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Planning Information Sheet:Integrating Health into Comprehensive Planning
<br /> While planning and public health share similar patterns contribute to increased reliance on the
<br /> roots in the nineteenth and early twentieth automobile,for example,and thus increased
<br /> centuries,for some time they have been moving emissions(Handy 2005),while other material
<br /> along separate paths.While planners and public suggests that the congestion of central cities
<br /> health professionals have viewed their roles or higher-density areas leads to dangerous air
<br /> in the community differently,practitioners quality(FHWA 2006),particularly for active
<br /> and academics are beginning to uncover the individuals,such as cyclists and pedestrians
<br /> ties between the two fields as it is becoming (EPA 2007).The topic of air quality,however,
<br /> increasingly clear that decisions about the built gets increasingly complicated because air is not
<br /> environment may influence certain public health contained by political boundaries,and this makes,
<br /> concerns and vice versa.The Iist below provides a it difficult to coordinate a joint-planning response
<br /> brief introduction to how public health concerns (Randolph 2004).
<br /> are linked to community planning issues.For
<br /> more detail see the Design For Health's Key
<br /> Question Research Summaries.
<br /> Water Quality:Water quality refers to both
<br /> drinking water and groundwater/surface water.
<br /> Diseases are quickly spread through water
<br /> because of its solvent nature,which makes it easy
<br /> to pass along to all living things(Frumkin,Frank,
<br /> and Jackson 2004).While this is less of an issue
<br /> in the United States,because of the country's
<br /> advanced water treatment systems,it is still a
<br /> priority for communities as they must coordinate g
<br /> and manage these very systems or work with
<br /> other public/private groups to make sure that
<br /> they are protecting surface and groundwater, Freeways are sources of air pollution. This image is of
<br /> and planning for public facilities to protect water . Interstate 35, Minneapolis
<br /> quality (Berke et al.2006;Randolph 2004).
<br /> Mental Health:The World Bank and the
<br /> Air Quality:Clean air is an important element World Health Organization estimate that by
<br /> in creating healthier communities.Both indoor- the year 2020,mental-health disorders will
<br /> and outdoor-air quality are important in human account for 15 percent of disease,and that
<br /> health,with key pollutants including carbon depression will become one of the largest health
<br /> monoxide,sulfur and nitrogen oxides,carbon problems in the world(Malley et al.2005,45-6,).
<br /> dioxide,lead, and other air toxins and volatile Vegetated environments have positive effects
<br /> organic compounds(Frumkin,Frank,and on physiological measures, such as heart rate,
<br /> Jackson 2004,73).From a planning perspective, skin conductance,muscle tension,and blood
<br /> automobile emissions area key area of concern. pressure(Mailer et al.2005).There has been an
<br /> It is estimated that in 1999,there were over 122 increasing_interest in how nature(defined as
<br /> million people living in areas where the ozone water,trees,bushes,grass,and other kinds of
<br /> levels greatly exceeded national air-quality vegetation)within the built environment can
<br /> standards(Randolph 2004,44).Pollutants,such influence changes in mental health.Exposure
<br /> as ozone,can lead to a myriad of short-and to nature may lead to decreased levels of stress,
<br /> long-term health problems,particularly related greater job satisfaction and faster recovery from
<br /> to respiratory diseases such as asthma.There fatigue(Kaplan and Kaplan 1989;Ulrich 1984;
<br /> has been extensive research on the connection Ulrich et al.1991;Maller et al.2005).For planners,
<br /> between land-use patterns, transportation, parks and open-space planning is an important
<br /> travel behavior,and air quality.Mounting consideration.Many comprehensive plans
<br /> evidence suggests that sprawling land-use identify these resources,assess residents'needs
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