Healthy city: an approach towards the dissemination of information about health determinants

Abstract

The meaning of "health" in a "Healthy City" project, implies measurements using different techniques, quantitative and qualitative. The understanding of "health" needs information regarding perception and will of citizens and objective quantifiable indicators. This article describes an experience of measuring health determinants yearly, and to disseminate these data through local media with the objective of building a "Healthy City" in Calgary, Canada. In this experience, secondary and primary data were used. Primary data were collected using a questionnaire built by health professionals and validated by community members through focus groups. This project appeared in 1994 and the first national similar initiative happened in 1996 with a survey repeated every two years. The municipal initiative remains until today bringing together community leaders, health professionals, university and government. As part of a team of university professors that want to apply a similar model in a city in Santa Catarina state, the authors are committed to spread this model in Brazil.