Unhealthy Placesfocuses on issues of health in today's cities. By arguing that "place matters" in relation to the population's health, Kevin Fitzpatrick and Mark LaGory make a convincing argument about the general unhealthiness of urban environments and, thus, of the urban dweller. The authors offer a place-oriented approach to health and cover such topics as the ecology of everyday urban life, the sociology of health, needs and risks of the socially disadvantaged, needs and risks of children and the elderly in cities, and strategies for better health services in urban environments.
Table of Contents
List of Tables/Figures
Acknowledgments
The Importance of Place
p. 1
Place Matters
p. 4
Why an Urban, Place-Based Approach to Health?
p. 6
Place as Life Chance and Risk
p. 10
Place as Social Resource
p. 13
A Framework for the Book
p. 17
Humans as Spatial Animals
p. 23
The Meaning of Place
p. 24
Territorial Behavior in Animals
p. 26
Territorial Diversity in Humans
p. 30
The Nature of the Environment-Behavior Relationship
p. 34
Basic Spatial Needs in Humans
p. 37
The Ecology of Everyday Urban Life
p. 47
Micro Environments
p. 49
Macro Environments: Cities as Unique Environments for Living
p. 56
The Dimensions of the Urban Mosaic
p. 61
Capitalism and Landscapes of Hazard and Despair
p. 67
How Spatial Structures Affect Our Choices: A Constrained-Choice Approach
p. 71
The Sociology of Health
p. 83
The Healthy Society
p. 85
Health Beliefs
p. 87
Health Lifestyles
p. 89
Risk and Protective Factors
p. 93
Psychosocial Resources
p. 97
Spatial Structure and Health: Theoretical Underpinnings
p. 101
Cities as Mosaics of Risk and Protection
p. 107
Physical Hazards and Risks in the Residential Environment
p. 109
Sociocultural Hazards and Risks
p. 112
Blankets of Protection
p. 116
Physical and Mental Health Consequences for the Urban Dweller
p. 128
Special Populations in the City: Needs and Risks of the Socially Disadvantaged
p. 133
Inequality and Health
p. 134
The Homeless
p. 136
Risk and Hazard among the Homeless
p. 140
Health among the Homeless
p. 144
Psychosocial Protection against Hazards and Risks of Homelessness
p. 146
Racial and Ethnic Minorities
p. 151
Theories of the Underclass
p. 152
Context and Health Differences
p. 157
The Ghetto Resident's Dilemma
p. 163
Special populations in the City: Needs and Risks of the Young and Old
p. 167
Young Ones at Risk
p. 168
Resiliency among Urban Youth
p. 176
Forms of Protection
p. 177
Successful Prevention
p. 181
Elders at Risk: Physical and Mental Health Aspects of Aging
p. 183
An Ecological View of Aging
p. 187
Neighborhood as a Healthy Place for Aging
p. 193
The Ecology of Health Promotion and Service Delivery
p. 203
Removal Strategies
p. 207
Community Development Strategies
p. 212
Healthy Cities: A Comprehensive Community Development Strategy
p. 227
Planning for the Future: Minimizing the Urban Health Penalty
p. 229
References
p. 233
Index
p. 269
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.
