How could 20-minute neighbourhoods impact health and health inequalities? A policy scoping review

Abstract Background ‘Twenty-minute neighbourhoods’ (or variations, such as 15-minute cities) are receiving increasing policy attention with anticipated impacts on population health (inequalities) outcomes alongside sustainability improvements. Yet, factors contributing to possible health impacts are...

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Main Authors: Roxana Pollack, Jonathan R Olsen, Alison Heppenstall, Andreas Hoehn, Jennifer Boyd, Vicki Ponce Hardy, Jennifer Littlejohn, Amy Stevenson, Richard Mitchell, Petra Meier, Jonathan Stokes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-12-01
Series:BMC Public Health
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20928-5
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author Roxana Pollack
Jonathan R Olsen
Alison Heppenstall
Andreas Hoehn
Jennifer Boyd
Vicki Ponce Hardy
Jennifer Littlejohn
Amy Stevenson
Richard Mitchell
Petra Meier
Jonathan Stokes
author_facet Roxana Pollack
Jonathan R Olsen
Alison Heppenstall
Andreas Hoehn
Jennifer Boyd
Vicki Ponce Hardy
Jennifer Littlejohn
Amy Stevenson
Richard Mitchell
Petra Meier
Jonathan Stokes
author_sort Roxana Pollack
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background ‘Twenty-minute neighbourhoods’ (or variations, such as 15-minute cities) are receiving increasing policy attention with anticipated impacts on population health (inequalities) outcomes alongside sustainability improvements. Yet, factors contributing to possible health impacts are not well understood. This scoping review aimed to identify proposed and evidenced pathways to health (inequality) outcomes from international policy plans. Methods We first identified relevant academic literature, searching Scopus, (Ovid) Medline and Embase databases. A second search aimed to identify local or national planning or policy documents on government websites and related organisations. We followed a snowball search strategy to retrieve examples identified from the academic literature search and from the C40 cities network. These policy documents were our primary target for extraction, and we extracted and analysed by individual place. Pathways to health and health inequality outcomes identified in these documents were inductively coded thematically. We used Sankey diagrams to visually aggregate the thematic codes for each place relating to pathways to health outcomes and social determinants (mechanisms). Results In total, 36 places across 17 countries were included, described across 96 academic articles, policy plans and reports. While different health improvement outcomes were included as a goal in nearly all policy plans, most frequently references were to health in general rather than specific health outcomes. Pathways to health were discussed in numerous policy plans across three overarching themes: proximity, place redesign, and environmental action. Proximity pathways were most frequently outlined as the means to achieve health outcomes, with active travel acting through increased physical activity/reduced obesity as the most frequent individual pathway. However, few plans specified what would actually be implemented in practice to achieve the increased proximity to services. Health inequalities were only mentioned by six places specifically, although nearly half of all places mentioned broader inequality aims (e.g., poverty reduction). Possible unintended consequences to health inequalities also received some attention, for example through displacement of residents. Discussion Pathways to assumed health (inequality) outcomes require better specification and evidence. Health inequalities are particularly under-explored, and scenario modelling might provide a means to explore the dynamic aspects necessary to examine these important outcomes pre-implementation.
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spelling doaj-art-c4c90cee8f874a0fba3a90da65c197b52025-08-20T01:57:13ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582024-12-0124111610.1186/s12889-024-20928-5How could 20-minute neighbourhoods impact health and health inequalities? A policy scoping reviewRoxana Pollack0Jonathan R Olsen1Alison Heppenstall2Andreas Hoehn3Jennifer Boyd4Vicki Ponce Hardy5Jennifer Littlejohn6Amy Stevenson7Richard Mitchell8Petra Meier9Jonathan Stokes10MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears BuildingMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears BuildingMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears BuildingMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears BuildingSalvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research, University of StirlingMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears BuildingMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears BuildingMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears BuildingMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears BuildingMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears BuildingMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears BuildingAbstract Background ‘Twenty-minute neighbourhoods’ (or variations, such as 15-minute cities) are receiving increasing policy attention with anticipated impacts on population health (inequalities) outcomes alongside sustainability improvements. Yet, factors contributing to possible health impacts are not well understood. This scoping review aimed to identify proposed and evidenced pathways to health (inequality) outcomes from international policy plans. Methods We first identified relevant academic literature, searching Scopus, (Ovid) Medline and Embase databases. A second search aimed to identify local or national planning or policy documents on government websites and related organisations. We followed a snowball search strategy to retrieve examples identified from the academic literature search and from the C40 cities network. These policy documents were our primary target for extraction, and we extracted and analysed by individual place. Pathways to health and health inequality outcomes identified in these documents were inductively coded thematically. We used Sankey diagrams to visually aggregate the thematic codes for each place relating to pathways to health outcomes and social determinants (mechanisms). Results In total, 36 places across 17 countries were included, described across 96 academic articles, policy plans and reports. While different health improvement outcomes were included as a goal in nearly all policy plans, most frequently references were to health in general rather than specific health outcomes. Pathways to health were discussed in numerous policy plans across three overarching themes: proximity, place redesign, and environmental action. Proximity pathways were most frequently outlined as the means to achieve health outcomes, with active travel acting through increased physical activity/reduced obesity as the most frequent individual pathway. However, few plans specified what would actually be implemented in practice to achieve the increased proximity to services. Health inequalities were only mentioned by six places specifically, although nearly half of all places mentioned broader inequality aims (e.g., poverty reduction). Possible unintended consequences to health inequalities also received some attention, for example through displacement of residents. Discussion Pathways to assumed health (inequality) outcomes require better specification and evidence. Health inequalities are particularly under-explored, and scenario modelling might provide a means to explore the dynamic aspects necessary to examine these important outcomes pre-implementation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20928-520-minute neighbourhoods15-minute citiesHealth inequalitiesPlace-based interventions
spellingShingle Roxana Pollack
Jonathan R Olsen
Alison Heppenstall
Andreas Hoehn
Jennifer Boyd
Vicki Ponce Hardy
Jennifer Littlejohn
Amy Stevenson
Richard Mitchell
Petra Meier
Jonathan Stokes
How could 20-minute neighbourhoods impact health and health inequalities? A policy scoping review
BMC Public Health
20-minute neighbourhoods
15-minute cities
Health inequalities
Place-based interventions
title How could 20-minute neighbourhoods impact health and health inequalities? A policy scoping review
title_full How could 20-minute neighbourhoods impact health and health inequalities? A policy scoping review
title_fullStr How could 20-minute neighbourhoods impact health and health inequalities? A policy scoping review
title_full_unstemmed How could 20-minute neighbourhoods impact health and health inequalities? A policy scoping review
title_short How could 20-minute neighbourhoods impact health and health inequalities? A policy scoping review
title_sort how could 20 minute neighbourhoods impact health and health inequalities a policy scoping review
topic 20-minute neighbourhoods
15-minute cities
Health inequalities
Place-based interventions
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20928-5
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