Social Capital and Healthy Urbanization in a Globalized World

This paper critically reviews the extent in which social capital can be aresource to promote health equity in urban contexts. It analyzes the concept of socialcapital and reviews evidence to link social capital to health outcomes and healthequity, drawing on evidence from epidemiological studies and descriptive case studiesfrom both developed and developing countries. The findings show that in certainenvironments social capital can be a key factor influencing health outcomes oftechnical interventions. Social capital can generate both the conditions necessary formutual support and care and the mechanisms required for communities and groups toexert effective pressure to influence policy. The link between social capital and health isshown to operate through different pathways at different societal levels, but initiativesto strengthen social capital for health need to be part of a broader, holistic, socialdevelopment process that also addresses upstream structural determinants of health. Aclearer understanding is also needed of the complexity and dynamics of the socialprocesses involved and their contribution to health equity and better health. The paperconcludes with recommendations for policy and programming and identifies ten keyelements needed to build social capital.