Healthy Cities / Healthy Communities
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Healthy Cities / Healthy Communities
• A theoretical framework for a process by which
citizens can create healthy communities.
• Communities where all systems work well and
together and where all citizens enjoy a good quality
of life.
• Loosely-defined strategy that involves all community
members addressing issues that are important to
them.
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Two Premises of Healthy Cities/
Healthy Communities
• A comprehensive view of health.
• A commitment to healthy promotion.
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Prerequisites for Health in Communities
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Peace
Shelter
Education
Food
Income
Stable ecosystem
Social justice
Equity
Sustainable resources
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
How to Promote Community Health
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Build public policy.
Create supportive environments.
Strengthen community action.
Develop personal skills.
Re-orient services.
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Community Environments
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Natural
Economic
Leisure
Political
Work
Built
Social
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Why use Healthy Cities/Healthy
Communities?
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Community perspective.
Participatory planning and community ownership.
Range of ideas.
Knowledge of the community.
Community-wide ties.
Achievable and measurable goals
Identification and use of community assets and resources.
Community self-image.
Community commitment to the long-term process.
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Who should participate?
• Elected and appointed officials.
• Those most affected by the issue.
• People who will carry out the initiative or those
whose lives will be affected by it.
• Agencies and groups involved in implementing the
effort.
• Community opinion leaders.
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Components of Healthy Cities/
Healthy Communities
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Create a compelling vision based on shared values.
Embrace a broad definition of health and well-being.
Address quality-of-life for everyone.
Engage diverse citizen participation and be citizen-driven.
Seek multi-sectoral membership in widespread community
ownership.
Acknowledge the social determinants of health and the
interrelationship of health and other issues.
Address issues through collaborative problem-solving.
Focus on system change.
Build capacity using local assets and resources.
Measure and benchmark progress and outcomes.
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Three Social Determinants of Health
• Socio-economic equality.
• Social connectedness.
• Sense of personal efficacy.
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Potential Local Assets and Resources
• Impassioned individuals with talent, skills, and leadership.
• Those with material resources: money, space, etc.
• Institutions (libraries, schools, houses of worship…) that can
be resources.
• Organizations whose mission is to work for a better
community.
• Official government support along with legal and regulatory
powers.
• human resources—skills and work ethic.
• Natural and other environmental resources.
• The potential for these parts to coordinate.
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Steps to Implement a Healthy Community
Strategy
• Assemble a diverse and inclusive group.
• Generate a vision.
• Assess the assets and resources in the community
that can help you realize your vision, and the issues
that act as barriers to it.
• Choose a first issue to focus on.
• Develop a community-wide strategy, incorporating
as many organizations, levels, and sectors as
possible.
• Implement the plan.
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas
Steps to Implement a Healthy
Community Strategy (cont.)
• Monitor and adjust your initiative or intervention.
• Establish new systems that will maintain and build
on the gains you’ve made.
• Celebrate benchmarks and successes.
• Tackle the next issues.
Copyright © 2014 by The University of Kansas