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Health Equity

Buenos Aires Park

Understanding the Drivers of Green Space Availability in Latin American Cities

Dec 18, 2024

A new study compiles extensive data on urban green spaces in 371 cities in eleven countries in Latin America and analyzes the quantity and spatial configuration of green spaces in relation to the characteristics of the urban environment.

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focus group during SALURBAL team meeting 2023

Climate Change Meets Public Health Meets Music

Mar 31, 2023

"The underlying drivers of climate change are rooted in our economic system, in what we consume and how, and in how we organize our society", SALURBAL's principal investigator reflects on climate change and the new phase of the project on this blog post published by Drexel University's School of Public Health.

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children running in water with fire in the background

Climate Change and Urban Health in Latin America

Nov 22, 2022

As COP27 draws to a close, we reflect on SALURBAL’s key findings to-date regarding the impacts of climate change on health and health equity in Latin American cities.

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newborn at a scale

Growing inequality: Extreme heat as a driver of low birthweight across Latin American cities

Sep 19, 2022

This article discusses a new SALURBAL study that examines the relationship between ambient temperatures and birthweight in 265 cities across Brazil, Mexico, and Chile.

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empty fountain in front of church

Getting Warmer: The Impact of Extreme Temperatures on Health in Latin American Cities

Jun 28, 2022

The impacts of climate change on health in urban areas are increasing, and a new SALURBAL study analyzes how extreme temperatures affect mortality across the region. In this post, we highlight what we know about these and other impacts in Latin American cities, examples of climate action, and what more needs to be done.

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Colombian woman smiling at the camera

World health day 2022: Seven calls to action to protect "our planet, our health"

Apr 07, 2022

On World Health Day 2022, the SALURBAL project is shedding light on urban health inequities, and what we can do to make our cities healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable.

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kid's hands taking water

World Water Day 2022 – A long way to go towards achieving equitable access to water and sanitation in Latin American cities

Mar 22, 2022

March 22 is World Water Day, and we take this opportunity to reflect on what SALURBAL’s research is revealing about critical inequities in access to water and sanitation across Latin American cities. These insights can support urban planning and policymaking and drive targeted infrastructure improvements in the areas where they are most needed.

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urban green space

Greenspaces and urban socioeconomic health inequalities in Latin America

Jan 20, 2022

A new SALURBAL study explores the role of greenspaces in determining mortality inequalities in cities across Latin America, and sheds light on the complex connections that should guide urban planning and decision-making to promote health equity.

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urbanized city in Venezuela

The effects of urbanization on mortality: Latin America vs. United States

Dec 10, 2021

Dr. Bilal discusses his recent research on urbanization and mortality using a urban scaling network to explore how mortality scales with city population size using vital registration and population data from 742 cities in 10 Latin American countries and the United States.

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screenshot of zoom participants

Transformaciones urbanas y salud: Reflexiones sobre un diálogo entre comunidad, tomadores de decisión e investigadoras

Nov 15, 2021

El artículo es una reflexión sobre los desafíos y aprendizajes del "Diálogos SALURBAL" realizado el pasado 2 de septiembre que resultó del esfuerzo conjunto entre equipos de investigación en Brasil, Chile y Colombia

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Mexican city aerial image

Si la planificación no está al servicio de la salud de las personas y del planeta, ¿para qué sirve entonces?

Oct 31, 2021

En este Día Mundial de las Ciudades 2021, reiteramos el llamado a mejorar la cooperación entre sectores para asegurar que la salud se coloque a la vanguardia de las negociaciones, evaluaciones, y la toma de decisiones en nuestras ciudades.

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smiling children in Peru

World Health Day 2021: Facing hard truths to build a fairer, healthier world

Apr 07, 2021

Building a fairer, healthier world requires first acknowledging that the impacts of the pandemic have been unequal, and that this unfairness is preventable. Effective public health research can help drive necessary change.

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kid getting soda served

Diálogos SALURBAL: Obesidad y diabetes en las ciudades de América Latina

Mar 25, 2021

El primer evento “Diálogos SALURBAL” unió a más de 500 personas para conversar sobre el rol del entorno urbano en determinar la prevalencia de la obesidad y diabetes en las ciudades de América Latina. Hablamos con tres expertas del tema para contestar algunas de las preguntas realizadas por el público durante el seminario.

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woman walking in Latin America

El entorno social y su efecto en la diabetes

Feb 11, 2021

El artículo destaca una reciente publicación realizada por miembros de SALURBAL en la que analizan la relación entre el nivel educativo y la diabetes en 232 ciudades de ocho países de Latinoamérica. 

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woman in Latin America carrying child

Where you live matters: Life expectancy and causes of death in Latin American cities

Jan 25, 2021

A new study led by SALURBAL researchers and published in Nature Medicine highlights differences in life expectancy and causes of death in cities across Latin America and explores potential drivers of these differences. 

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Gathered people in a Brazilian slum

WHEN REALITY BECOMES FICTION: ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF GEOPOLITICS AND HEALTH IN TIMES OF THE PANDEMIC IN BRAZIL

Jul 02, 2020

SALURBAL researchers discuss geopolitics and health in Brazil during the pandemic

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low income building in Mexico

Leganés, Iztapalapa and the Bronx: coronavirus and inequality in the global city

Jun 18, 2020

SALURBAL researchers discuss the uneven effect of the pandemic among social classes and how its transmission and consequences are determined by factors like type of work, housing and health status of the populations. 

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Sao Paulo streets

As iniquidades da Pandemia COVID19 – para além das iniquidades em saúde, as iniquidades econômicas se somam no contexto brasileiro

Apr 02, 2020

Letícia Cardoso, co-pesquisadora da FIOCRUZ Rio de Janeiro e membro da SALURBAL, fala sobre uma parte da sociedade brasileira que enfrentará ainda mais desafios com a atual pandemia: os envolvidos na economia informal.

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Aeriel photograph of a LatAm city

COVID-19 and Latin American cities

Mar 27, 2020

Dr. Usama Bilal, Co-Investigator of the SALURBAL project, highlights how economic and health inequalities display challenges for Latin American cities during COVID-19.

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two people sitting in a Bogota slum

Cities, health equity, and COVID-19

Mar 26, 2020

Dr. Ana Diez Roux, Principal Investigator of the SALURBAL project discusses how COVID-19 will affect the socially disadvantaged and why social distancing is imperative, especially in cities.

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Climate change, health, and inequity

Dec 20, 2019

Climate change, health, and inequality represent critical, global challenges. Better understanding the connections between these issues creates opportunities for responses from multiple sectors that maximize co-benefits and leverage key arguments to drive action.

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Bernardo Queiroz and Usama Bilal, headshots

Understanding mortality data in Latin American cities

Aug 01, 2019

Researchers Bernardo Lanza Queiroz and Usama Bilal are working to tackle issues with mortality data across Latin America. Katy Indvik of SALURBAL and LAC-Urban Health asked them about their experiences.

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Photo of a group of cyclists using Ecobici in Mexico City

Urban Interventions: How Bike-shares Can Be Harnessed for Health Equity

Jun 03, 2019

Bike-share schemes have become a popular method to promote cycling in large cities because they provide affordable access to bikes. Bike-shares are well-suited for short-distance trips in urban areas and can be combined with other modes of transport for longer commutes. However, in some countries, these have been accused of social inaccessibility.

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City size, scaling and health: Learning from Latin America and the U.S. to improve urban health

Feb 25, 2019

This blog dives into the complex relationship between city size, scaling and health, featuring the work of Usama Bilal, PhD, MPH, MD who is working to improve knowledge of health effects connected to urbanization. 

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Picture of United Nations flag

Celebrating 70 Years of International Human Rights and Looking Forward: Why Better Urban Health Can Promote Human Rights

Dec 10, 2018

The growing importance of cities to address pressing global challenges has already been recognized with respect to key issues such as climate change and implementing sustainable development agendas. When it comes to human rights agreements, monitoring, and enforcements, cities can play an equally crucial role.

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