Health and the Built Environment Placemaking Workshop, February 2018 Vermont Department of Health Suzanne Kelley; Healthy Communities Program Coordinator
Vision: Healthy People in Healthy Communities As Vermonters, we take great pride in our quality of life, strong communities, natural places and commitment to healthy living. We share a common goal: To ensure that our state continues to be one of the healthiest and best places in the U.S. for all of us to live, work and play.
Contributors to Health
Health Behaviors that Contribute to Chronic Disease 79% 84%* Disparities 39% 49%* Adults without Depression Adults with Depression 30%* 14% 79% Health Behaviors that Contribute to Chronic Disease 89%* Non-Low SES Adults Adults of Low SES 53%* Do NOT Eat 5 Servings of Fruits and Vegetables Per Day^ (*) notes statistical difference Do NOT Get Recommended Physical Activity^ Currently Smoke^ Data Source: 2015 and 2016 BRFSS ^Data are age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 population Health Behaviors that Contribute to Chronic Disease 38% 37%* 79% 86%* Adults without a Disability Adults with Disabilities 13% 59%* Do NOT Eat 5 Servings of Fruits and Vegetables Per Day^ Do NOT Get Recommended Physical Activity^ Currently Smoke^ 37% 37%* (*) notes statistical difference Data Source: BRFSS, 2015 and 2016 ^Age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 population 14% Do NOT Eat 5 Servings of Fruits and Vegetables Per Day (*) notes statistical difference Do NOT Get Recommended Physical Activity Currently Smoke Data Source: 2015 and 2016 BRFSS ^Data are age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 population
Disparities
Lead screening, tobacco taxes; complete streets policy Improving bike and pedestrian safety; farmers markets; smoke free parks and public events Smoke free worksites; school & worksite healthy food policies. Walking groups; cessation support groups 1:1 counseling or education about smoking cessation, nutrition, weight loss
Impact of environmental changes HEALTHY CITIES AND TOWNS SEE: Two-fold increase in daily recommended physical activity in walkable communities. 35% increase in physical activity when inviting, safe environments for exercise exist. Lower overweight and obesity rates with access to fresh and healthy foods. Reduced secondhand smoke exposure and increased quit success with smoke-free places.
What if we built our communities around places? Placemaking inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community. Strengthening the connection between people and the places they share, Placemaking refers to a collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm in order to maximize shared value.
Placemaking With community-based participation at its center, an effective Placemaking process capitalizes on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential, and it results in the creation of quality public spaces that contribute to people's health, happiness, and well being.
Community Preventive Services Task Force The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends built environment strategies that combine one or more interventions to improve pedestrian, bicycle, or transit transportation systems with one or more land use and environmental design interventions based on sufficient evidence of effectiveness in increasing physical activity. https://www.thecommunityguide.org/sites/default/files/assets/ PA
Pedestrian & Bicycle Transportation System Interventions Intervention Components Street pattern design and connectivity Pedestrian infrastructure Bicycle infrastructure Selected Examples Designs increasing street connections and creating multiple route options, shorter block lengths Sidewalks, trails, traffic calming, intersection design, street lighting and landscaping Protected bicycle systems, bicycle lanes, trails, traffic calming, intersection design, street lighting and landscaping Public transit infrastructure & access Expanded transit services, times, locations, and connections
Land Use & Environmental Design Interventions Intervention Component Mixed land use Polices increasing residential density Proximity to community or neighborhood destinations Parks and recreational facility access Selected Examples Residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or industrial uses of land whose functions are physically and functionally integrated, providing a balanced mix Smart growth communities and new urbanist designs, relaxed planning restrictions in appropriate locations to reduce sprawl, sustainable compact cities and communities with affordable housing Community destinations such as stores, health facilities, banks, and social clubs that are accessible and close to each other Public parks, public recreational facilities, private fitness facilities
Street Design Streets of every size can be reimagined and reoriented to prioritize safe driving and transit, biking, walking, and public activity. Streets can be changed. Transportation engineers can work flexibly within the building envelope of a street. Many city streets were created in a different era and need to be reconfigured to meet new needs. Streets are public spaces. Streets play a much larger role in the public life of cities and communities than just thoroughfares for traffic https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide
Pedestrian Infrastructure Communities with successful pedestrian transportatio n options: Recognize safe and usable pedestrian environme nts require more than meeting minimum standards. Are places where pedestrians are anticipated, encouraged, and will congregate. Adopt policies, ordinances, and guidelines that sup port streets that serve multiple transportation modes. http://www.trb.org/publications/blurbs/167603.aspx
Bicycle Infrastructure People will choose to get around by bicycle when bikes and bike travel is: Safe Convenient Acceptable Accessible http://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/getting_the_wheels_rolling_toolkit-final_20130823_0.pdf
Putting it all together Marked bike lanes Bike shares, bike racks Benches Parklets Street greenery Street Art Smoke free zones Way Finding Signs Food carts Farmer s market
Thank you! Thanks to the National Physical Activity Society (NPAS) Stories from Small Towns for many of the photos.