The potential of the Place Standard Tool to foster healthy urban & rural development with an equity lens

Abstract

Abstract The Joint Action on Health Equity Europe (JAHEE) identified municipalities as relevant level of intervention to promote health equity. Place and health are both determinants of inequity and could be influenced through policy fields such as urban or social planning. One major challenge of this health in all policies (HiAP) approach is inter-sectoral collaboration within administration, politics and with other stakeholders, including the public. Within different sectors, concepts of equity vary and are not on the agenda of everyday work. We explore the potential of the German adaptation of the Place Standard Tool to foster inter-sectoral multi-stakeholder dialogue on health equity in urban and rural contexts, and how it can possibly support local governance for health in all policies in Germany. Our presentation is based on a transfer project of the Place Standard Tool to the German context within the JAHEE project. In 2020, the tool is pilot tested in four municipalities in Germany, which differ in size, urban and rural context and which are located in two federal states. It is applied in real municipal planning and participation processes. In this pilot study we also explore how the Place Standard Tool could be used to reach those people of the public who are usually underrepresented in healthy urban and rural development. This is essential to follow aspects of procedural justice and empowerment which are one dimension of health equity.