercise that is recreational and has purpose

Urban Form--19th Century Crowded Dirty Polluted Smelly Noisy Dangerous

Urban Form Today Decentralized Dispersed Separated land uses Auto-centric transportation networks

Focus of the Reformations Health Reformers, 19th century Housing Reform, progressive era Garden Cities/City Beautiful Health, Safety, Welfare--Zoning Innovation Post World War II Cities Burning (1960s) Housing and Community Development Movement Urban Villages/New urbanism (1990s--)

Frank: Chapter three Some of the most prevalent forms of disease today can be

prevented or at least lessened through moderate physical activity

Surgeon general 1996--moderate activities like walking and biking can have significant health outcomes

But only 1 in 3 adults (USA) engages in regular, sustained exercise to meet the public health recommendations

Structured physical regimes may have better effect on health, but are also more difficult for people to maintain

Small interventions can help--stairs instead of elevators, safe biking to school, etc.

People more likely to continue long term with moderate interventions, esp. ones that also have practical outcomes

Frank, chapter Four: Physical Activity

Older parts of cities often better but safety may be factor

Utilitarian exercise may be best Auto domination: 84% of all trips; in Italy its only 25% Non-motorists tend to be younger, less educated and

poorer and more likely to be employed or live in urbanized areas

Surveys show there is a gap between how people travel in USA (car) and what they would like to do

Chapter Five: Children nearly 40% of all high school seniors do met health

guidelines for physical activity, down from 9th graders (72%)

children today don't walk to school, 10% down from almost half 30 years ago

While playgrounds are important, children do like to play in the neighborhood, and on streets

in typical suburban areas the street may be better to play in (cul-de-sacs) but the linkages to other play areas and schools and other destinations not

Barriers to School

Chapter Five: Elderly walking important exercise for elderly

and can be important social one as well Elder use cars because of safety

concerns and in suburban areas not practical for utilitarian trips

in some other countries the elder do make more use of walking (next slide)

Modal Split USA and Others

Chapter Five: Poor Have less leisure time Less discretionary income Fewer parks and recreation Rely more on walking/bus but can’t

reach all services Safety concerns in some areas

Fitzpatrick

Place Matters We are urbanizing. In 25 years 2/3 of us will

live in cities (worldwide) Many of us live in placeless world Place is physical, cultural, social and mental All places have some risk and hazards

Physical, social, and psychological Place does matter, more for some than others

Ecologies of Disadvantage Being in the wrong place may be a

function of social structure While placeless, some of us live in

Medieval-like gated or walled communities

Birmingham case

Disturbing Trends Mortality rate for urban children increased by 50%

between 1980 and 1988. Residents in 100 largest cities, twice as often victims

of crime and murder rates also twice as high Infant mortality rate 25% higher in 100 largest cities Of 880 most disadvantaged neighborhoods, 99% in

cities 40% of urban children below poverty level 30% to 50% of city children inadequately immunized

Understanding spatial needs of humans and Health

People need private space Crowding is not just a physical phenomenon, different

than density insecure residential environments impede the

fulfillment of essential human needs such as affiliation, esteem, actualization, and cognitive development (Maslow)

People with substantial social networks have better physical health

Segregation and Health Risks Segregation ensures that

neighborhoods with limited resources for protection against risk will be particularly vulnerable since their isolation restricts their access to the range of resources available in the larger community.

Bridging and bonding social capital

Ecology of Everyday Life Farm houses promoted shared space, lack of

privacy Modern homes: the opposite Adults in USA spend less than 1 hour day

outside Segregated communities are created that

have limited capacity to bridge to other communities and political power, while being able to take care of each other

Sorting: advantage and disadvantages

Suburban areas are spread out so social interactions and ties are spread out. People have limited liability sense about their community. In low income neighborhoods when this happens they are more disadvantaged because their choice has been limited and may have fewer instrumental social ties

Chapter Four: Sociology of Health

Key is to understand there are personal and small group interactions that influence types of interventions to improve health

Wednesday, January 28 Housekeeping Class activity Diggable Cities video

Journals Summaries—objective, no opinions, fair

and succinct summary of content, demonstrates student read and comprehended

Reflections—demonstrates student is involvement in the reading material/class, relates reading to other reading, the “real” world, ability to synthesize

Introduction to Class Activity

Barriers to School

Analysis type of activities Type of activities chart

Interventions Interventions chart

Class activity How feasible is insertion of moderate exercise in

daily routine? What are the impediments? (list all. Star five most

important) Personal Social Physical Form Public Policy

Come up with single best thing we could do to improve the situation

February 2, 2009

Changes in Public Health Issues

Causes of death

What to look for in Wed. Readings

Fitzpatrick: anthropologist perspective on urban form

Community lost, save or liberated Special population needs

Automobile Society Autos account (in USA) for 86% of all person

trips; walking only 5% Nonmotorists tend to be younger, less

educated, poorer and live in urbanized areas But not so much in other countries Reasons: gas price, urban form, safety,

public incentives Chart illustrating differences

New Urbanism Video?

Special Audiences: children, elderly, poor

Fitzpatrick: Space and Place (chapter 2)

Space is the physical area we live in While place is physical, cultural and

mental and the “perception of one’s place in the world.”

Spatial needs of humans Food Water Shelter Privacy/personal space Access to social interaction Safe and defensible space

Discussion of Spatial needs Crowding is not just a matter of number

of people (Pearl District is dense but is it crowded?)

High density inside homes is not the same as in a neighborhood

Household Crowding Children may play outside more Hierarchy sometimes becomes the rule

in crowded households

Stages of Urban Reformation Health Reformers, 19th century Housing Reform, progressive era Garden Cities/City Beautiful Health, Safety, Welfare--Zoning Innovation Post World War II—GI loans, redlining, Highways,

suburbs Cities Burning (1960s) Housing and Community Development Movement Urban Villages/New urbanism (1990s--)

Importance of Social Networks People with good social networks have better

health Urban design effects social interactions (front

porches for example) Other elements (e.g., creating indefensible

space) of neighborhood can impact other social and individual developments

Insecure environments impede some basic human development traits like: affiliation, esteem, cognitive development

In a nutshell If people can not develop sense of

place, home, and territory, it effects their psychological and social development, and livability of communities

Fitzpatrick: #3, Ecology of everyday urban life

What is the impact of urban life today on health?

What is urban life today? More separation between private and

public life More separation also in private homes Growth of individualism at expense of

intergroup tolerance and public civility Americans spend less than 1 hour

outdoor everyday

Social networks: lost? Save? Liberated?

Communities lost, saved or liberated Lost--(Tonnies) Saved--Enclaves Liberated--Placeless networks and

social support networks Study of non-placed oriented

communities (internet) Social support networks

EXTRA SLIDES

Social Organization Needed (Wilson)

Prevalence, strength and interlocking nature of social networks

Degree to which neighbors take personal responsibility for neigh. Problems

Extent of surveillance done by neighbors Participation in voluntary organizations tied to

neighborhood and broader community

Nature in the City

Farm and Forest Protection

Gap Analysis The scale of gap analysis is

intended for large regions or states.

Gap does not meet the criteria for Goal 5.

Inventoried resources are not mapped adequately in Gap (riparian areas, fish habitat, wetlands).

DIFFERENT SCALES =DIFFERENT SCALES =DIFFERENT ANSWERSDIFFERENT ANSWERS

• Same 57 speciesSame 57 species• Same Coarse FilterSame Coarse Filter• Different MMUDifferent MMU

Gap AnalysisGap Analysis

Metro GapMetro Gap

LowRichness

HiRichness

Pond Turtle

BirdsBirds

MammalsMammals

Reptiles & Amphibians

Cedar Mills Creek Watershed, 1984

Cedar Mills Creek Watershed, 1990

Cedar Mills Creek Watershed, 1994

Cedar Mills Creek Watershed, 2002

Disappearing streamsDisappearing streams

Degraded water quality

Courtesy 40-Mile Loop

Regional Parks and Greenspaces

Proposed target areas

Garden Cities Howard’s diagrams These model cities set the groundwork

for today’s suburban ideals the notion that a healthy community is

decentralized, decongested and disconnected

And innovations like cul-de-sacs

Zoning Today’s dominate urban form results

from implementation of zoning based on theories:

health--low density is healthier Economic segregation--including

separation of apartments from houses, as a way of saving the early suburban developments.