Urban Sprawl and Public Health

The relationship between sprawl and health is discussed based on eight considerations: air pollution, heat, physical activity patterns, motor vehicle crashes, pedestrian injuries and deaths, water quality and quantity, mental health, and social capital.

Abstract

This article discusses the relationship between sprawl and health based on eight considerations: air pollution, heat, physical activity patterns, motor vehicle crashes, pedestrian injuries and deaths, water quality and quantity, mental health, and social capital. The data show both health benefits and health cost. As is true for most public health hazards, the adverse impacts of sprawl do not fall equally across the population, and those who are most affected deserves special attention. We address sprawl on a variety of levels, from personal transportation decisions to local zoning ordinances, from regional mass transit and land-use decisions to federal regulations, it is essential to incorporate health considerations into policy-making. Because the health effects of sprawl are unevenly distributed across the population, it is essential to incorporate considerations of social justice and equity. KW: Hyperthermia in automobiles Language: en