Cities and the Health of the Public

by Nicholas Freudenberg (Editor)

The essays commissioned for this book analyze the impact of city living on health, focusing primarily on conditions in the United States. With 16 chapters by 24 internationally recognized experts, the book introduces an ecological approach to the study of the health of urban populations.

This book assesses the primary determinants of well-being in cities, including the social and physical environments, diet, and health care and social services. The book includes chapters on the history of public health in cities, the impact of urban sprawl and urban renewal on health, and the challenges facing cities in the developing world. It also examines conditions such as infectious diseases, violence and disasters, and mental illness.

300 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2006

About the author

Nicholas Freudenberg is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Public Health at the City University of New York School of Public Health. For more than 40 years, he has worked with activists, community groups, public agencies and others to create programs and policies that improve community health and reduce health inequalities. He was a co-founder and director of the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute. His most recent book is Fighting for New York Activism for Health and Social Justice Since the 1960s, published in 2026 by Columbia University Press.