Course Curriculum Welcome ...
1.12.10 | Ann Forsyth, Carissa Schively Slotterback and Kevin J. Krizek published Health Impact Assessment in Planning: Development of the Design for Health HIA tools this month in the Environmental Impact Assessment Review.
Also, check out Jason Corburn's recent book Toward the Healthy City (MIT Press, October 2009)
In the early 1900s, planning and public health professionals worked together to protect public health and prevent the spread of disease by developing zoning laws to influence the built environment. However, the disciplines followed different paths with public health focusing on a clinical model, and planning on policy development and physical form. These two fields are re-connecting now as many chronic diseases are associated with the built environment and the individual behaviors that cumulatively lead to negative health outcomes.
Despite this change, planning and public health education, with few exceptions, remains disconnected. This website provides a response to the need for enhanced communication and thus understanding among the planning and public health educators and professionals through the offering of an interdisciplinary undergraduate, graduate, or continuing education curriculum. This curriculum is flexible enough to be offered as a full semester course, individual units or single class modules or individual assignments. This website also provides opportunity for faculty and other users to share comments, amendments and develop collaborations at the intersection of the built environment and health.