Beschreibung
We have a certain amount of knowledge of the problems of urban health in
Africa. We also partly understand the determinants of such problems:
environmental, social, structural, and service related. Multi-level
research has enabled the role of ‘place’ for health to be acknowledged and
in particular, the importance of social connections at the neighbourhood
level.
However, truly multi-sectoral action for urban health, which reflects the
multiple determinants, is rare and often fails. Pilot projects are rarely
scaled up. More evaluative intervention research is needed and researchers
need to engage policy makers at earlier stages. We also need to understand
the urban policy process more – especially the role of frontline workers
in determining policy.
Urban health research has focussed on problems (vulnerabilities) and not
strengths or resilience. Using a more positive model of urban health might
enhance the research translation process (getting research into policy and
practice: GRIPP) and speed up action to improve urban health.
Trudy Harpham is a geographer and professor emeritus of the London South
Bank University where she taught Urban Development and Policy. Over the
past three decades she has played a central role in establishing urban
health as an urgent and important field of research and in pushing it up
on the international health policy agenda.
