Urban Health in Philadelphia

The Drexel Urban Health Collaborative (UHC) is deeply rooted and engaged here in Philadelphia and its surrounding region and incorporates the strong record of service locally at the Dornsife School of Public Health.

We believe that our work in urban health can be strengthened by ensuring the data and research we produce can practically inform local policy, practice, and programmatic solutions to urban health inequities. We aim to bring our knowledge of global and national urban challenges and solutions to improve the health of the Philadelphia region. Our Philadelphia-based work includes research, policy and community engagement.

The Urban Health Collaborative is also the Philadelphia partner for the National Neighborhood Indicator Partnership (NNIP) coordinated by the Urban Institute. NNIP is a learning network connecting partner organizations in 30 cities that promote community-based data to advance equity and well-being across neighborhoods.

Philadelphia Urban Health Data Repository

The UHC Research and Data Core compiles and processes data on health determinants and health outcomes for the greater Philadelphia area and for local Philadelphia neighborhoods. These data include:

• Features of neighborhood physical and built environments
• Social determinants of health and neighborhood social environments
• Spatially referenced health outcome data

Learn more about the data repository

Policy and Community Engagement in Philadelphia

The UHC has two cores focused on policy and community engagement that work on a range of projects in partnership with government agencies (health departments and other sectors related to health), other academic institutions, health systems, non-governmental and community organizations, and community members. We also match student trainees, through our Applied Practical Experience funding, with these partners to further both organizational data and research needs, provide students with hands-on experience and meet student public health program requirement needs.