Presented by Gabrielle Rancourt, MSc Université de Montréal INTERACT is developing a mixed methods toolkit that can be deployed in any city to assess the impact of urban transformation on health. A Geographic information system (GIS) and related interactive map-based questionnaires facilitate the documentation of urban form changes. Population health is captured through a combination of online health and socio-spatial questionnaires, a smartphone app for GPS, accelerometer, and well-being EMA data capture, and qualitative interview guides. The INTERACT method captures various hedonic and eudaimonic dimensions of well-being and opens the possibility for complex analyses on which urban changes lead to changing health behaviour and improved well-being. In addition to extending the evidence base on urban form and mental health, a major result of INTERACT is the refinement of a suite of tools and indicators that can be used by researchers, government, and stakeholders to track and analyse the health and social impacts of urban form interventions over time. Rancourt G, Winters M, Fuller D, Bell S, Berscheid J, Brondeel R, Cantinotti M, Datta G, Gough M, Laberee K, Lewis P, Lord S, McKay H, Morency C, Muhajarine N, Nelson T, Ottoni C, Poirier Stephens Z, Pugh C, Shareck M, Sims-Gould J, Sones M, Stanley K, Thierry B, Wasfi R, Kestens Y. Monitoring the impact of urban form changes on well-being and inequality: the INTERACT Method. Poster presentation at: American Public Health Association Conference; November 2018; San Diego, CA.

1. INTERACTINTERVENTIONS, RESEARCH,
AND ACTION IN CITIES TEAM
Monitoring the Impact of Urban Form Changes on
Well-Being and Equity: The INTERACT Method
G. Rancourt1, M. Winters2, D. Fuller3, G. Moullec1, S. Bell4, J. Berscheid4 , R. Brondeel1, M. Cantinotti5, G. Datta1, M. Gough4, K. Laberee2, P. Lewis1, S. Lord1, H. McKay6, C. Morency7, N.
Muhajarine4, T. Nelson8, C. Ottoni6, Z. Poirier Stephens1,C. Pugh2, M. Shareck9, J. Sims-Gould6, M. Sones2, K. Stanley4, B. Thierry1, R. Wasfi1,Y. Kestens1.
1 Université de Montréal, Canada, 2 Simon Fraser University, Canada 3 Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, 4 University of Saskatchewan, Canada, 5 Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada, 6 University of British Columbia, Canada, 7 Polytechnique Montréal, Canada,
8 Arizona State University, United States, 9 University of Toronto, Canada
The INTERACT Toolkit is intended to be transferable to
other study sites while remaining flexible enough to be
adapted to local needs. Currently, INTERACT
methodology is being applied to:
UNDERSTAND CONTEXT
MEASURE CHANGE IN URBAN FORM
TRACK POPULATION HEALTH &
WELL-BEING
LINK URBAN FORM CHANGES TO
HEALTH AND INEQUALITIES
MOBILIZE KNOWLEDGE
INTERACT works with various stakeholders
generating evidence and building tools to
document impacts of urban form changes and
inform future decisions for healthier cities.
Various modeling methods explore relations
between urban form change, mobility, and health
inequalities.
A longitudinal cohort is set up in each
city with 3 data collection time points.
Concept mapping captures stakeholders’
perceptions of local context.
Temporal GIS allows to track urban form changes.
Continuous implementation of urban form change
T0
T1
T2
Interested in using INTERACT tools or
joining the team as a student?
VISIT WWW.TEAMINTERACT.CA
Concept Mapping
Online concept mapping
tool to determine and
prioritize the factors that
influence the
implementation and impact
of urban form changes.
VERITAS-Interventions
Online map-based survey
documenting changes to urban
form and related actor
networks.
COHORT
300-3,000
participants per
site
Health Survey
Online self-
reported health and
eudaimonic well-
being questionnaire
VERITAS Survey
Online questionnaire
combining spatial and
social data.
Qualitative interviews
One-on-one and
go-along interviews with
targeted subpopulation
Mobile app (Ethica)
30 day tracking of
accelerometry, GPS, and 7 day
EMA of hedonic well-being
Wearable Sensor
(SenseDoc)
10 day tracking of
accelerometry and GPS
OPTIONAL
1
2
3
4
5
Mobility
Activity locations
Trips
Transportation mode
Socio-economic
and gender
inequities
Urban form
Well-being
Health outcomes
Social participation
Physical activity
GPS+
SURVEYS
VERITAS
TEMPORAL
GIS
ACCELER-
OMETRY
VERITAS
EMA +
SURVEYS
MONTREAL Montreal Community 2016-2020 sustainability plan
VICTORIA All Ages and Abilities (AAA) Cycling Network
SASKATOON Bus Rapid Transit
VANCOUVER Arbutus Greenway
INTERACT offers a
comprehensive toolkit to
understand impacts of
urban form changes
on health and well-being.
In partnership with cities and citizens,
we harness big data to deliver timely
public health intelligence on the
influence of real world urban form
changes on physical activity, social
participation, well-being, and social
inequalities—generating local
evidence and action to advance the
design of smart, sustainable, and
healthier cities for all.
WELL-BEING MEASUREMENT
EUDAIMONIC HEDONIC
Dimensions
Life Satisfaction
Psychological Well-being
Social Well-being
Valence
Calmness
Energetic Arousal
Tools
Online questionnaires
Binary items to answer the prompt:
“At this moment, I feel…”
-Well/Unwell
-Relaxed/Tense
-Tired/Awake
-Content/Discontent
-Agitated/Calm
-Full of energy/without energy
Methodology Self-administered
Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to measure
intra daily levels of well-being, 7 consecutive days,
3 times a day
CHANGES IN URBAN FORM THAT COULD
HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON
WELL-BEING
Greening program1
Place making1
Public open space2
Transportation infrastructure3
Traffic calming measure3
1 H. Barton & al.,(2015). The Routledge Handbook of Planning for Health and Well-Being. 2 Y. Rydin et
al., (2012) “Shaping cities for health: Complexity and the planning of urban environments in the 21st
century,” Lancet. 3 H. F. Guite & al., (2006). “The impact of the physical and urban environment on
mental well-being,” Public Health.