Many people see health as the responsibility of clinicians, nutritionists, and other health care professionals. Yet it has become clear that although vitally important, clinical care makes up just 10% to 20% of overall health (1). The physical  environment is an important factor underlying our health ecosystem, influencing how we think, feel, and behave (2). The United Nations (3)  and the World Health Organization (4)  have identified better housing and neighborhood conditions as critical to reducing health inequalities.

Physical environments designed to enhance social connections enrich people’s lives on a daily basis but especially pay off in moments of crisis, such as in the aftermath of man-made or natural disasters, when people’s reliance on neighbors and local friends is critical to their survival (5). This report is not suggesting that the physical environment is the answer to every challenge, but it is an important and often overlooked part of our lives.

REFERENCES: 1. Hood, Gennuso, Swain, & Catlin, 2016; Sir et al., 2012; 2. Cerin, 2019; Hood et al., 2016; Nanda et al., 2017; Peavey Hsieh & Taylor, 2016; Sallis et al., 2006; Wilkie, Townshend, Thompson, & Ling, 2018; 3. United Nations, 2015b, 2015a; 4. World Health Organization, 2018; 5. Klinenberg, 2018

FULL REPORT: https://www.hksinc.com/how-we-think/research/connecting-irl-how-the-built-environment-can-foster-social-health/