Urban health for the win
The 'European urban health indicators part two: Using indicators to inform policy' (EURO-URHIS 2) project built on the project European Urban Health Indicator System (EURO-URHIS), which identified urban health indicators and their availability. This follow-up initiative went a step further, developing methodology and validated tools for policymakers at all levels. Comprised of 18 partners from 14 countries (spanning Europe to Asia), the consortium described health and health determinants particular to urban areas in Europe. These covered cities in north, south, east and west Europe. Work involved collecting data at urban area level, providing tools for evidence-based policy, and developing methods for cross-sectional and longitudinal assessments of urban population health. Partners validated the tools and methods using population-based registries and databases, and applied the tools in the field with a view to ensuring their ease of use for policymakers. The first study enabling trustworthy comparisons of health status between different European cities, EURO-URHIS 2 supplemented information already locally available. Data from 26 urban areas in Europe are now available for between-city comparisons and benchmarking. As such, policymakers can now apply information in an evidence-based fashion when deciding on topics for urban health policy and interventions. Project partners collaborated with policymakers, researchers, non-governmental agencies and civil society through various activities. These included consultation and training workshops, as well as participation in the European Urban Health Conference in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (September 2012). EURO-URHIS 2 efforts and outcomes have been widely disseminated, and more information on project results is available on a dedicated project web page. Lay users, researchers and policymakers can access the web platforms for data and metadata. The project has filled a gap in information that is lacking from national data sets. Using this information together with the tools promoted by EURO-URHIS 2, significant improvements can be realised with regard to health requirements, health care and related services in the urban context.
Keywords
Urban health, urban areas, policymakers, evidence-based decisions, health indicators
