title: Healthy Cities Phase V evaluation: further synthesizing realism.
abstract: In this article we reflect on the quality of a realist synthesis paradigm applied to the evaluation of Phase V of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network. The programmatic application of this approach has led to very high response rates and a wealth of important data. All articles in this Supplement report that cities in the network move from small-scale, time-limited projects predominantly focused on health lifestyles to the significant inclusion of policies and programmes on systems and values for good health governance. The evaluation team felt that, due to time and resource limitations, it was unable to fully exploit the potential of realist synthesis. In particular, the synthetic integration of different strategic foci of Phase V designation areas did not come to full fruition. We recommend better and more sustained integration of realist synthesis in the practice of Healthy Cities in future Phases.
authors.affiliation: Glocal Health Consultants, Geelong, Australia evelyne@glocalhealthconsultants.com e.deleeuw@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Leeuw
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
authors.forename: Agis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsouros
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dyakova
authors.affiliation: Leeds University, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farrington
authors.affiliation: Proactivity, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Faskunger
authors.affiliation: Healthy Urban Planning, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.affiliation: Health Impact Assessment, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ison
authors.affiliation: Lund, Sweden Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
authors.forename: Josephine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jackisch
authors.affiliation: The Women's Sports Network, London, UK.
authors.forename: Leah Janss
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Lafond
authors.affiliation: Planning and Development, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lease
authors.affiliation: Baltic Region Healthy Cities Association, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mackiewicz
authors.affiliation: Lunds Universitet, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per-Olof
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Östergren
authors.affiliation: La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Independent Researcher, Melissia, Greece.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ritsatakis
authors.affiliation: University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simos
authors.affiliation: Barwon Medicare Local, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spanswick
authors.affiliation: Public Health Specialist Training Programme, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Premila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.affiliation: Udine Healthy City, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zamaro
authors.affiliation: Independent Researcher, London, UK.
authors.forename: June
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crown
authors.affiliation: Global Health Programme at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kickbusch
authors.affiliation: Independent Researcher, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: WHO Collaborating Centre, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scally
authors.affiliation: Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biddle
authors.affiliation: Survey Monkey Programmer, USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Earl
authors.affiliation: Healthy Cities Support, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: WHO Healthy Cities Network Belfast Secretariat, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Devlin
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration; D005060:Europe; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D015397:Program Evaluation; D015980:Public Health Practice; D014504:Urban Health; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: concepts; critical perspectives; evaluation; healthy cities