Knowledge Mapping on Environmental Health in Context of City Planning

Throughout history, the planning of ancient civilizations, such as the Indus Valley, Greek, Roman and Egyptian, placed a significant emphasis on health as a key factor for the well-being of their inhabitants. Today, the relationship between environment, health and place remains a widely explored topic in literature. This study aims to provide a comprehensive exploration of the literature to identify key thematic areas, temporal focus, shifts in ideologies and gaps and overlaps in existing knowledge by employing a bibliometric analysis including 2775 relevant articles. The most prominent authors, publications and institutions were identified using a keyword analysis, a co-citation analysis and a social network analysis. The research also included a content analysis of the articles to identify important thematic areas and time frames. Key findings indicate that the role of place and planning for health has been thoroughly discussed, with an emphasis on urban strategies to improve health conditions. However, the literature also highlights a gap in research on the impact of land-use distribution in a city on environmental health. A model of primary links between urban planning, health and the environment has been generated, visualizing their interconnectedness. By mapping the existing knowledge on environmental health in the context of city planning, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of the topic and identifies areas for future research and policy development. The study’s contributions include a visual portrayal of the interdependence of urban planning, health and the environment, as well as a thorough investigation of the literature on environmental health in relation to city design.