The Role of Human Agency in Global Urban Health

Introduction Global health is facing critical challenges (e.g., climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, increasing non-communicable diseases), particularly within urban settings (e.g., cities) where over half of the global population resides (Romanello et al., 2024). As rapid...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kai Michael Gensitz, Catherine Woods, Tadhg MacIntyre, Claudio R. Nigg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bern Open Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:Current Issues in Sport Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ciss-journal.org/article/view/12013
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832542520178900992
author Kai Michael Gensitz
Catherine Woods
Tadhg MacIntyre
Claudio R. Nigg
author_facet Kai Michael Gensitz
Catherine Woods
Tadhg MacIntyre
Claudio R. Nigg
author_sort Kai Michael Gensitz
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Global health is facing critical challenges (e.g., climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, increasing non-communicable diseases), particularly within urban settings (e.g., cities) where over half of the global population resides (Romanello et al., 2024). As rapid urbanization continues, pressures of current global health challenges increasingly threaten both human and nature health. Drawing upon previous health concepts (e.g., Global Health, Planetary Health, Biodiversity-Health-Nexus), this research postulates a new multi-dimensional approach to health indicators. This research emphasises human agency (i.e., ability of individuals to make choices and take action; Bandura, 2006) as core tenet and – grounded in a socio-ecological perspective (see Hagger, 2024) – both the recent driver of and the potential solution to global health challenges within urban settings, resulting in a novel concept of Global Urban Health. Methods Conceptualization was done through iterative literature reviews, including citation tracking of key papers, which informed a Delphy study to reach consensus with the expert consortium of the EU-Horizon project “GoGreenNext” on key socio-ecological components (SECs). Following the socio-ecological perspective, the Global Urban Health concept situates individuals within social and physical surroundings, which are overarched by government national and regional (e.g. urban) policies. Various health indicators and concrete measurement modalities to assess certain SECs are identified. The health indicators and measurement modalities are illustrated with example interventions that use nature-based solutions (e.g., green infrastructure) and emerging technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence) within urban settings to mitigate adverse health impacts of global health challenges. Results As core SEC in the Global Urban Health concept, every individual brings certain biological (e.g., genes, age, sex, physiology), sociodemographic (e.g., cultural background, education level, socioeconomic status), psychosocial (e.g., motivations, attitudes, self-efficacy, intentions, emotions, stress), and behavioral (e.g., physical activity, diet, pro-environmental actions) factors with them. Further SECs in individuals’ social surroundings contain close relatives (e.g., family, peers), (online) social networks, health care services as well as communities (e.g., neighbourhood, organisations) and the culture individuals live in; SECs in physical surroundings are the (built) environment (e.g., streets, housing blocks, parks), the biodiversity and climate of the specific area an individual is located in. Both surroundings are embedded in policies that govern the urban setting an individual resides. Each SEC and its associated health indicators potentially interact with each other. Human agency acts as the central force within Global Urban Health, linking individual actions to SECs and shaping transformative efforts against global health challenges. Discussion/Conclusion The Global Urban Health concept focuses on an interrelated multi-dimensional approach to health indicators that includes key SECs within urban settings. Considering urban settings as hubs for innovation and long-term sustainability (Nieuwenhuijsen, 2024), the concept of Global Urban Health underscores the need for transdisciplinary strategies to address pressing global health challenges and mitigate their adverse health impacts. By encouraging policy makers, urban planners, ecologists, and public health professionals as well as individuals in communities to adopt sustainable practices that benefit both human and nature health, the Global Urban Health concept provides a potential pathway for sustainable development of the entire globe (Brundtland, 1987).
format Article
id doaj-art-801363143faa46c4ba665e7d8983d5a3
institution Kabale University
issn 2414-6641
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Bern Open Publishing
record_format Article
series Current Issues in Sport Science
spelling doaj-art-801363143faa46c4ba665e7d8983d5a32025-02-04T03:15:12ZengBern Open PublishingCurrent Issues in Sport Science2414-66412025-01-0110210.36950/2025.2ciss040The Role of Human Agency in Global Urban HealthKai Michael Gensitz0Catherine Woods1Tadhg MacIntyre2Claudio R. Nigg3Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, SwitzerlandDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, IrelandALL Institute, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, IrelandInstitute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Switzerland Introduction Global health is facing critical challenges (e.g., climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, increasing non-communicable diseases), particularly within urban settings (e.g., cities) where over half of the global population resides (Romanello et al., 2024). As rapid urbanization continues, pressures of current global health challenges increasingly threaten both human and nature health. Drawing upon previous health concepts (e.g., Global Health, Planetary Health, Biodiversity-Health-Nexus), this research postulates a new multi-dimensional approach to health indicators. This research emphasises human agency (i.e., ability of individuals to make choices and take action; Bandura, 2006) as core tenet and – grounded in a socio-ecological perspective (see Hagger, 2024) – both the recent driver of and the potential solution to global health challenges within urban settings, resulting in a novel concept of Global Urban Health. Methods Conceptualization was done through iterative literature reviews, including citation tracking of key papers, which informed a Delphy study to reach consensus with the expert consortium of the EU-Horizon project “GoGreenNext” on key socio-ecological components (SECs). Following the socio-ecological perspective, the Global Urban Health concept situates individuals within social and physical surroundings, which are overarched by government national and regional (e.g. urban) policies. Various health indicators and concrete measurement modalities to assess certain SECs are identified. The health indicators and measurement modalities are illustrated with example interventions that use nature-based solutions (e.g., green infrastructure) and emerging technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence) within urban settings to mitigate adverse health impacts of global health challenges. Results As core SEC in the Global Urban Health concept, every individual brings certain biological (e.g., genes, age, sex, physiology), sociodemographic (e.g., cultural background, education level, socioeconomic status), psychosocial (e.g., motivations, attitudes, self-efficacy, intentions, emotions, stress), and behavioral (e.g., physical activity, diet, pro-environmental actions) factors with them. Further SECs in individuals’ social surroundings contain close relatives (e.g., family, peers), (online) social networks, health care services as well as communities (e.g., neighbourhood, organisations) and the culture individuals live in; SECs in physical surroundings are the (built) environment (e.g., streets, housing blocks, parks), the biodiversity and climate of the specific area an individual is located in. Both surroundings are embedded in policies that govern the urban setting an individual resides. Each SEC and its associated health indicators potentially interact with each other. Human agency acts as the central force within Global Urban Health, linking individual actions to SECs and shaping transformative efforts against global health challenges. Discussion/Conclusion The Global Urban Health concept focuses on an interrelated multi-dimensional approach to health indicators that includes key SECs within urban settings. Considering urban settings as hubs for innovation and long-term sustainability (Nieuwenhuijsen, 2024), the concept of Global Urban Health underscores the need for transdisciplinary strategies to address pressing global health challenges and mitigate their adverse health impacts. By encouraging policy makers, urban planners, ecologists, and public health professionals as well as individuals in communities to adopt sustainable practices that benefit both human and nature health, the Global Urban Health concept provides a potential pathway for sustainable development of the entire globe (Brundtland, 1987). https://ciss-journal.org/article/view/12013Global Urban HealthSocio-Ecological PerspectiveNature-Based SolutionsTechnologyBehavior Change
spellingShingle Kai Michael Gensitz
Catherine Woods
Tadhg MacIntyre
Claudio R. Nigg
The Role of Human Agency in Global Urban Health
Current Issues in Sport Science
Global Urban Health
Socio-Ecological Perspective
Nature-Based Solutions
Technology
Behavior Change
title The Role of Human Agency in Global Urban Health
title_full The Role of Human Agency in Global Urban Health
title_fullStr The Role of Human Agency in Global Urban Health
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Human Agency in Global Urban Health
title_short The Role of Human Agency in Global Urban Health
title_sort role of human agency in global urban health
topic Global Urban Health
Socio-Ecological Perspective
Nature-Based Solutions
Technology
Behavior Change
url https://ciss-journal.org/article/view/12013
work_keys_str_mv AT kaimichaelgensitz theroleofhumanagencyinglobalurbanhealth
AT catherinewoods theroleofhumanagencyinglobalurbanhealth
AT tadhgmacintyre theroleofhumanagencyinglobalurbanhealth
AT claudiornigg theroleofhumanagencyinglobalurbanhealth
AT kaimichaelgensitz roleofhumanagencyinglobalurbanhealth
AT catherinewoods roleofhumanagencyinglobalurbanhealth
AT tadhgmacintyre roleofhumanagencyinglobalurbanhealth
AT claudiornigg roleofhumanagencyinglobalurbanhealth