Social Capital

Social capital is often seen as an indicator of health. Those with strong personal and social relationships report better health. Studies have shown that different measures of social capital (e.g., increased levels of trust, political participation, neighborhood familiarity, participation in protests, election voting, etc.) are supported by different built environments. As such, different kinds of environments can facilitate social capital.

Design for Health (DFH) Materials

Other Resources

Fact Sheets and Posters

  • Housing Density Fact Sheets 
    These are individual, two-page documents that present local examples of housing and neighborhoods in and near Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The housing examples range in density from seven dwelling units per acre (du/ac) to 110

Journals and Journal Articles

  • Healthy Nature Healthy People
    This systematic review of the literature on parks and human health finds benefits in stress reduction. Published in Health Promotion International, it is available at many university libraries.

PowerPoint Presentations

Web Sites

  • InformeDesign 
    InformeDesign is a research and communication tool for designers. Its search engine provides research summaries on many health themes. Each article summary has the following elements: design issue, design criteria, key concepts, research method, limitations, and commentary.

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