Spatial planning for health: An evidence resource for planning and designing healthy places

Pinto, Andre; Bird, Emma; Ige, Janet; Burgess-Allen, Jilla; Pilkington, Paul

Abstract

Introduction: There is considerable debate about the strength and quality of the evidence base which underpins principles of good design of the lived environment and the causal pathways to good mental and physical health. In England, there has been no single source of summary evidence to guide good practice. The University of the West of England (UWE) was commissioned by Public Health England (PHE) to provide a UK focused evidence review which PHE adapted into a more ‘user-friendly' version to help public health professionals working with planners in local government to support planning decisions which can promote health

Methods: UWE conducted an umbrella literature review to assess existing review level evidence. Unlike traditional systematic reviews, umbrella reviews involve a ‘rapid review' approach to evidence synthesis to produce an evidence overview in relatively short time. Key objectives were to: 1) assess the impact of the built and natural environment on health in five key domains. · appraise the quality and strength of the available evidence, using an agreed grading system; 2) use the findings of the review to develop a series of diagrams illustrating the linkages between planning principles, impact and health related outcomes, 3) use UK focused evidence and case studies, wherever possible.

Results: Umbrella literature reviews bring together a wide range of evidence to explore what is known about a topic to guide decisions of policy makers. The results of the project are a series of practical diagrams that illustrate the linkages, and strength of evidence, between spatial planning and health based on the findings from the umbrella literature review of the impacts of the built environment on health for each 5 domains of: built environment topics: neighbourhood design, housing, healthy food, natural and sustainable environment, and transport. The full research study upon which the diagrams were based are also publicly available.

Discussion: Although there is much guidance supporting action on the built and natural environment to improve health outcomes, the evidence base is still a matter of debate amongst the scientific and the practitioner communities. Using umbrella review methodology to examine the strength of the evidence of these health impacts, we developed a series of diagrams that illustrate the linkages and strength of evidence in five domains.. These are intended to support public health and planning professionals when considering the health impacts of proposed local planning developments. We will present the findings of the review and summary diagrams for the five domains.

Citation

Pinto, A., Bird, E., Ige, J., Burgess-Allen, J., & Pilkington, P. (2017, September). Spatial planning for health: An evidence resource for planning and designing healthy places. Paper presented at 14th International Conference on Urban Health. Health Equity: The New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, Coimbra, Portugal

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: 14th International Conference on Urban Health. Health Equity: The New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals
• Conference Location: Coimbra, Portugal
• Start Date: Sep 26, 2017
• End Date: Sep 29, 2017
• Acceptance Date: Mar 31, 2017
• Publication Date: Sep 26, 2017
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: spatial planning, umbrella review, built environment
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/880599
• Related Public URLs: http://www.icuh2017.org/
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : 14th International Conference on Urban Health