City health development planning – experiences from the Hungarian members of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network

ABSTRACT

This study showcases the City Health Development Planning (CHDP) methodology developed and implemented in Hungarian designated cities of the World Health Organization European Healthy Cities Network. This methodology is based on those principles that the WHO-EHCN recommends for CHDP works. The methodology consists of two phases: creating a City Health Profile (CHP) with specific components such as content analysis of the city’s strategic policy documents, semi-structured interviews with local political decision-makers, adopting a decentralized and participatory planning approach, and gathering available health-related data from the city. Then, the City Health Development Plan is created based on the statement of the CHP using the CHDP. The effectiveness of CHDP efforts, relies on three crucial factors: local politicians’ commitment, the operation of a local multisectoral steering committee, and annual action plans approved by the local government. Kingdon’s multiple streams theory suggests that issues are addressed when the streams of problems, policy, and politics align. The CHDP methodology described in this paper can effectively support the alignment of the three streams and open a window of opportunity to contribute to creating a healthy urban environment, as demonstrated by the experiences of the Hungarian designated cities of the WHO-EHCN.

KEYWORDS:

• Urban health
• setting-based approach to health promotion
• city health profile
• social determinants of health

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The WHO-EHCN designated cities are those cities which are committed to the actual five-year working phase of WHO-EHCN and meet the organizational structure required and other requirements defined.

Learn more: https://www.who.int/europe/publications/m/item/implementation-framework-for-phase-vii-(2019-2025)-of-the-who-european-healthy-cities-network-goals-requirements-and-strategic-approaches-(2019).

2. e.g. Ottawa Charter (1986), WHO (1998b, 2000); and others.

3. cf.: Garcia and McCarthy (1997).

4. In Hungary, the larger cities typically allocate an annual renewal development budget to each elected representative from an individual constituency. The councilors are authorized to utilize these funds to support accomplishing community goals within their districts.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

János Girán

All the authors belong to a research group operating in the framework of the Healthy Cities Association in the Carpathian Basin located in Hungary. The team comprises many experts, including health educators, teachers, mental health professionals, sociologists, health promotion professionals, public health experts, and local policymakers. The research group’s mission is to support the local achievement of the health promotion goals set by the WHO European Healthy Cities program. To achieve these goals, we develop methodological answers supporting our member cities’ specific needs and day-to-day health promotion efforts. This way, we foster the development of healthy and sustainable urban communities.