Place-based health assessment/rating tools have expanded rapidly, yet structured divergence persists in their architecture, meaning, and application. This study applies a semiotics-based framework to examine fourteen widely used tools as layered socio-technical systems. Through systematic review and structured content analysis, eighteen attributes were identified and mapped across five semiotic levels: empiric, syntactic, semantic, pragmatic, and social. Divergence is unevenly distributed. At the empirical level, variation is limited, as all tools (100%) provide operational definitions, although calculation logics differ, including continuous normalization (36%) and benchmark-based scoring (36%). The syntactic level shows moderate divergence, with 64% operating as frameworks. Greater variation appears at the semantic and pragmatic levels, where disciplinary orientations span urban planning (43%) and public health (36%), constructs range from healthy city development (50%) to population health (29%), and monitoring represents 57% of stated purposes. The highest divergence occurs at the social level, where only 7% report formal reliability assessment. These findings indicate that cross-level misalignment, rather than indicator diversity alone, constrains comparability. A semiotic compliance framework is proposed to reduce misalignment while preserving contextual variation.
Rapid urbanization poses major challenges to sustainability, especially in informal settlements possessing poor infrastructure and limited green space. This study addresses the scarcity of green spaces in two informal settlements in Nakuru, Kenya. Given the lack of formal parks, we examine whether opening existing schoolyards for community use could supplement green space provision. Using a mixed-method approach, we combine GIS analysis, field observations, and surveys with residents, teachers, and experts. Our results show that only one formal public space exists in the study area, while other green spaces are either inaccessible or require payment. Schoolyards offer proximity and potential for temporary recreation. Survey data indicate strong community support for increased access to green spaces, with two-thirds endorsing the schoolyard initiative, citing potential health and social benefits. However, we frequently noted concerns about security, vandalism, and unclear management responsibilities. Teachers and experts emphasized the need for clear governance frameworks, security measures, and stakeholder coordination. Our findings suggest that the dual use of schoolyards may be a viable and low-cost strategy for improving green space provision in underserved urban areas. Urban planners and policymakers should consider pilot programs that integrate community-led governance and inclusive planning to improve the livability of informal settlements.
Amid rapid urbanisation and growing concerns about social isolation, urban green spaces are increasingly recognised as environments that may support mental well-being. However, existing research has largely focused on the physical availability and proximity of green spaces, with limited attention to how individuals' perceptions of green space quality influence experiences of loneliness, particularly in rapidly urbanising contexts such as urban India. Addressing this gap, the present study examines how perceptions of accessibility, design quality, safety, and opportunities for social interaction in urban green spaces relate to loneliness. The study draws on a cross-sectional survey of 221 respondents from diverse demographic groups. Loneliness was measured using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, while perceptions of green spaces were assessed through a structured questionnaire. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between perceived green space characteristics and reported loneliness. The findings indicate a significant association between loneliness and negative perceptions of green spaces, particularly among women and younger individuals, suggesting that subjective experiences of urban environments may influence well-being strongly than spatial availability. Design attributes such as shaded seating and recreational opportunities show stronger associations with reduced loneliness than proximity alone, highlighting the importance of user-sensitive green space design in urban planning.
Subjective wellbeing includes happiness and life satisfaction; and greenspace use is considered an important influence on both. This study investigated variations in happiness and life satisfaction based on greenspace visits, type of greenspace, and differences in nature-self relationships using the People and Nature Survey. Greenspace visits generally were associated with higher levels of both outcomes; a pattern observed up to a fortnight after, irrespective of greenspace type. Higher levels of nature as part of the respondent's self-concept were associated with being happier and more satisfied with life. The findings should encourage landscape, urban design, and environmental social science professionals to integrate individual differences when developing future greenspaces, so that they are accessible and relevant to a range of users, supporting use that may be associated with greater happiness and life satisfaction.
Rising urban heat poses an urgent threat to public health. The extreme heat in cities causes heat-related illnesses and accelerates heat-sensitive infectious diseases. Beyond heat-related illness, urban heat can intensify the transmission risk of heat-sensitive vector-borne diseases. Chikungunya fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease that causes fever and severe joint pain, is transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes. The 2025 chikungunya outbreak in Foshan, China, provides an important case through which to examine how extreme heat, humidity, urban microclimates, and social vulnerability can converge to produce compound climate-health risk. However, current adaptation solutions remain fragmented. This fragmentation increases the risk of maladaptation, especially when cooling measures are pursued without adequate drainage, maintenance, or mosquito-habitat management. In response, this commentary proposes a health-first urban cooling agenda that integrates thermal mitigation, vector-safe environmental design, and equity-oriented protection across short, medium, and long-term timeframes. Rather than treating heat adaptation and infectious-disease control as parallel agendas, cities should approach them as interdependent forms of public-health infrastructure. This integrated perspective is essential for strengthening urban resilience under intensifying climate extremes.
