The Valencian Community Healthy Cities Network: assessment of the implementation process

In 1986 WHO-Euro began to develop the Healthy Cities projectwhich was later extended to Spain, in this paper the factorsrelated to the initial development of the Healthy Cities Projectin the member towns and cities of the Valencian Community HealthyCities Network, and the level of their development will be described. The project began in 1987 and the Network, at the time of thisstudy (March 1991), was made up of 48 towns and cities. Theinstrument used to assess the process of the project developmentwas a questionnaire administered by personal interview withthe three people responsible for the project in each city: theMayor, Health Councillor and Health Officer. A score was establishedto measure the level of development of the project in each citywhich included performance of the health diagnosis and plan,the existence of intersectoral committees and the creation ofchannels of community participation. A large proportion of the cities (72%) have carried out theHealth Diagnosis; 26% of the cities have intersectoral committeesand community participation is as yet in the initial stages.Political parties' support of their city's membership in theNetwork, has been almost unanimous with only three exceptions.Resources allocated to the project are not yet constant, althoughthere is important support from different levels, and on thepart of local and autonomous institutions. Differences can beobserved in the level of development of the cities which makeup the Network, related partly to length of time of membership,to the size of the city and to other factors difficult to assess.     

Utility-driven evidence for healthy cities: problems with evidence generation and application

The question whether the WHO Healthy Cities project 'works' has been asked ever since a number of novel ideas and actions related to community health, health promotion and healthy public policy in the mid 1980s came together in the Healthy Cities Movement initiated by the World Health Organization. The question, however, has become more urgent since we have entered an era in which the drive for 'evidence' seems all-pervasive. The article explores the nature of evidence, review available evidence on Healthy Cities accomplishments, and discusses whether enough evidence has been accumulated on different performances within the realm of Healthy Cities. A main point of reference is the European Healthy Cities Project (E-HCP). Building on the information gathered through documentary research on the topic, it is concluded that there is fair evidence that Healthy Cities works. However, the future holds great challenges for further development and evidence-oriented evaluations of Healthy Cities. There are problems with (1) the communication of evidence, (2) the tension between the original intention of the Healthy Cities Movement and its current operations, and (3) the complex nature of Healthy Cities and the methodological tools currently available.     

Healthy Cities projects

This is a review article on "Healthy Cities". The Healthy Cities programme has been developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to tackle urban health and environmental issues in a broad way. It is a kind of comprehensive policy package to carry out individual projects and activities effectively and efficiently. Its key aspects include healthy public policy, vision sharing, high political commitment, establishment of structural organization, strategic health planning, intersectoral collaboration, community participation, setting approach, development of supportive environment for health, formation of city health profile, national and international networking, participatory research, periodic monitoring and evaluation, and mechanisms for sustainability of projects. The present paper covered the Healthy Cities concept and approaches, rapid urbanization in the world, developments of WHO Healthy Cities, Healthy Cities developments in the Western Pacific Region, the health promotion viewpoint, and roles of research.     

Equity and the Social Determinants of Health in European Cities

Equity in health has been the underlying value of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Health for All policy for 30 years. This article examines how cities have translated this principle into action. Using information designed to help evaluate phase IV (2003–2008) of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network (WHO-EHCN) plus documentation from city programs and websites, an attempt is made to assess how far the concept of equity in health is understood, the political will to tackle the issue, and types of action taken. Results show that although cities continue to focus considerable support on vulnerable groups, rather than the full social gradient, most are now making the necessary shift towards more upstream policies to tackle determinants of health such as poverty, unemployment, education, housing, and the environment, without neglecting access to care. Although local level data reflecting inequalities in health is improving, there is still a long way to go in some cities. The Healthy Cities Project is becoming an integral part of structures for long-term planning and intersectoral action for health in cities, and Health Impact Assessment is gradually being developed. Participation in the WHO-EHCN appears to allow new members to leap-frog ahead established cities. However, this evaluation also exposes barriers to effective local policies and processes to reduce health inequalities. Armed with locally generated evidence of critical success factors, the WHO-EHCN has embarked on a more rigorous and determined effort to achieve the prerequisites for equity in health. More attention will be given to evaluating the effectiveness of action taken and to dealing not only with the most vulnerable but a greater part of the gradient in socioeconomic health inequalities.     

City Leadership for Health and Well-being: Back to the Future

The new European Health Policy Framework and Strategy: Health 2020 of the World Health Organization, draws upon the experience and insights of five phases, spanning 25 years, of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network (WHO-EHCN). Applying the 2020 health lens to Healthy Cities, equity in health and human-centered sustainable development are core values and cities have a profound influence on the wider determinants of health in the European population. “Making it Happen” relies on four action elements applied and tested by municipalities and their formal and informal partners: political commitment, vision and strategy, institutional change, and networking. In turn, the renewed commitment by member states of the WHO Regional Committee to work with all spheres and tiers of government is a new dawn for city governance, encouraging cities to redouble their investment in health and health equity in all policies, even in a period of austerity. For phase VI, the WHO-EHCN is being positioned as a strategic vehicle for implementing Health 2020 at the local level. Healthy Cities' leadership is more relevant than ever.     

Community involvement at what cost?--local appraisal of a pan-European nutrition promotion programme in low-income neighbourhoods

In the UK, government has committed itself to improving health and reducing inequalities in health. For the first time, issues such as food poverty will be addressed by tackling the causes of poverty and wider determinants of ill health. The time has never been better, therefore, for health and local authorities to work collaboratively to promote and improve health. Community involvement is also paramount to sustainable programmes. However, such a dramatic shift in policy and greater emphasis on public health requires health professionals themselves to adopt a different approach. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a health promotion approach as a framework for action. But despite the existence of this framework there is little evidence that a wider understanding of health promotion and the necessary practical experience has been achieved. This has weakened the potential impact of health promotion and has possibly encouraged inappropriate use of health promotion principles in practice. The European Food and Shopping Research Project (SUPER project) was established under the WHO European network of Healthy Cities to help local projects implement the principles of health promotion (WHO, 1986). This paper describes the SUPER project and its implementation in Liverpool (1989-1997), where levels of unemployment, deprivation and ill health are amongst the highest in the UK. Participation in SUPER is appraised to identify the various benefits and obstacles involved and to identify links with progress at the local level. This appraisal is discussed and the use, and potential misuse, of participatory appraisal techniques to elicit information and mobilize communities is examined.     

Health in the Urban Environment: A Qualitative Review of the Brighton and Hove WHO Healthy City Program

Phase IV of the WHO European Region’s Healthy Cities Program ended in December 2008. This article presents the findings from a recently completed review of Brighton and Hove’s Healthy City Program which aimed to scope whether added value had accrued from the city’s role as a WHO Healthy City during phase IV. In contrast to most other evaluations of healthy cities, this review adopted a qualitative approach representing an appraisal of the Brighton and Hove Healthy City Program from the internal viewpoint of its local stakeholders. In addition to documentary analysis and a facilitated workshop, a series of in-depth interviews (N = 27) were conducted with stakeholders from the Brighton and Hove Healthy City Partnership representing each of the sectors reflected in the Local Strategic Partnership (public, statutory, elected, community and voluntary, neighborhood and communities, business). The key findings of the review are presented in a way which reflects the three key areas of the review including (1) the healthy cities approach, (2) participation in phase IV of the WHO Healthy Cities Program, and (3) the Brighton and Hove Healthy City Partnership. These findings are discussed, and recommendations for action at local, national, and European levels are proposed. In particular, we argue that there is an urgent need to develop a suitable monitoring and evaluation system for the WHO Healthy Cities Program with appropriate indicators that are meaningful and relevant to local stakeholders. Moreover, it would be important for any such system to capitalize on the benefits that qualitative methodologies can offer alongside more traditional quantitative indicators.     

Healthy cities: overview of a WHO international program

Health is the outcome of all the factors and activities impinging upon the lives of individuals and communities. The last decade has seen an emerging understanding within development circles that living conditions are greatly affected by local action, by the work of local government, and by community groups and organizations. In addressing health and environmental issues and making interventions, an integrated approach, based on 'settings', exemplified in the Healthy Cities approach, has proved most effective. A Healthy City project can involve people and organizations in the programs and activities that are needed for better health, and enables a city or neighborhood to mobilize the human and financial resources required to address many health and quality of life issues. The WHO program involves implementating city projects and networks in all regions of the world and serves as a vehicle for many health programs, including major disease control initiatives. Healthy City projects allow Ministries of Health to develop stronger partnerships with local government organizations (such as the Union of Local Authorities and its members, "Local Agenda 21" initiatives, and others). One focus for the program is the development of 'multi-'multi-city action plans' for major global priority issues, including AIDS, sanitation, women's health, and violence, to ensure that major public health programs are strengthened by wider community participation. It is recognized that city networking--at national, regional, and international levels--now must be better exploited by individual cities and municipalities to solve local health problems.     

Healthy Cities: Facilitating the Active Participation and Empowerment of Local People

Community participation and empowerment are key values underpinning the European WHO Healthy Cities initiative, now in its fifth phase. This paper provides a brief overview of the history, policy context, and theory relating to community participation and empowerment. Drawing on Phase IV evaluation data, it presents the findings in relation to the four quadrants of Davidson’s Wheel of Participation—information, consultation, participation in decision making, and empowerment. The large majority of European Healthy Cities have mechanisms in place to provide information for and to consult with local people. Most also demonstrate a commitment to enabling community participation in decision-making and to empowering citizens. Within this context, the evaluation highlighted a diversity of approaches and revealed varied perspectives on how participation and empowerment can be integrated within city leadership and governance processes. The paper concludes by suggesting that there is a need to strengthen future evaluative research to better understand how and why the Healthy Cities approach makes a difference.     

From projects to policy: 'healthy cities' as a mechanism for policy change for health?

One of the aims of the European Healthy Cities project was to contribute to the development of healthy public policy. This paper examines the evidence from ten cities in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom which are either part of the World Health Organization (WHO) Healthy City Project or part of their respective National Networks. Five key issues are identified based on current thinking in political and administrative science concerning change and policy-making. These provide a framework for the analysis of key informant interviews undertaken in the ten case studies. It was concluded that, at the time of the research, a substantive policy change had not taken place and in most cases the Health city initiatives were still projects rather than policies and, where plans or strategies had been developed, they were still insufficient in their impact in raising health as opposed to health care up the policy agenda.     

Why urban health cannot be ignored: the way forward

Urban health is an increasingly relevant and challenging field of action for the European region, and indeed the whole world. Urban health and action at the local level represent a high priority for the European Office of the World Health Organization. The success and appeal of the Healthy Cities concept to politicians, to professionals, and to community activists has resulted in a continuing growth of the movement both within and outside Europe. More than 1200 cities and towns are now involved in the 26 national Healthy Cities networks and several regional networks in Europe. Working directly and closely with a relatively small network of selected fully committed cities (over two 5-year phases: 1988 to 1992 and 1993 to 1997) has proved to be a valuable tool for strategic growth and a source of know-how, legitimacy, and continuous learning. No plan or strategy for health can be serious without systematically addressing poverty, vulnerability, and access to care. The WHO Healthy Cities programme gives emphasis on addressing equity and the social determinants of health through explicit political commitment and integrative policy making and planning.     

Evaluation of Partnership Working in Cities in Phase IV of the WHO <Emphasis Type="Italic">Healthy Cities</Emphasis> Network

An intersectoral partnership for health improvement is a requirement of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network of municipalities. A review was undertaken in 59 cities based on responses to a structured questionnaire covering phase IV of the network (2003–2008). Cities usually combined formal and informal working partnerships in a pattern seen in previous phases. However, these encompassed more sectors than previously and achieved greater degrees of collaborative planning and implementation. Additional WHO technical support and networking in phase IV significantly enhanced collaboration with the urban planning sector. Critical success factors were high-level political commitment and a well-organized Healthy City office. Partnerships remain a successful component of Healthy City working. The core principles, purpose and intellectual rationale for intersectoral partnerships remain valid and fit for purpose. This applied to long-established phase III cities as well as newcomers to phase IV. The network, and in particular the WHO brand, is well regarded and encourages political and organizational engagement and is a source of support and technical expertise. A key challenge is to apply a more rigorous analytical framework and theory-informed approach to reviewing partnership and collaboration parameters.     

Healthy Cities and change: social movement or bureaucratic tool?

Healthy Cities is seen as a vision, project and movement. Itswide appeal leaves it open to losing touch with the core valuesenvisaged by the origtnators of Healthy Cities. This paper considersthe outcomes Healthy Cities should aim for in Australia andthe processes by which they can be achieved It identifies thepolitical ideology underlying the Ottawa Charter as social democraticand collectivist. Economic rationalism, individualism and misplacedprofessionalism are discussed as blocks to achieving HealthyCities. It is suggested that professional workers seeking topromote health should operate within a 'health promotion winners'triangle' as many do currently. The paper concludes by arguingthat Healthy Cities should ensure complacency does not permita taken-for-granted economism, individualism and professionalismto dominate agendas for change and suggests ways in which collaborationswith forces inside and outside bureaucracies may assist theprocesses of achieving healthier cities.     

Do Healthy Cities Work? A Logic of Method for Assessing Impact and Outcome of Healthy Cities

In this article, we discuss an appropriate methodology for assessing complex urban programs such as the WHO European Healthy Cities Network. The basic tenets and parameters for this project are reviewed, and situated in the broader urban health tradition. This leads to a delineation of the types of questions researchers can address when looking at a complex urban health program. Such questions reach appropriately beyond traditional public health concepts involving proximal and distal determinants of health (and associated upstream, midstream, and downstream rhetoric). Espousing a multi-level, reciprocal pathways perspective on Healthy Cities research, we also adopt a distinction between impacts and outcomes of Healthy Cities. The former are value-driven, the latter intervention-driven. These approaches lead to the acknowledgment of a logic of method that includes situational and contextual appreciation of unique Healthy City experiences in a Realist Evaluation paradigm. The article concludes with a reflection of evaluation and assessment procedures applied to Phase IV (2003-2008) of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network and an interpretation of response rates to the range of methods that have been adopted.     

Introduction of health impact assessment and healthy cities as a tool for tackling health inequality]

In order to reduce the health inequalities within a society changes need to be made in broad health determinants and their distribution in the population. It has been expected that the Health impact assessment(HIA) and Healthy Cities can provide opportunities and useful means for changing social policy and environment related with the broad health determinants in developed countries. HIA is any combination of procedures or methods by which a proposed 4P(policy, plan, program, project) may be judged as to the effects it may have on the health of a population. Healthy city is one that is continually creating and improving those physical and social environments and expanding those community resources which enable people to mutually support each other in performing all the functions of life and in developing to their maximum potential. In Korea, social and academic interest regarding the HIA and Healthy Cities has been growing recently but the need of HIA and Healthy Cities in the perspective of reducing health inequality was not introduced adequately. So we reviewed the basic concepts and methods of the HIA and Healthy Cities, and its possible contribution to reducing health inequalities. We concluded that though the concepts and methods of the HIA and Healthy Cities are relatively new and still in need of improvement, they will be useful in approaching the issue of health inequality in Korea.     

Intersectoral Planning for City Health Development

The article reviews the evolution and process of City Health Development Planning (CHDP) in municipalities participating in the European Network of Healthy Cities organized by the European Region of the World Health Organization. The concept of CHDP combines elements from three theoretical domains: (a) health development, (b) city governance, and (c) urban planning. The setting was the 77 cities which participated in Phase IV (2003–2008) of the network. Evidence was gathered principally from a General Evaluation Questionnaire sent to all Network Cities. CHDPs are strategic documents giving direction to municipalities and partner agencies. Analysis revealed a trend away from “classic” CHDPs with a primary focus on health development towards ensuring a health dimension to other sector plans, and into the overarching strategies of city governments. Linked to the Phase IV priority themes of Healthy Aging and Healthy Urban Planning, cities further developed the concept and application of human-centered sustainability. More work is required to utilize cost–benefit analysis and health impact assessment to unmask the synergies between health and economic prosperity.     

Implementation of the Healthy Cities' principles and strategies: an evaluation of the Israel Healthy Cities network

The Israel network of Healthy Cities has been operating since 1990, and the first evaluation of its performance was carried out in 2004. The objectives were to evaluate the level of implementation of the 'Healthy Cities' principles and strategies in each network city and to assess the contribution of the network to its member cities. Coordinators of 18 active healthy cities participated in the study by completing a questionnaire with the aid of key informants in the municipality. The survey covered six dimensions of Healthy Cities' principles and strategies, and each was analyzed as a sum of scores of separate components and measures, converted to a 0-10 scale. Cities were found to differ in their performances. The dimension of intersectoral collaboration received the highest mean score (8.0 +/- 1.6), while the environmental protection dimension received the lowest one (4.5 +/- 2.2). Time investment by the coordinator of > 20 h a week is significantly associated with a higher score on the management dimension (7.8 versus 4.4 where the coordinator invests 20 h a week or less, P < 0.001). Previous work experience in either public health or community work was associated with higher scores of the community participation and intersectoral partnership dimensions (6.9 versus 5.2 and 8.5 versus 6.8, respectively, P < 0.05). Political support was associated with the city equity policy dimension (8.1 versus 4.8 in cities with high versus low political support, P < 0.01). Coordinator's participation in the network's activities is associated with better scores on all the dimensions except for environmental protection. It appears that political commitment and support is a significant enabling condition, which, together with the capacity building of the coordinator, may lead to better implementation of Healthy Cities' policy. Environmental issues should be incorporated into training sessions to enhance the environmental protection dimension.     

What about healthy networks? An analysis of the national networks of healthy cities in Europe

The World Health Organization (WHO)/Euro Healthy Cities Projecthas received much attention since the first project cities wereselected in 1987 in fact many more cities than can participateshowed (and still show) their interest. Thus initiatives havebeen taken to establish activities similar to the Healthy CitiesProject, not only in Europe but all over the worl4 ‘nationalnetworks of Healthy Cities’ have developed The nationalnetworks in Europe call themselves ‘EURONET’, aEuropean network of national Healthy Cities networks. EURONETis not a formal association; how this initiative will developin the near future is under discussion. A national network is an example of a social network but becauseof its complexity and different leveLs of ‘networking’,is difficult to analyse. However analysis, and evaluation, isneeded to review the functioning and impact of the healthy citiesidea. To study and analyse the networks in Europe, which areas a whole rather large, a selection has been made to reducethe number of participants (n=14), number of resources (n=4)and (categories of) activities (n=9) which were examined Theanalysis provided information about the development of the network;among other things it looked at why they started who took theinitiative, what changes occurred during the period of development,who were the participants at a national level, what activitieswere undertaken, and the relationship between activities andparticipants. As expected the findings did not provide a uniformpicture of ‘what a national Healthy Cities network shouldlook like’ nor did they give the recipe of ‘howto become a Healthy Cities network’. However, the strengthof national networks is that they have the potential to continuethe Healthy Cities project aims and objectives, even if theWHO project ever ceases.