Urban public health

Abstract

Urban health, defined as "the study of the health of urban populations," is becoming a great argument in the international research agenda since urbanization, the demographic transition from rural to urban, has become one of the major public health challenges of this century, considering that more than two thirds of the global population will be living in cities by 2050. Urbanization has significant effects on population health: of course, it can and should be beneficial for health as urban areas can provide healthy living and working environment and concentrate opportunities, jobs, services, and technologies; it is testified by the improvements over the past 50 years in mortality and morbidity in highly urbanized countries, other than by the direct correlation between urbanization and richness. However, there are several economic, social, and environmental determinants which could have a great negative impact on health in urban areas; for example, inequities and poverty (between and within cities) with increasing number of people living in slums; infectious diseases, exacerbated by poor living and working conditions, chronic, noncommunicable diseases linked to lifestyles in cities, road traffic, and accidents; violence and crime; air pollution; and climate change. To avoid these threats and turn every urban area into a "healthy city," it is important to promote the urban health knowledge and spread the existing best practices: healthy cities integrate health considerations into urban planning, processes, strategic programs, and policies but anticipate also implications of the climate changes and public health emergencies to support health, recreation and well-being, safety, social interaction, easy mobility, and the sense of pride and cultural identity.