title: Tackling the social determinants of inequalities in health during Phase V of the Healthy Cities Project in Europe.
abstract: The WHO European Healthy Cities Network has from its inception aimed at tackling inequalities in health. In carrying out an evaluation of Phase V of the project (2009-13), an attempt was made to examine how far the concept of equity in health is understood and accepted; whether cities had moved further from a disease/medical model to looking at the social determinants of inequalities in health; how far the HC project contributed to cities determining the extent and causes of inequalities in health; what efforts were made to tackle such inequalities and how far inequalities in health may have increased or decreased during Phase V. A broader range of resources was utilized for this evaluation than in previous phases of the project. These indicated that most cities were definitely looking at the broader determinants. Equality in health was better understood and had been included as a value in a range of city policies. This was facilitated by stronger involvement of the HC project in city planning processes. Although almost half the cities participating had prepared a City Health Profile, only few cities had the necessary local level data to monitor changes in inequalities in health.
authors.affiliation: Retired, 14 Tsangaris Street, Melissia 151 27, Greece annarits@otenet.gr.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ritsatakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences Malmoe, Lund University, CRC Scania University Hospital, Jan Waldenstroms Gata 35, SE 20205 Malmoe, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per-Olof
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Ostergren
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Population Health, Oxford University, Old Rd, Headington, Oxford OX3 7JZ, UK.
authors.forename: Premila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Webster
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D019058:Community Networks; D005060:Europe; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D015397:Program Evaluation; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: determinants of health; evaluation of healthy cities network; inequalities in health; social determinants of health