Regeneration and health: Conceptualising the connections

Abstract

Regeneration policy makers and practitioners have for some time espoused the aim for regeneration to contribute to better health outcomes, but without a clear articulation of how or why this should be so. The aim of this paper is to look at both health policy and regeneration policy in order to appreciate how they are symbiotically linked to each other, and to explicate their connections. By considering theories about the social determinants of health and about neighbourhood effects, as well as health inequalities policy aims, one can elucidate how regeneration might assist with health and well-being objectives. Along the way, the theory of relative deprivation is used in order to raise questions about the uncertain impacts of mixed communities. A capitals framework comprising six component capitals is developed as a framework for understanding and investigating the impact of regeneration upon the physical, mental and social health of communities.