HEALTH SYSTEMS HEALTH SYSTEMS THINKING INTERNATIONALTHINKING INTERNATIONAL

Professor Brian Dangerfield, University of Salford

LINKS BETWEEN URBAN PLANNING & HEALTHLINKS BETWEEN URBAN PLANNING & HEALTH

• In cities there is a complex interplay between social, cultural, economic, technological & biophysical factors in generating demand for health care (www.healthycities.org.uk ; underpinned by WHO Europe).

• Developing countries (rapid urbanisation) need research skills to aid policy design which maximises health benefits and avoids risks.

• We would expect significant demand from abroad for the services of the Centre: the NHS is revered.

URBAN HEALTH & WELLBEING

Prevalence of fast-food outlets

Opportunities for consumption ofcheap, high-energy food

Effective public transport

Air quality

Resilience to extreme climatic events

(Young people’s) access to alcohol

Alcohol consumption

THE USA PERSPECTIVETHE USA PERSPECTIVE

• They are well ahead of us in the use of systems modelling in health & especially in public health

• Institute of Medicine report (Dec 2010): “… pathways between the social, economic and environmental causes of poor health are complex and interconnected. Models and other novel analytic tools can elucidate these pathways…”

• The National Institute of Health (Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences) includes “Systems Thinking Approaches to Health” as one of four primary themes in its strategic prospectus