Diet and exercise are important for physical health, of course, but the city’s built environment also affects the health of residents. According to a 2018 report from the American Academy of Family Physicians, only 20% of a person’s health depends on clinical healthcare. The rest largely depends on socioeconomic and environmental factors, and these are variable. They are the conditions in the environments where people are born, are educated, live, work, and age, and they affect residents’ health and quality-of-life.
These factors are called Social Determinants of Health. They fall into five categories: economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhoods and built environment, and social and community context.
Public health providers play a central role in residents’ quality of life. But in addition to their work, the city must partner with non-health entities to influence the social and environmental conditions that impact public health. Several city departments and community agencies have taken a Health in All Policies approach to planning and policy making.
Land use, community design, transportation, agriculture, access to goods and services, safe and affordable housing, and climate change are all ways the physical environment can impact health. Thoughtful decisions in these areas will help the city improve health outcomes for residents, including in the areas of adult and childhood obesity, physical inactivity, cancer, respiratory illness, and environmental justice.
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS |
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Successful implementation of this Objective will improve the mental and physical health of all Kansas Citians. The city’s built environment will be designed to enable residents of all physical abilities to safely reach their personal health goals. All communities will have easy access to healthy food and alternative mobility options, which will increase opportunities for residents to live healthier lives. Indoor and outdoor air quality will be improved, reducing negative health outcomes. |
- A healthy, active city by improving conditions in built and social environments
- Residents will be able to be physically active in daily life
- Increased access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally authentic food
- Shorter distances to grocery stores for residents who have difficulty getting healthy food when they want or need it
- Alternative housing design that increases residential mobility and embraces active, healthy living
- Development and infrastructure designed to be resilient and adaptive
- New developments that minimize carbon dioxide emissions and mitigation of emissions in existing developments
Planning and public health have been linked since the beginning of their respective professions. Planners and public health officials recognize the ways that the built environment and society impact individuals’ health outcomes. Planners and public health officials need to work together to provide more equitable access to resources and environments needed for healthy lives.
For more context, click HERE.
MEASURES OF SUCCESS |
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- Life expectancy (increase)
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KEY CONCEPTS |
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Improve health by monitoring and improving lifestyle environments throughout the community |
A successful “lifestyle environment” requires asking residents and officials to prioritize becoming a healthy community, leading to a higher quality of life. Different communities’ lifestyle environments vary, depending on the conditions in those communities. People living in areas that have experienced distress and disinvestment will need to work together locally and with partners to remedy local conditions that lead to negative lifestyle environments. Once a satisfactory lifestyle environment is identified, this information should be disseminated and applied at the local level. Implementation should focus on areas of most need. Progress will be measured over time to determine what improvements have been made, which will determine where to focus future resources. |
Increase access to healthy foods by working with the private sector |
Access to healthy foods is important to an individual’s health, well-being, and quality of life. But that access can be limited by racial, economic, and geographic disparities that result from structural inequities. Many health problems and premature death are tied to poor nutrition and a lack of physical activity, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. Poor nutrition also can affect mental concentration and performance at work or school. Low-income populations often experience a greater burden from poor nutrition. Improving a community’s access to healthy foods must be a priority for the city. Inadequate access to healthy food has been addressed in other communities through private/public partnerships. Kansas City needs a process to determine what healthy food is available or lacking in an area so it can remedy shortcomings. The city also should create a public/private partnership to explore sharing the investment, risk, responsibility, and reward related to installing accessible food sources in underserved neighborhoods. |
Address issues in housing maintenance and design that have an impact on resident's physical and mental health |
The condition of the place a person lives in and the surrounding environment can influence their level of physical activity and mental health. For example, in places without sidewalks, bicycle or walking paths, or recreational facilities, there are few, if any, opportunities for physical movement. Physical inactivity leads to poor health outcomes such obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. Other conditions often found in low-income housing – crowding, living next to incompatible land uses, and loud outside noise – can elevate psychological distress. Exposure to air pollutants can be harmful, and toxins such as asbestos and lead-based paint can cause behavioral problems. Also, having insufficient daylight or a lack of public gathering spaces is associated with increased symptoms of depression. A workgroup should be formed to study, with input from related entities, how socioeconomic conditions affect the health of disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. The workgroup should identify where there are gaps in research on how the built environment affects the natural environment, safety, disparities in health outcomes, and behaviors of disadvantaged populations. The workgroup’s aim would be to accelerate quality improvements in public health. |
Address climate change and improve air quality |
Managing air quality to reduce health risks is an important challenge for most cities, including Kansas City. The city must ensure it develops actions to adapt to climate change knowing that poor air quality threatens ecosystems and human health in urban areas. A regional effort is needed, too, to improve air quality because pollution and climate change are not contained to municipal boundaries. The city must determine how much climate change may influence air pollution and land use patterns. To mitigate global warming at the local level, the city must continue to measure and track atmospheric indicators, locate areas of most need, and provide residents with information on programs to improve air quality and energy efficiency. This approach will help the city determine which factors it is improving and which to concentrate on further. |
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COMMUNITY SUPPORTED ACTIONS (CSAs) |
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Improve health by monitoring and improving lifestyle environments throughout the community |
PH-1 | Use the area planning process to identify areas for long-term supportive housing, mental health services, counseling, and alcohol and drug treatment to reduce houselessness. |
PH-2 | |
PH-3 | Conduct a Community Health Assessment at least every five years to summarize the state of public health and the related physical environment characteristics in Kansas City. |
|
|
Increase access to healthy foods by working with the private sector |
PH-4 | Examine the location of healthy food sources and markets in the city and identify communities that have gaps in access to these services. Work on development tools that are designed to attract new grocery stores to locations in low-income communities. Incentivize grocery store retailers to locate in areas without adequate, healthy, and affordable food access (see Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan for more). |
PH-5 | Implement the local food goals in the city’s Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan, including:- Reduce zoning and policy barriers to local food production. Review codes, permitting, and policy requirements to encourage and remove barriers to urban agriculture, regenerative agriculture, community gardens, food forests, and soil regeneration. See the city’s Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan for more
- Transform underutilized urban spaces into food production areas. Transform lawns, vacant lots, rooftops, flood-prone areas, and other underutilized urban spaces into spaces to support food production
- Support the creation and growth of culturally diverse food markets throughout the city
|
PH-6 | Work with local businesses to promote improvements in healthy food options for communities. This should include assistance in business planning and technical support for new businesses in these areas. |
PH-7 | Examine innovative practices such as mobile food markets and mobile food pantries or food shelves that can bring food closer to underserved customers. |
|
|
Address issues in housing maintenance and design that have an impact on resident's physical and mental health |
PH-8 | Require new housing developments to embrace active and healthy living for residents with features that might include deliberate placement of stairwells, bicycle storage areas, play spaces for children, and social spaces in buildings that foster connections within the building and with the broader community. |
PH-9 | Continue to proactively remediate health hazards in existing housing units, such as through lead and radon abatement programs. Focus housing improvement programs in underinvested areas where unhealthy housing has created poor health outcomes. Continue to work with residents to improve indoor air quality and reduce indoor environmental pollutants such as lead, mold, pests, and radon that can have lifelong impacts on health. These conditions and pollutants disproportionately impact low-income households, children of color, and renters.
|
PH-10 | Work with communities to access funding and resources to improve energy efficiency in existing housing (see also Housing Affordability and Diversity Objective). |
|
|
Address climate change and improve air quality |
PH-11 | Install monitoring stations to gather and track several different environmental variables such as air quality. Work with the Health Department to identify locations. See also Environmental Health and Resiliency Objective. |
PH-12 | Include public health considerations more effectively in development plans and during the development review process. This includes sidewalk and trail connectivity and energy efficient buildings.
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- Cultural Amenities
- Desirable Place
- Healthy Environmental Systems
- Livable Neighborhoods and Diverse Housing
- Mobility Options
- Walkable, Clean, and Safe
|
|
Addressing Disinvestment Citywide Accessibility Community Collaboration Community Engagement Complete Communities Inclusive Design Providing Services
|
Related Plans and Policies |
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|
|
|
|
|
Diet and exercise are important for physical health, of course, but the city’s built environment also affects the health of residents. According to a 2018 report from the American Academy of Family Physicians, only 20% of a person’s health depends on clinical healthcare. The rest largely depends on socioeconomic and environmental factors, and these are variable. They are the conditions in the environments where people are born, are educated, live, work, and age, and they affect residents’ health and quality-of-life.
These factors are called Social Determinants of Health. They fall into five categories: economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhoods and built environment, and social and community context.
Public health providers play a central role in residents’ quality of life. But in addition to their work, the city must partner with non-health entities to influence the social and environmental conditions that impact public health. Several city departments and community agencies have taken a Health in All Policies approach to planning and policy making.
Land use, community design, transportation, agriculture, access to goods and services, safe and affordable housing, and climate change are all ways the physical environment can impact health. Thoughtful decisions in these areas will help the city improve health outcomes for residents, including in the areas of adult and childhood obesity, physical inactivity, cancer, respiratory illness, and environmental justice.
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS |
|
Successful implementation of this Objective will improve the mental and physical health of all Kansas Citians. The city’s built environment will be designed to enable residents of all physical abilities to safely reach their personal health goals. All communities will have easy access to healthy food and alternative mobility options, which will increase opportunities for residents to live healthier lives. Indoor and outdoor air quality will be improved, reducing negative health outcomes. |
- A healthy, active city by improving conditions in built and social environments
- Residents will be able to be physically active in daily life
- Increased access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally authentic food
- Shorter distances to grocery stores for residents who have difficulty getting healthy food when they want or need it
- Alternative housing design that increases residential mobility and embraces active, healthy living
- Development and infrastructure designed to be resilient and adaptive
- New developments that minimize carbon dioxide emissions and mitigation of emissions in existing developments
Planning and public health have been linked since the beginning of their respective professions. Planners and public health officials recognize the ways that the built environment and society impact individuals’ health outcomes. Planners and public health officials need to work together to provide more equitable access to resources and environments needed for healthy lives.
For more context, click HERE.
MEASURES OF SUCCESS |
|
- Life expectancy (increase)
|
KEY CONCEPTS |
|
Improve health by monitoring and improving lifestyle environments throughout the community |
A successful “lifestyle environment” requires asking residents and officials to prioritize becoming a healthy community, leading to a higher quality of life. Different communities’ lifestyle environments vary, depending on the conditions in those communities. People living in areas that have experienced distress and disinvestment will need to work together locally and with partners to remedy local conditions that lead to negative lifestyle environments. Once a satisfactory lifestyle environment is identified, this information should be disseminated and applied at the local level. Implementation should focus on areas of most need. Progress will be measured over time to determine what improvements have been made, which will determine where to focus future resources. |
Increase access to healthy foods by working with the private sector |
Access to healthy foods is important to an individual’s health, well-being, and quality of life. But that access can be limited by racial, economic, and geographic disparities that result from structural inequities. Many health problems and premature death are tied to poor nutrition and a lack of physical activity, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. Poor nutrition also can affect mental concentration and performance at work or school. Low-income populations often experience a greater burden from poor nutrition. Improving a community’s access to healthy foods must be a priority for the city. Inadequate access to healthy food has been addressed in other communities through private/public partnerships. Kansas City needs a process to determine what healthy food is available or lacking in an area so it can remedy shortcomings. The city also should create a public/private partnership to explore sharing the investment, risk, responsibility, and reward related to installing accessible food sources in underserved neighborhoods. |
Address issues in housing maintenance and design that have an impact on resident's physical and mental health |
The condition of the place a person lives in and the surrounding environment can influence their level of physical activity and mental health. For example, in places without sidewalks, bicycle or walking paths, or recreational facilities, there are few, if any, opportunities for physical movement. Physical inactivity leads to poor health outcomes such obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. Other conditions often found in low-income housing – crowding, living next to incompatible land uses, and loud outside noise – can elevate psychological distress. Exposure to air pollutants can be harmful, and toxins such as asbestos and lead-based paint can cause behavioral problems. Also, having insufficient daylight or a lack of public gathering spaces is associated with increased symptoms of depression. A workgroup should be formed to study, with input from related entities, how socioeconomic conditions affect the health of disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. The workgroup should identify where there are gaps in research on how the built environment affects the natural environment, safety, disparities in health outcomes, and behaviors of disadvantaged populations. The workgroup’s aim would be to accelerate quality improvements in public health. |
Address climate change and improve air quality |
Managing air quality to reduce health risks is an important challenge for most cities, including Kansas City. The city must ensure it develops actions to adapt to climate change knowing that poor air quality threatens ecosystems and human health in urban areas. A regional effort is needed, too, to improve air quality because pollution and climate change are not contained to municipal boundaries. The city must determine how much climate change may influence air pollution and land use patterns. To mitigate global warming at the local level, the city must continue to measure and track atmospheric indicators, locate areas of most need, and provide residents with information on programs to improve air quality and energy efficiency. This approach will help the city determine which factors it is improving and which to concentrate on further. |
|
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED ACTIONS (CSAs) |
|
|
Improve health by monitoring and improving lifestyle environments throughout the community |
PH-1 | Use the area planning process to identify areas for long-term supportive housing, mental health services, counseling, and alcohol and drug treatment to reduce houselessness. |
PH-2 | |
PH-3 | Conduct a Community Health Assessment at least every five years to summarize the state of public health and the related physical environment characteristics in Kansas City. |
|
|
Increase access to healthy foods by working with the private sector |
PH-4 | Examine the location of healthy food sources and markets in the city and identify communities that have gaps in access to these services. Work on development tools that are designed to attract new grocery stores to locations in low-income communities. Incentivize grocery store retailers to locate in areas without adequate, healthy, and affordable food access (see Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan for more). |
PH-5 | Implement the local food goals in the city’s Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan, including:- Reduce zoning and policy barriers to local food production. Review codes, permitting, and policy requirements to encourage and remove barriers to urban agriculture, regenerative agriculture, community gardens, food forests, and soil regeneration. See the city’s Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan for more
- Transform underutilized urban spaces into food production areas. Transform lawns, vacant lots, rooftops, flood-prone areas, and other underutilized urban spaces into spaces to support food production
- Support the creation and growth of culturally diverse food markets throughout the city
|
PH-6 | Work with local businesses to promote improvements in healthy food options for communities. This should include assistance in business planning and technical support for new businesses in these areas. |
PH-7 | Examine innovative practices such as mobile food markets and mobile food pantries or food shelves that can bring food closer to underserved customers. |
|
|
Address issues in housing maintenance and design that have an impact on resident's physical and mental health |
PH-8 | Require new housing developments to embrace active and healthy living for residents with features that might include deliberate placement of stairwells, bicycle storage areas, play spaces for children, and social spaces in buildings that foster connections within the building and with the broader community. |
PH-9 | Continue to proactively remediate health hazards in existing housing units, such as through lead and radon abatement programs. Focus housing improvement programs in underinvested areas where unhealthy housing has created poor health outcomes. Continue to work with residents to improve indoor air quality and reduce indoor environmental pollutants such as lead, mold, pests, and radon that can have lifelong impacts on health. These conditions and pollutants disproportionately impact low-income households, children of color, and renters.
|
PH-10 | Work with communities to access funding and resources to improve energy efficiency in existing housing (see also Housing Affordability and Diversity Objective). |
|
|
Address climate change and improve air quality |
PH-11 | Install monitoring stations to gather and track several different environmental variables such as air quality. Work with the Health Department to identify locations. See also Environmental Health and Resiliency Objective. |
PH-12 | Include public health considerations more effectively in development plans and during the development review process. This includes sidewalk and trail connectivity and energy efficient buildings.
|
|
|
|
|
- Cultural Amenities
- Desirable Place
- Healthy Environmental Systems
- Livable Neighborhoods and Diverse Housing
- Mobility Options
- Walkable, Clean, and Safe
|
|
Addressing Disinvestment Citywide Accessibility Community Collaboration Community Engagement Complete Communities Inclusive Design Providing Services
|
Related Plans and Policies |
|
|
|
|
|
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