A case study of African American health: The role of urban and health planning in Detroit, Michigan (1940--1970).

Abstract

This historical case study was conducted to examine the past role of urban planning in health planning. The goal was to document relationships between urban and health planning organizations and their role in health care planning in Detroit. Evidence for this historical case study was gathered from documents, media sources, and interviews. These sources were clustered by decade, organizational source, relationships, and relevant study issues. All sources were reviewed and analyzed using the Data Analysis Interactive Model. The data revealed that the health status of African Americans during the study period was consistently worse than that of Whites and that a multitude of factors contributed to this disparity. Pertinent health care legislation and related urban planning programs were also scrutinized. A review of comprehensive health planning programs revealed that participation of urban planners was segmental and sporadic. Most frequently, their expertise was sought only in the areas of land use and design, transportation, and facility placement. The early period of urban renewal focused on redeveloping blighted areas for economic development in the city. Unfortunately, urban renewal policies had some negative, unanticipated consequences for the African American community. The program displaced many African American residents and led to the demise of many African American institutions and businesses. It is important to consider that the focus of urban planning was reflective of the Zeitgeist at that time, very little emphasis on social planning. Subsequent federally sponsored initiatives such as the Model Cities Program did include a focus on health, but had limited impact due to lack of funding. The study concludes with several recommendations to improve the relationship between urban and health planning, including suggestions for future research.