Healthy places to live, work and play
- Place
Where we live, work and play have an impact on:
- our health
- our wellbeing
- the planet
Health outcomes such as life expectancy vary between different groups of people.
Health inequalities are differences in the health of different population groups.
The fundamental causes of health inequalities are global, societal and policy driven.
These drivers have both an immediate and long-term effect on the places and communities in which we live, learn, play and work.
This in turn impacts on health and wellbeing both at an individual and community level.
To create healthy and sustainable environments where everyone can thrive, we need the right building blocks in place.
These include:
- affordable, good quality housing
- connected and empowered communities
- high quality, blue, green and open spaces
- fair and just employment opportunities.
- access to education in schools, colleges, and universities
- health and social care provision
- accessible and affordable transport
- affordable and healthy food
Not everyone in Scotland has equal access to these building blocks for good health and are therefore unable to benefit from them.
Read more about place and health on Our Place (external website).