Healthy Cities and Urban Policy Research

Half the world's population lives in urban areas. The United Nations estimates that the urban population of 1995 will have doubled by 2025. By 2015, it is expected that there will be 33 mega cities, 20 of them in Asia. Urbanization affects human health in unprecedented ways. Attempts to improve the health of citizens necessitates the development of comprehensive schemes integrating a wide range of factors pertaining to urban issues. This book is a collection of papers by leading experts from academia or international organizations who have been involved in the Healthy Cities movement. It is the first academic work to combine public health with urban planning. Contemporary issues from various perspectives are included which address evaluation, accountability, community participation and information technology.