This document outlines the INTERACT methodology for monitoring the impact of urban form changes on health and inequality. INTERACT studies four urban form interventions across four Canadian cities using cohorts of 250-2500 participants. Data is collected at three time points using concept mapping, spatial surveys, mobile sensing, health surveys, and qualitative interviews. The goal is to understand how interventions influence physical activity, wellbeing, and social inequalities to inform future decision-making and advance healthier city design.

1. MONITORING THE IMPACT OF URBAN FORM
CHANGES ON HEALTH AND INEQUALITY:
THE INTERACT METHODOLOGY
Meridith Sones, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Manager, Knowledge Mobilization - INTERACT
PhD Student – Cities, Health, and Active Transportation (CHATR) Lab

2. Our postal code is a
powerful predictor of
our health.
Urban form influences:
• Physical activity, social participation, wellbeing
• Socio-geographic inequalities
[Levasseur et al, 2015; Richard et al, 2013; Halpern, 2014, McCormack et al, 2014]

3. Scale:
By 2030, an estimated 60% of the world’s population
will live in cities. [WHO, 2016]

4. Burden:
In Canada, 54% of adults
are overweight or obese
[CCHS, 2014]

5. Cost:
The Canadian government is promising to spend
over $180 billion on infrastructure over the next
12 years. What impact will these investments
have on population health and health equity?

6. Call to action:
“Unravelling the complexity of the impact of
the built environment on population health
lies in precision public health, which uses
data to guide interventions to benefit
populations more effectively.”
Dr. Theresa Tam, CPHO
Designing Healthy Living: Report on the State of Public Health in
Canada 2017

7. In partnership with cities and citizens, we harness big
data to deliver timely public health intelligence on
the influence of real world urban form interventions
on health, wellbeing, and social inequalities—
generating local evidence and action to advance the
design of smart, sustainable, and healthier cities for
all.

8. FOUR PROJECTS IN FOUR CITIES
1
3
4
2 Arbutus Greenway
Vancouver, BC
AAA Cycling Network
Victoria, BC
Bus Rapid Transit
Saskatoon, SK
Community Sustainability Plan
Montreal, QC

9. The INTERACT Cohorts
250-2500 participants per site
3 main data collection time points

10. AIMS
1. Understand context of
urban interventions.
2. Measure change in urban
form and in population
health.
3. Analyze impact of
interventions on health,
wellbeing, and related
inequalities.
4. Mobilize knowledge to
guide future decision-
making.

11. Concept mapping Online spatial survey Mobile sensing
Online health survey Wearable sensors Qualitative interviews
THE INTERACT TOOLKIT

12. Tools & Methods: Concept Mapping
• Concept Mapping web application
called eKogito (Cantinotti et al.)
• Documents and synthesizes views
and perceptions of groups
• Identifies divergence in views
between subgroups
• Helps identify priorities and
strategies for planning and
implementation of urban form
interventions

13. Tools & Methods : Smartphone sensing
• Collect sensor data from smartphones to
capture physical activity, spatial location,
and exposures.
• Accelerometers, GPS
• Developed for academic research by
partner Stanley – Ethica Data
• Real time data collection and analysis

14. Tools & Methods : Spatial survey
• Using web application called VERITAS
(Visualisation, Evaluation and
Recording of Itineraries and Activity
Spaces)
• Collects self-report data on spatial
and social patterns of participants
• Frequency of social activities
conducted out-of-home, activities
conducted alone or with a contact,
family member, friend, acquaintance
or colleague
• Allows social network analysis – social
and socio-spatial networks

15. INTERACT offers an an innovative
methodological framework to
evaluate the health impact of real
world urban form interventions,
developing tools that can easily be
deployed across cities and
interventions.

16. Designing a dream city is easy.
Rebuilding a living one takes
imagination.
- Jane Jacobs

17. Acknowledgements!

18. #LETSINTERACT
WWW.TEAMINTERACT.CA
@TEAMINTERACT.CA
@TEAMINTERACTCA