Economic tool could help cities prioritize public health in urban development

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Add as preferred source Credit: Treasured Solitude from Pexels Senior urban development decision-makers have revealed there is currently little incentive to consider public health impacts when shaping towns and cities, according to a new study published in Evidence & Policy that highlights the potential of an innovative economic valuation tool to address the problem.

Researchers argue that local authorities and planning departments could use the Health Appraisal for Urban Systems (HAUS) tool—a valuation model that links features of the environment to health outcomes and their associated economic costs—to support healthier urban development choices and reduce the incidence of diseases including obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease and respiratory illness.