Understanding how to create healthier places: A qualitative study exploring the complex system of urban development decision-making

Anna Le Gouais; Geoff Bates; Rosalie Callway; Heeseo Rain Kwon; Lisa Montel; Sian Peake-Jones; Jo White; Md Nazmul Hasan; Caglar Koksal; Andrew Barnfield; Krista Bondy; Sarah Ayres

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103023

Understanding how to create healthier places: A qualitative study exploring the complex system of urban development decision-making

Anna Le Gouais, Geoff Bates, Rosalie Callway, Heeseo Rain Kwon, Lisa Montel, Sian Peake-Jones, Jo White, Md Nazmul Hasan, Caglar Koksal, Andrew Barnfield, Krista Bondy, Sarah Ayres

Institute for Policy Research (IPR)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

25 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Tackling complex system challenges like creating healthy environments requires understanding priorities and structures affecting multiple actors. This qualitative study, involving 132 multi-sectoral stakeholders spanning the urban development decision-making system, explores how to influence healthier place-making. Using thematic analysis we develop themes around competing stakeholder priorities; structural ‘rules’ and influential relationships; and justifying a focus on health, requiring greater clarity and consensus around definitions of ‘healthy’ urban development. Building on the socio-ecological model we highlight how a multi-faceted approach is required for change at multiple levels in the complex system to target individual actor motivations, organisational priorities and structural ‘rules’.

Original language	English
Article number	103023
Journal	Health & Place
Volume	81
Early online date	18 Apr 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103023
Publication status	Published - 31 May 2023

Bibliographical note

This work was supported by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (award reference: MR/S037586/1), which is funded by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (Welsh Government), Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Natural Environment Research Council, Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland), The Health Foundation and Wellcome.

Data availability
Data will be made available on request.

Keywords

Public health
Urban
Qualitative
complex systems
Decision-making
Urban development
Environmental determinants
System
Population health

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health(social science)
Life-span and Life-course Studies
Sociology and Political Science

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103023Licence: CC BY

Cite this

Le Gouais, A., Bates, G., Callway, R., Kwon, H. R., Montel, L., Peake-Jones, S., White, J., Hasan, M. N., Koksal, C., Barnfield, A., Bondy, K., & Ayres, S. (2023). Understanding how to create healthier places: A qualitative study exploring the complex system of urban development decision-making. Health & Place, 81, Article 103023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103023

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abstract = "Tackling complex system challenges like creating healthy environments requires understanding priorities and structures affecting multiple actors. This qualitative study, involving 132 multi-sectoral stakeholders spanning the urban development decision-making system, explores how to influence healthier place-making. Using thematic analysis we develop themes around competing stakeholder priorities; structural {\textquoteleft}rules{\textquoteright} and influential relationships; and justifying a focus on health, requiring greater clarity and consensus around definitions of {\textquoteleft}healthy{\textquoteright} urban development. Building on the socio-ecological model we highlight how a multi-faceted approach is required for change at multiple levels in the complex system to target individual actor motivations, organisational priorities and structural {\textquoteleft}rules{\textquoteright}.",

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note = "This work was supported by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (award reference: MR/S037586/1), which is funded by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (Welsh Government), Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Natural Environment Research Council, Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland), The Health Foundation and Wellcome. Data availability Data will be made available on request.",

year = "2023",

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doi = "10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103023",

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AU - White, Jo

AU - Hasan, Md Nazmul

AU - Koksal, Caglar

AU - Barnfield, Andrew

AU - Bondy, Krista

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AB - Tackling complex system challenges like creating healthy environments requires understanding priorities and structures affecting multiple actors. This qualitative study, involving 132 multi-sectoral stakeholders spanning the urban development decision-making system, explores how to influence healthier place-making. Using thematic analysis we develop themes around competing stakeholder priorities; structural ‘rules’ and influential relationships; and justifying a focus on health, requiring greater clarity and consensus around definitions of ‘healthy’ urban development. Building on the socio-ecological model we highlight how a multi-faceted approach is required for change at multiple levels in the complex system to target individual actor motivations, organisational priorities and structural ‘rules’.

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Understanding how to create healthier places: A qualitative study exploring the complex system of urban development decision-making

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Tackling the Root Causes of Unhealthy Planning, Economics and Decision-making: An Urban Systems Approach

Cite this

Understanding how to create healthier places: A qualitative study exploring the complex system of urban development decision-making

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Tackling the Root Causes of Unhealthy Planning, Economics and Decision-making: An Urban Systems Approach

Cite this