TY - JOUR PY - 2015// TI - Policymaking in European healthy cities JO - Health promotion international A1 - De Leeuw, Evelyne A1 - Green, Geoff A1 - Spanswick, Lucy A1 - Palmer, Nicola SP - i18 EP - i31 VL - 30 Suppl 1 IS - N2 - This paper assesses policy development in, with and for Healthy Cities in the European Region of the World Health Organization. Materials for the assessment were sourced through case studies, a questionnaire and statistical databases. They were compiled in a realist synthesis methodology, applying theory-based evaluation principles. Non-response analyses were applied to ascertain the degree of representatives of the high response rates for the entire network of Healthy Cities in Europe. Further measures of reliability and validity were applied, and it was found that our material was indicative of the entire network. European Healthy Cities are successful in developing local health policy across many sectors within and outside government. They were also successful in addressing 'wicked' problems around equity, governance and participation in themes such as Healthy Urban Planning. It appears that strong local leadership for policy change is driven by international collaboration and the stewardship of the World Health Organization. The processes enacted by WHO, structuring membership of the Healthy City Network (designation) and the guidance on particular themes, are identified as being important for the success of local policy development.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0957-4824 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/heapro/dav035 ID - ref1 ER -