Urban health is an interdisciplinary field of research and work, so it is complex by nature. It challenges “siloed” views of urban planning and public health, advancing an integrated approach to address the complexity of urban ecosystems.

In order to get acquainted with the field of urban health, we suggest a reading list on this topic. Please choose one or more articles and read them before you move on to the next step. This reading exercise will allow you to better understand the topics and arguments presented in the next steps.

The following list of open access articles will remain available, so feel free to come back to it if you want to learn more about urban health.

When you have finished reading the article(s), try to answer the following questions:

• What would you define as a healthy living environment?
• How do you evaluate the city that you live in, or the closest city to your home, in terms of health risks or benefits?

For both questions, please refer to your chosen article(s) or your own experiences.

Articles on urban health

Read the definition of Urban Health on the WHO’s website: World Health Organization’s urban health topic page

Urban Health Education: Global Challenges and Opportunities

If you want to delve deeper, you can read the following article: URBAN HEALTH: Evidence, Challenges, and Directions

Articles on urban health in Africa

Urban health in Africa: a critical global public health priority

Urban Health Research in Africa: Themes and Priority Research Questions

If you want to delve deeper, you can read the following article: Risk Factors for Infectious Diseases in Urban Environments of Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review and Critical Appraisal of Evidence