Air pollution, physical activity, road traffic injuries are important determinants of health that are affected by transportation patterns. Studies have demonstrated the potential for increased walking and cycling to benefit population health and the environment. The role of city planning and design in promoting population health is increasingly recognized as an essential and promising solution. To make such benefits apparent to decision makers and stakeholders, and further ensure success of such solutions, more work is needed in developing health impact modeling tools which address in a robust manner real world policies and conditions and integrate a variety of impacts.
The ASTHAIR PhD project aims at developing health impact models of proposed urban changes which consider multiple impacts, including co-benefits and trade-offs, integrates advanced knowledge on current activity patterns and other baseline conditions, and includes a framework for effectively communicating findings as feedback to stakeholders to ensure successful implementation and uptake. The results of this work should provide innovative solutions to promote and develop active transport. Industrial partners will be involved in the project and are interested in potential transfer.