Urban Management and Health

New Methodologies for Old Challenges

Abstract

Objective - To critically analyze the interfaces between urban infrastructure and health, based on a review of national and international literature, focusing on identifying and evaluating innovative solutions - such as green infrastructure and complete streets - that respond to contemporary challenges posed by climate change, rapid urban growth, and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methodology - The study was conducted through a review of national and international scientific literature on urban infrastructure and health, focusing on the analysis of three complementary methodologies: (i) proposing indicators that seek to balance gray infrastructure with the demands for green and blue infrastructure in compact cities; (ii) evaluation of the functionality of urban roads for the implementation of “complete streets,” considering the functions of mobility, environment, and coexistence; and, finally, (iii) continuous spatiotemporal monitoring of quantitative and qualitative indicators that shape the health of urban populations.

Originality/Relevance - The study fills a theoretical gap related to the need to integrate scientific evidence into urban planning, especially in the Latin American context, where analyses that associate urban infrastructure, health, and sustainability in an integrated and operational manner are still scarce.

Results - The analyzed methodologies proved effective in guiding urban interventions that promote green infrastructure, improve urban mobility, and promote public health. Examples of successful applications of these approaches in urban and environmental planning stand out.

Theoretical/Methodological contributions - The study reinforces the importance of integrating environmental and urban indicators in planning, expanding the theoretical and methodological bases for the development of more resilient and healthy cities.

Social and Environmental contributions - It highlights the urgency of incorporating nature-based solutions and integrated methodologies into urban planning, with positive impacts on public health, environmental quality, and social well-being, especially in the face of contemporary climate and health crises.