The Built Environment

The built environment includes all of the physical structures of where individuals live, work, and play. This can include homes, buildings, streets, open spaces, and infrastructures. Additionally, the built environment includes "neighborhood social capital, such as interpersonal trust and accepted behavior norms, perceived neighborhood safety, and area deprivation" (Roman, Stodolska, Yahner, & Shinew, 2013). While everyone experiences a different built environment, it is the influence of physical features and social constructs of the built environment, when unequally distributed that contribute to health disparities.

Consider for example that when neighborhood safety and social capital is high, physical activity levels increase and obesity risks decrease among U.S. children. (Roman et al., 2013).

How can farmers markets decrease obesity prevalence? Is having access to a safe and clean park equipped with bicycle and running trails effective for promoting regular exercise? As you reflect on features of the built environment that you may be familiar with, consider how these features may play a role in the health outcomes experienced by different populations.

For this Discussion, view the media piece, Unnatural Causes: Episode 5, in this week's Learning Resources. Think about how the information presented in the media relates to health and well-being. Then, select a community with which you are familiar and consider how physical features of this community might impact health outcomes.

This Discussion will be available from Day 1 through Day 7 of this week. You are required to submit your initial post by Day 3. You are encouraged to post early. Once you have submitted your initial post, start engaging in a discussion with your colleagues. You must respond to at least one of your colleagues by no later than Day 5 and should continue to interact frequently with your colleagues through Day 7. Part of what makes a Discussion a discussion and not a lecture is the back and forth, in-depth, animated interaction of at least two people. If you start a topic and none of your colleagues are responding, consider what you can do to get the conversation going. Include something that would elicit further thoughts and different opinions from colleagues. Validate your opinions with references and links to the sources you used so that your colleagues can read them for themselves. See your Discussion rubric in the Course Information tab for specific grading requirements.

Post by Day 3 an explanation of how affordable, quality, and safe housing conditions promote health. Explain how home ownership (or lack thereof) might affect conditions in your community. Then describe two physical features in a given community that can have a positive and negative impact on health outcomes and explain why.

Remember to begin interaction with your colleagues in the Discussion no later than Day 5 and continue engaging through Day 7. Continue the Discussionby Day 5 and explain which two social determinants of health might be most useful for designing effective health interventions to the physical features your colleague described.

Support your work with specific citations from this week's Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct.