ABSTRACT
During the first waves of the Covid-19 pandemic period, urban environments were stressed;the resilience of our cities were tested, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the urban contexts, not always capable to promote and protect the population health status. Urban Green Spaces (UGS) have proved essential role as “tools” to improve Urban Public and Mental Health. Unfortunately, the heterogeneous distribution of UGS inside the contemporary cities, together with the disparity in quality of such spaces, led to some exclusion phenomena. The paper would describe a research experience based on four consequential phases: theoretical background update;tool definition phase (Quantitative assessment: Proximity of the UGS in Milano, and Qualitative assessment: RECITAL 2.0 Milano);application phase in the urban context of Milano city and findings analysis. About the application phase, 24 parks were evaluated: by the comparison of the “RECITAL 2.0 Milano” results with the UGS surface data, no significant pattern emerges, that means that environmental quality is not linked to the extension of the UGS. By the comparison of the overall score with the average real estate values in the analyzed area, emerges an easily readable and expected correlation: the top-performing parks are in the most exclusive areas of the city, often in or near the city center, easily reachable by public transportation alternatives. Qualitative assessments can detect criticalities in-side the urban environment, while quantitative assessments can find areas of the cities deprived of the benefits of UGS. The overlap of both findings could be an indicator of the presence of some form of exclusion phenomena, thus requiring attention both of Urban Planners and Policy Makers to ensure healthier and more equal urban environments. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
ABSTRACT
Background As stressed by COVID-19 pandemic, urbanicity might represent a risk factor for chronic non-communicable diseases or generally impacting on healthy lifestyle, among them physical activity. Methods In light of this, we performed a systematic review aimed to explore the association between urban greenspaces and two important health indicators for both mental and physical health. In particular, our aims were to analyze the association between publicly accessible urban greenspaces exposure, and mental health outcomes (MH) and objectively-measured physical activity (PA). The review was conducted from 2000/01/01 to 2020/09/30 searching in two electronic databases: PubMed/Medline and Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE). Only articles in English were included. Results Out of 356, a total of 34 studies were included in our review, of which 19 assessed MH outcomes, the remaining dealt with PA. Only a few included studies found a non-effect or a negative effect on MH outcomes, whereas, all the others demonstrated a positive effect of urban greenspace and both MH and PA. However, our results stressed not only the importance of green space presence, but also the importance of maintenance, renovation, closeness to residential areas, the presence of interactive activities, and perceived security aspects. Conclusions To conclude, even some methodological limitations of the included studies, results are concordant in demonstrating that urban greenspaces show potentially beneficial effects on mental health and physical activity. Our results are significant for public health experts and policymakers involved in urban planning, community health promotion, and improvement of health and social equity. Key messages Urban green spaces are important factors, impacting on both physical and mental health. Policymakers involved in urban planning should pay more attention in urban green spaces.
ABSTRACT
Background The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, which nowadays has exceeded 2.5 million notified infections in the world and about 200,000 deaths, is a strong reminder that urbanization has changed the way that people and communities live, work, and interact, and it's necessary to make the systems and local capacities resilient to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. How we can re-design the concept of Public Health in relation to the built environment and the contemporary cities? Methods According to the previous statements and scenario, aim of this paper is to integrate the Urban Health strategic objectives, focusing the possible responses, both immediate and medium-long term, to the current environmental, social, and economic aspects of the “period” of physical distancing. Results Immediate Actions are 01. program the flexibility of city schedules;02. plan a smart and sustainable mobility network;03. define a neighborhood services' plan;04. develop a digitization of the urban context, promoting the smart communities;05. re-think the accessibility to the places of culture and tourism. Medium-long term Actions are 06. design the indoor flexibility of domestic living spaces;07. re-think building typologies, fostering the presence of semi-private or collective spaces;08. renovate the basic care services' network;09. integrate the existing environmental emergency plans, with those related to the health emergencies;10. improve stakeholders' awareness of the factors affecting Public Health in the cities. Conclusions The Decalogue of Public Health opportunities may provide a useful basis for Designers (Architects and Urban Planners), Policy Makers, Public Health experts and Local Health Agencies, in promoting actions and policies aimed to transform our cities in healthier and Salutogenic living environments. Key messages The strategies described in this paper are at the basis of a social and infrastructural rethinking of the city, careful to the Welfare and Public Health needs. The physical distancing imposed, may have amplified population's social and health inequalities.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: World Health Organization has highlighted the need to strengthen the relationship between health and built environment factors, such as inappropriate housing conditions. Building Regulations and Local Health Rules provide safety and building hygiene in construction practices. Currently the Italian Government is giving rise to a Building Regulation Type and the paper aims to verify the present contents of recent innovative Local Health Rules and Building Regulations of several Italian municipalities for supporting the performance approach of the future Building Regulations including hygienic issues. METHODS: The analysis examines both Building Regulations and Local Health Rules of a sample of about 550 cities, analysing some specific fields of interest: urban field, outdoor issues, housing features, housing restrictions, and qualitative aspects. RESULTS: The analysis focuses on some specific aspects defining the general data reported in Building Regulations and Local Health Rules, in particular around surfaces, heights, lighting and aeration ratio, basements and semi-basements, gas radon, building greenery, etc. CONCLUSION: The investigation permitted to have a wide vision on the present State of the Art in order to highlight some innovative aspects and design approaches of Building Regulations and Local Health Rules. New perspectives in the new regulations should have a performance approach, starting also from the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.