Tag Archives: Health

The Built Environment and Its Relationship to the Public’s Health (Annotated Bibliography Number Seven)

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Perdue, Wendy Collins, Lesley A. Stone, and Lawrence O. Gostin. “The Built Environment and Its Relationship to the Public’s Health: The Legal Framework.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. American Journal of Public Health, Sept. 2003. Web. 25 Mar. 2016.

In this article titled The Built Environment and Its Relationship to the Public’s Health: The Legal Framework, written by Wendy Collins Perdue, JD, Lesley A. Stone, JD, and Lawrence O. Gostin, JD, LLD, there’s a discussion and some recommendations made in regard to the built environment, how it can affect health, and what one can do to influence how the built environment is. The paper gives some ways one can do this. Essentially, if one wants to become an effective advocate for a healthy built environment, then they should acquire evidence, get involved as early as possible during the building process, and be defender for the health of children and the downtrodden. According to the article, the latter is especially important because the health of the poor are more likely to be effected by the bad decisions of policy makers and builders than the affluent.

Smart Cities, Healthy Kids (Annotated Bibliography Six)

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KidskanAdmin. “Smart Cities, Healthy Kids Looks at Built Environment and Kids.” YouTube. YouTube, 7 Sept. 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.

This 4:35 video provides a sketch of a three-year long project that occurred in Saskatoon, Canada. The Smart Cities, Healthy Kids project investigated the impact of the built environment on children between the ages of 10 and 13. For instance, things like newer sidewalks, roads, the state of homes, playgrounds, and parks shaped the choices and physical activities of children, which in turn affected their health. The physical activity of the children was measured by a device that they wore around their waists called an accelerometer. Additionally, the researchers found differences between old grid-style neighborhoods and new curvilinear-style neighborhoods. Newer neighborhoods tended to be safer for crime and traffic while older neighbors typically had more destinations and activity areas.

I found this video very interesting and the study appears objective. More information about the study can be found at their website (http://smartcitieshealthykids.com/). I see this video (and study) as yet another indicator of the power of the built environment and why it’d be wise for us to use it to our advantage.