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Bringing together researchers from across 果冻影院 whose work focuses on understanding the impacts of the urban environment on human health, and how best to reduce health inequalities in urban areas.
Get involved 触听Meet our community co-leads听| Our activities | Case Studies听| Podcasts and events
About us
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 55% of the world鈥檚 population lives in urban areas, and this is projected to听rise to 68% by 2050. As the world becomes increasingly urbanized, with the majority of the global population residing in cities, the challenges related to health and well-being in urban areas require听significant attention.
Our towns and cities shape our health, from the air we breathe, the buildings we live in and the spaces we work in, to our access to open spaces, transport, and public services. All these factors combine to make urban environments the focus of a noncommunicable disease epidemic, and a driver of climate change. Within towns and cities, a disproportionate share of environmental risks falls on marginalised communities, leading to widening health inequalities.
As the urban population increases, we need to seize the opportunity to guide urban development in a positive way, to protect and promote health.
Urban health is a developing discipline and we are supporting its development by bringing together our world-leading public health researchers (6th in the world for Public Health research, ShanghaiRanking 2023) with one of the largest concentrations of urban scholars, alongside any other disciplines that focus on the health and wellbeing of populations living in urban environments.
Our network
We are connected to a range of wider initiatives related to Urban Health both within 果冻影院 and outside:
Within 果冻影院:
鈥⑻� 听果冻影院 Urban Laboratory
鈥⑻� 听果冻影院 PEARL
鈥⑻� 听果冻影院 CAVE
鈥⑻� 听果冻影院 Environment Domain
鈥⑻� 听
鈥⑻� 听 果冻影院 SDG Research Accelerator
Get involved
Join our Urban Health Community Teams site to get regular听updates on the latest urban health news, events and funding opportunities. Please note you must be a 果冻影院 researcher or student to sign-up as this is an internal network.
Meet our community co-leads
Haim is a Professor of Development Planning at the 果冻影院 Development Planning Unit. His听approach to urban health is based on understanding how history, power and structural inequalities (class, gender, race, age) interact to produce urban health disparities. In his听current project, Haim听focuses on the ways in which violence, planning and health are entangled, arguing that infrastructure or housing are basic conditions not just for ensuring healthier environments but also for the provision of proper care.听
David is a Professor of Global Health at the 果冻影院 Institute for Global Health. His听current research focuses on urban health and the prevention of gender-based violence. He is interested in the evaluation of complex interventions using programme theory, trials and mixed methods. He has conceived and collaborated on a number of cluster randomized controlled trials to improve newborn health and survival, in India, Nepal and Malawi. In recent years he has become increasingly involved in research on urban health and inequalities, with an emphasis on transdisciplinary collaboration.
Our activities听
- Meeting researchers from a wide range of disciplines with expertise in urban health
- Supporting new collaborations, and developing cross-disciplinary research grants
- 听Supporting early-career researchers via the BE-Well network.
- Field trips to visit and be involved in new urban stimulus 鈥� we are open to your suggestions.听
Case studies
Educational Opportunities
- Health in Urban Development MSc
- Health, Wellbeing and Sustainable Buildings MSc
- Healthcare Facilities MSc
- Module: Urban Health (IEHC0067)
Events
Upcoming events
Join our to get regular听updates on the latest urban health events.
Past events
- Urban Health: A Dialogue Across Disciplines
On Tuesday 18 June, attendees had the听opportunity to hear from a range of urban health experts and participate in World Caf茅 discussions about how we can leverage our strengths in urban health at the local, national, and global level.听The event facilitated discussions on improving support for urban health-related research and education activities at 果冻影院.
听 - Healthy Urbanism Book Launch
On Thursday 7 July, 果冻影院 Health of the Public and The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources hosted a launch event for Helen Pineo's new book 'Healthy Urbanism'. The launch event included a听of examples from our听听and听student contributions.
Watch the recording of the event.
听 - Public Health Voices: Urban Health and Climate Change: What can our city tell us about our health?
Watch this webinar听to hear from urban health and climate change experts as we explore how urban characteristics can influence health and disease in the urban context.
Speakers:听Prof David Osrin (Institute for Global Health), Dr Marina Romanello (Institute for Global Health), Dr Helen Pineo (Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering) and Vicky Hobart (Greater London Authority).