Summary: Determinants Of Urban Health

Large number of the world’s population in recent times tend to live in cities, since it became a standard of living for a large group of people. In the year 2007 half of the world 's population and in 2030 three quarters will be living in urban areas; whereas a great portion of these people are expected to live in slum settlements. The reason behind this increase is due to several factors, including population growth, increased survival and migration. Therefore it should be noted here that the number of diseases will increase due to city congestion. (Freudenberg, Galea and Vlahov, 2006; ICSU, 2011). For this reason urban planners, designers and architects should study well the reasons behind these diseases, how the urban areas are affecting

2.3 Determinants of Urban Health

There are four determinants that affect public health in cities and urban areas, these determinants include the people who live in a city, the physical and the social environment in which they live, and the array of health and social services that are available (Freudenberg, Galea and Vlahov, 2006).

2.3.1 Population:

Urban and nonurban residents differ in many ways, but although these differences are not found within the nature of the individual, rather they are gained through their social life. Such as immigration and suburbanization that helped in sorting people into urban and nonurban individuals. Therefore urban areas might encounter high levels of pollution, prevalence of infectious diseases, quality of environment, and potentials of drug usage, etc… due to the high congestion of people (Freudenberg, Galea, and Vlahov,

Social life help people interact through going for walking, riding bikes, climbing etc. In addition communities having a variety of cultures and races will increase the social life among the residents (Freudenberg, Galea and Vlahov, 2006).

All these determinants will be taken into consideration in analyzing the study area to help determine whether it is a social healthy environment. And the effect of increasing population in the study area and pollution on the residents health.

2.4 Possibilities of design that benefit human health in urban areas

2.4.1 Buildings and grounds:

Here the emphases is on visual and physical access to the outdoors. Through exposing the inhabitants to natural light, ventilation, views of greenery, and close proximity to outdoor green spaces. Frederick Law Olmsted observed in the 19th century that being exposed to nature (parks and gardens) reduces the stress of daily urban life (affecting both mental and physical health). Sullivan and Kuo (1996) illustrated that the presence of trees and greenery near houses rather than dirt and paved areas; reduces the levels of violence in communities and neighborhoods. That’s why people in upper floors suffer more diseases, physical problems and social isolation compaired to people living in ground floor level (Jackson,