PL EN
REVIEW ARTICLE
Sustainable community health: concepts, frameworks, and livable communities
,
 
,
 
,
 
 
 
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Home Science, Shaheed Mangal Pandey Government Girls Degree College, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, India
 
2
Department of Zoology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, India
 
3
Department of Education in Social Sciences and Humanities, Regional institute of Education (NCERT), Bhubhaneswar, India
 
 
Submission date: 2026-04-30
 
 
Acceptance date: 2026-08-21
 
 
Publication date: 2026-09-29
 
 
Corresponding author
Sumista Rani   

Department of Education in Social Science and Humanities, Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar (A Constituent Unit of NCERT, New Delhi), Bhubaneswar, India
 
 
Rozprawy Społeczne/Social Dissertations 2026;20(1):252-273
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Abstract: This article examines sustainable community health as an overarching framework that connects human well-being with social equity, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability. It aims to identify the key interactions among social, economic, and environmental factors that shape these dimensions and to highlight effective strategies, policies, and approaches for developing resilient and equitable health systems. Material and methods: The study adopts a qualitative approach based exclusively on a review of the relevant literature. Results: Drawing on a range of sources, including participatory governance models, preventive health approaches, policy frameworks, and case studies, the review demonstrates how community empowerment and cross-sectoral collaboration can contribute to achieving long-term health equity. Conclusions: Sustainable community health should be understood as an ongoing process grounded in collaboration, creativity, and shared responsibility. Such an approach can help ensure that health and stability remain key priorities for communities and societies in the 21st century.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Rajni Devi sincerely acknowledges the University Grants Commission (UGC), India (NTA Reference No. 220520206090) for the award of the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF).
REFERENCES (73)
1.
Ahuja, S. (2025). Evolution, Objectives, and Impact on India’s Health System A Comprehensive Overview. National Health Mission (NHM).
 
2.
Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A Ladder Of Citizen Participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), 216-224. https://doi.org/10.1080/019443....
 
3.
Bajpai, N., Sachs, J., Dholakia, R. H. (2010). Improving Access and Efficiency in Public Health Services: Mid-Term Evaluation of India’s National Rural Health Mission. SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/978813....
 
4.
Barton, H., Grant, M. (2006). A health map for the local human habitat. The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, 126, 252-253. https://doi.org/10.1177/146642....
 
5.
Barton, H., Grant, M., Guise, R. (2021). Shaping neighbourhoods: For local health and global sustainability (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/978042....
 
6.
Baste, I., Watson, R. (2021). Making Peace with Nature: A scientific blueprint to tackle the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergencies. United Nations Environment Programme.
 
7.
Binagwaho, A., Farmer, P. E., Nsanzimana, S., Karema, C., Gasana, M., de Dieu Ngirabega, J., Ngabo, F., Wagner, C. M., Nutt, C. T., Nyatanyi, T., Gatera, M., Kayiteshonga, Y., Mugeni, C., Mugwaneza, P., Shema, J., Uwaliraye, P., Gaju, E., Muhimpundu, M. A., Dushime, T., … Drobac, P. C. (2014). Rwanda 20 years on: investing in life. The Lancet, 384(9940), 371-375. https://doi.org/https://doi.or....
 
8.
Biswas, S. S., Ahad, M. A., Nafis, M. T., Alam, M. A., Biswas, R. (2021). Introducing “α- Sustainable Development” for transforming our world: A proposal for the 2030 agenda. Journal of Cleaner Production, 321, 129030. https://doi.org/https://doi.or....
 
9.
Brenner, N. (2019). New urban spaces: Urban theory and the scale question. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/97....
 
10.
Brundtland Commission. (1987). Our Common Future. Oxford University Press.
 
11.
Buchweitz, C., Caye, A., Kieling, C. (2022). On our minds: the state of child and adolescent mental health. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 44, 233-234. https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-4....
 
12.
Bull, F. C., Al-Ansari, S. S., Biddle, S., Borodulin, K., Buman, M. P., Cardon, G., Carty, C., Chaput, J.-P., Chastin, S., Chou, R., Dempsey, P. C., DiPietro, L., Ekelund, U., Firth, J., Friedenreich, C. M., Garcia, L., Gichu, M., Jago, R., Katzmarzyk, P. T., … Willumsen, J. F. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(24), 1451-1462. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjspor....
 
13.
Canton, H. (2021). United Nations Development Programme – UNDP. In Europa Publications, The Europa Directory of International Organizations 2021 (pp. 179-184). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/978100....
 
14.
Costello, A., Abbas, M., Allen, A., Ball, S., Bell, S., Bellamy, R., Friel, S., Groce, N., Johnson, A., Kett, M., Lee, M., Levy, C., Maslin, M., McCoy, D., McGuire, B., Montgomery, H., Napier, D., Pagel, C., Patel, J., … Patterson, C. (2009). Managing the health effects of climate change. The Lancet, 373(9676), 1693-1733. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-....
 
15.
Dahlgren, G., Whitehead, M. (1991). Policies and strategies to promote social equity in health. Background document to WHO – Strategy paper for Europe. Institute for Futures Studies.
 
16.
Dahlgren, G., Whitehead, M. (2006). Levelling up (part 2): a discussion paper on European strategies for tackling social inequities in health. WHO Regional Office for Europe. https://iris.who.int/handle/10....
 
17.
De Siqueira, J. H., Mtewa, A. G., Fabriz, D. C. (2022). United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In S. Sayapin, R. Atadjanov, U. Kadam, G. Kemp, N. Zambrana-Tévar, N. Quénivet (eds.), International conflict and security law: A research handbook (pp. 761-777). T.M.C. Asser Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94....
 
18.
Dehrashid, P. A., Mansourian, H., Sharifi, A. (2026). Healthy cities as catalysts for sustainable development: A systematic review of co-benefits, trade-offs, and solutions to the SDGs. Progress in Planning, 203(1), 101032. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prog....
 
19.
Demssie, Y. N., Rajala, A. J., Lehtomäki, E. (2026). Social sustainability competencies: a globally informed reference framework integrating non-Western and Western expert perspectives across all continents. Journal of Cleaner Production, 560, 148370. https://doi.org/https://doi.or....
 
20.
Detels, R., Beaglehole, R., Lansang, M. A., Gulliford, M. (eds.). (2009). Oxford Textbook of Public Health. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/med/97....
 
21.
Duff, J. H., Liu, A., Saavedra, J., Batycki, J. N., Morancy, K., Stocking, B., Gostin, L. O., Galea, S., Bertozzi, S., Zuniga, J. M., Alberto-Banatin, C., Dansua, A. S., del Rio, C., Kulzhanov, M., Lee, K., Scaglia, G., Shahpar, C., Ullmann, A. J., Hoffman, S. J., … Szapocznik, J. (2021). A global public health convention for the 21st century. The Lancet Public Health, 6(6), e428-e433. https://doi.org/https://doi.or....
 
22.
Dyshekov, I., Kapparov, M., Ulbaev, A. (2025). Economic Efficiency of Preventive Programs in The Public Health System. Ekonomika Iupravlenie: Problemy, Resheniya, 5(14), 15-21. https://doi.org/10.36871/ek.up....
 
23.
Emandi, R., Encarnacion, J., Seck, P., Tabaco, R. (2021). Measuring the shadow pandemic: violence against women during COVID-19. UN Women. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.....
 
24.
Ervik, R., Kildal, N. (2015). From collective to individual responsibility? Changing problem definitions of the welfare state. In R. Ervik, N. Kildal (eds.), New Contractualism in European Welfare State Policies (pp. 93-117). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/978131....
 
25.
Evans, O. (2020). Socio-economic impacts of novel coronavirus: The policy solutions. BizEcons Quarterly, 7, 3-12.
 
26.
FAO, IFAD, United Nations, UNDP, UNICEF, WFP, WHO, WMO. (2023). Europe and Central Asia – Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2022. Food and Agriculture Organization. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc4196....
 
27.
Ferguson, A., Ward, K., Parke, R. (2024). What is known about resilient healthcare systems in the context of natural disasters? A scoping review. Collegian, 31(5), 292-301. https://doi.org/https://doi.or....
 
28.
Frank, L., Bigazzi, A., Hong, A., Minaker, L., Fisher, P., Raine, K. (2022). Built environment influences on healthy eating and active living: The NEWPATH study. Obesity, 30, 424-434. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23....
 
29.
Frenk, J., Moon, S. (2013). Governance Challenges in Global Health. The New England Journal of Medicine, 368, 936-942. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra....
 
30.
Garcilazo, J. (2022). Megatrends and Implications for Rural Development Policy. In A. Dumont, D. P. Davies, Investing in Rural Prosperity (pp. 15-28). Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
 
31.
Ghatak, S. (2022). A layperson’s guide to understanding the global Human Development Report 2021/22. Im4change.
 
32.
Hall, C., Wehling, H., Stansfield, J., South, J., Brooks, S., Greenberg, N., Amlôt, R., Weston, D. (2023). Examining the role of community resilience and social capital on mental health in public health emergency and disaster response: a scoping review. BMC Public Health, 23, 2482. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889....
 
33.
Hancock, T. (1993). Health, human development and the community ecosystem: Three ecological models. Health Promotion International, 8, 41-47. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro....
 
34.
Holden, E., Linnerud, K., Banister, D. (2014). Sustainable development: Our Common Future revisited. Global Environmental Change, 26, 130-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloe....
 
35.
IPCC. (2023). Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Reportof the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.59327/IPCC/....
 
36.
Jackson, R. (2003). The Impact of the Built Environment on Health: An Emerging Field. American Journal of Public Health, 93, 1382-1384. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.9....
 
37.
Kapucu, N., Ge, Y. ‘Gurt,’ Martín, Y., Williamson, Z. (2021). Urban resilience for building a sustainable and safe environment. Urban Governance, 1(1), 10-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ugj.....
 
38.
Kar, S. (2023). Data for Better Lives: World Development Report 2021 by World Bank Group. Journal of Data Science Informetrics and Citation Studies, 2(2), 136-139. https://doi.org/10.5530/jcitat....
 
39.
Kawachi, I., Berkman, L. (2001). Social Ties and Mental Health. Journal of Urban Health, 78, 458-467. https://doi.org/10.1093/jurban....
 
40.
Keyes, L. M., Benavides, A. D. (2021). Creating livable communities. In E. Mpofu (ed.), Sustainable community health: Systems and practices in diverse settings (pp. 71-112). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-....
 
41.
Kickbusch, I., Gleicher, D. (2012). Governance for health in the 21st century. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. https://iris.who.int/handle/10....
 
42.
Kickbusch, I. (2010). Health in all policies: The evolution of the concept of horizontal health governance. In I. Kickbusch, K. Buckett (eds.), Implementing Health in All Policies (pp. 11-24). Adelaide Government of South Australia.
 
43.
Kirsten, T. G. J. C., Van der Walt, H. J. L., Viljoen, C. T. (2009). Health, well-being and wellness: An anthropological eco-systemic approach. Health SA Gesondheid, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v....
 
44.
Kleopa, D., Novacovic, R., Christou, Y. A. (2024). Shaping neighbourhoods: for local health and global sustainability. Cities & Health, 8(4), 554-555. https://doi.org/10.1080/237488....
 
45.
Kok, M. C., Dieleman, M., Taegtmeyer, M., Broerse, J. E., Kane, S. S., Ormel, H., Tijm, M. M., de Koning, K. A. (2015). Which intervention design factors influence performance of community health workers in low- and middle-income countries? A systematic review. Health Policy and Planning, 30(9), 1207-1227. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol....
 
46.
Kusuma, A., Kartodihardjo, H., Setiawan, Y. (2022). Potential Improvement of Environmental Quality Index (EQI) Based on District Level Data. Case Study in Bekasi Regency. Jurnal Pengelolaan Sumberdaya Alam dan Lingkungan (JPSL), 12(4), 651-659. https://doi.org/10.29244/jpsl.....
 
47.
Landrigan, P. J., Fuller, R., Acosta, N. J. R., Adeyi, O., Arnold, R., Basu, N. (Nil), Baldé, A. B., Bertollini, R., Bose-O’Reilly, S., Boufford, J. I., Breysse, P. N., Chiles, T., Mahidol, C., Coll-Seck, A. M., Cropper, M. L., Fobil, J., Fuster, V., Greenstone, M., Haines, A., … Zhong, M. (2018). The Lancet Commission on pollution and health. The Lancet, 391(10119), 462-512. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-....
 
48.
Lang, T., Rayner, G. (2012). Ecological public health: the 21st century’s big idea? An essay by Tim Lang and Geof Rayner. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 345, e5466. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e5....
 
49.
Lee, B., Kjaerulf, F., Turner, S., Cohen, L., Donnelly, P., Muggah, R., Davis, R., Realini, A., Kieselbach, B., Snyder, L., Waller, I., Gordon, R., Moloney-Kitts, M., Lee, G., Gilligan, J. (2016). Transforming Our World: Implementing the 2030 Agenda Through Sustainable Development Goal Indicators. Journal of Public Health Policy, 37, 13-31. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271....
 
50.
Mbata, A. O., Soyege, O. S., Nwokedi, C. N., Tomoh, B. O., Mustapha, A. Y., Balogun, O. D., Forkuo, A. Y., Iguma, D. R. (2024). Preventative medicine and chronic disease management: reducing healthcare costs and improving long-term public health. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation, 5(6), 1584-1600. https://doi.org/10.54660/IJMRG....
 
51.
McIsaac, M., Buchan, J., Abu-Agla, A., Kawar, R., Campbell, J. (2024). Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 – A Five-Year Check-In. Human Resources for Health, 22, 68. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960....
 
52.
McMichael, A. J. (2017). Prisoners of the Proximate: Loosening the Constraints on Epidemiology in an Age of Change. American Journal of Epidemiology, 185, 1206-1216. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kw....
 
53.
McMichael, A. J., Butler, C. D., Folke, C. (2003). New Visions for Addressing Sustainability. Science, 302(5652), 1919-1920. https://doi.org/10.1126/scienc....
 
54.
Marmot, M. (2015). The health gap: The challenge of an unequal world. The Lancet, 386(10011), 2442-2444. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-....
 
55.
Morandín-Ahuerma, F. (2023). Diez recomendaciones de la Unesco sobre ética de la inteligenciaartificial. In F. Morandín (ed.), Principios normativos para una ética de la inteligencia artificial (pp. 86-94). Consejo de Ciencia y Tecnología del Estado de Puebla.
 
56.
Mpofu, E. (ed.). (2020). Sustainable Community Health. Systems and Practices in Diverse Settings. Palgrave Macmillan Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-....
 
57.
Najihah, K., Salmira, C., Apriani, N. (2025). Enhancing Public Health Outcomes Through Community-Based Preventive Strategies and Policy Interventions. Journal of Asian-African Focus in Health, 3(1), 20-33. https://doi.org/10.71435/61085....
 
58.
Nascimento, I. J. B., Abdulazeem, H. M., Vasanthan, L. T., Martinez, E. Z., Zucoloto, M. L., Østengaard, L., Azzopardi-Muscat, N., Zapata, T., Novillo-Ortiz, D. (2023). The global effect of digital health technologies on health workers’ competencies and health workplace: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and lexical-based and sen-tence-based meta-analysis. The Lancet Digital Health, 5(8), e534-e544. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-....
 
59.
Nayna Schwerdtle, P., Mansour, A., Bowen, K., Jradi, F., Awad, J., Mrad, M., Carpenter, K., Sayeed, S. (2026). Building climate-resilient, low-carbon health systems: A knowledge, attitudes and practices study with the primary healthcare workforce in Lebanon. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 28, 100658. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocl....
 
60.
Paim, J., Travassos, C., Almeida, C., Bahia, L., Macinko, J. (2011). The Brazilian health system: History, advances, and challenges. The Lancet, 377(9779), 1778-1797. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-....
 
61.
Palaka, C., Prasad, S. V. V. D. M. B. (2025). Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 13(8). https://doi.org/10.56975/ijcrt....
 
62.
Paric, M., Rodriguez-Feria, P., Calle, M. del C., Lagos, G., Commers, M., Czabanowska, K. (2026). Cultural competence teaching in public health: a rapid review to support implementation. Health Policy, 164, 105512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heal....
 
63.
Prybutok, G., Liu, X., Ta, A., Prybutok, V. R. (2025). Exploring gender-specific nuances in social media health information sharing: An application of the SOR framework in eHealth research. Health Communication, 41(8), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/104102....
 
64.
Raworth, K. (2017). Doughnut Economics: Seven ways to think like a 21st-century economist. Chelsea Green Publishing.
 
65.
Romanello, M., McGushin, A., Di Napoli, C., Drummond, P., Hughes, N., Jamart, L., Kennard, H., Lampard, P., Solano Rodriguez, B., Arnell, N., Ayeb-Karlsson, S., Belesova, K., Cai, W., Campbell-Lendrum, D., Capstick, S., Chambers, J., Chu, L., Ciampi, L., Dalin, C., … Hamilton, I. (2021). The 2021 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: code red for a healthy future. The Lancet, 398(10311), 1619-1662. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-....
 
66.
Stromquist, N. (2019). World Development Report 2019: The changing nature of work. Book Review. International Review of Education, 65, 321-329. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159....
 
67.
Szibbo, N. (2011). Biophilic Cities: Integrating Nature into Urban Design and Planning by Timothy Beatley. Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review, 23(1), 75.
 
68.
Truong Cong, B. (2022). Revisiting Rural Economic Structural Transformation from the Viewpoint of Regional Linkages. Economy of Region, 18(2), 312-323. https://doi.org/10.17059/ekon.....
 
69.
Vieira, L. M., de Barcellos, M. D., de Araujo, G. P., Eriksson, M., Dora, M., Matzembacher, D. E. (2021). Food waste: Challenges and opportunities in sustainable operations. Revista de Administração de Empresas, 61(5), e0000-0019. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-....
 
70.
WHO. (2007). Everybody’s business: strengthening health systems to improve health outcomes: WHO’s framework for action. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/handle/10....
 
71.
WHO. (2021). Decade of healthy ageing: baseline report. World Health Organization.
 
72.
WHO. (2022). Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities. World Health Organization. https://doi.org/10.48024/97892....
 
73.
WHO. (2023). World health statistics 2023: Monitoring health for the SDGs, sustainable development goals. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/handle/10...
 
eISSN:2657-9332
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top