Healthy Places: How Environments Influence Health and Wellbeing
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Last updated: 23 December 2025
See related information on healthy places on our public information website.
Introduction
Health and wellbeing are influenced by more than individual choices and behaviours. The environments in which people live, work, learn, and spend time also play an important role in shaping everyday experiences and long-term health outcomes. In public health and planning contexts, the term “healthy places” is commonly used to describe how physical, social, and environmental settings are associated with population health and wellbeing.
This page provides general, public-interest information about healthy places. It explains how the concept is used, why environments are considered relevant to health, and the limits of what the term means. The information presented is educational in nature and does not provide professional, planning, or legal advice.
Purpose of this page
This page forms part of the Australian Public Interest Alliance’s public-interest education activities. It has been developed to improve understanding of how environments influence health and wellbeing, drawing on widely accepted public health concepts and publicly available research.
The content does not promote specific developments, policies, services, or commercial activities. It is intended to support informed discussion and general awareness rather than to recommend actions or solutions.
What are healthy places?
Healthy places are environments that, through their physical and social characteristics, are associated with health, safety, and wellbeing at a population level. The term is used broadly and does not refer to a single design standard or model.
Healthy places may include neighbourhoods, towns and cities, workplaces, schools, transport systems, and public spaces. In public health discussions, attention is given to factors such as access to services, housing conditions, environmental exposures, opportunities for movement, social connection, and perceptions of safety. These factors interact with personal, social, and economic circumstances to influence health outcomes over time.
Importantly, healthy places do not determine individual health. They are discussed in terms of patterns and associations observed across communities rather than guarantees of outcomes for individuals.
How environments influence health and wellbeing
Research has shown that environments can influence health and wellbeing in multiple ways. Physical conditions such as air quality, noise, heat, and access to green space are commonly examined in relation to physical comfort and health risks. Built environment features can shape opportunities for movement and access to essential services, while social environments can affect connection, inclusion, and participation.
Mental wellbeing is also discussed in relation to environments. Factors such as crowding, safety, access to nature, and quality of public spaces may influence stress and overall wellbeing. These relationships are complex and influenced by many interacting factors, and findings are generally described as associations rather than direct causes.
Healthy places and everyday life
People interact with environments constantly as part of daily life. Housing, transport, workplaces, educational settings, and public spaces all contribute to how individuals experience their surroundings. Experiences vary depending on age, mobility, location, and personal circumstances, and a setting that supports wellbeing for one person may present challenges for another.
Public-interest discussions of healthy places focus on understanding these patterns of experience rather than prescribing behaviours or interventions.
What healthy places are not
Healthy places are not a planning or design manual and do not provide technical standards or regulatory guidance. They are not a substitute for healthcare, social services, or professional advice, and they are not advocacy or lobbying for specific policies or developments.
The concept is used descriptively to explain how environments relate to health and wellbeing, not to guarantee outcomes or promote particular solutions.
Download the educational guide
A detailed educational guide is available for readers who would like a more in-depth overview of healthy places, including how the concept is used in public health and Australian contexts.
Download the Healthy Places educational guide (PDF)
Further information and reputable resources
For readers seeking additional information, the following public-interest resources provide reliable, evidence-informed material on health, wellbeing, and environments. These links are provided for general information only and do not imply endorsement.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
- National data and analysis on health and wellbeing, including social and environmental determinants of health.
- Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
- Information on population health, prevention, and the factors that influence health and wellbeing.
- World Health Organization – Urban Health and Healthy Cities
- International public-interest information on how environments influence health and wellbeing.
About this page
This page is provided by the Australian Public Interest Alliance as part of its public-interest education activities. It is non-commercial in nature and does not endorse specific programs, products, services, or developments.