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Based on existing studies and the basic philosophy and theories, the content of a city health examination can be summarized into selected keywords that refer to different evaluation dimensions: livability, characteristics, inclusiveness, innovation, health, safety, convenience, and order. Under these eight dimensions, there are detailed indicators that should be selected while considering different spatial scales. The selection of these specific indicators should cover the above key indicators at all spatial scales. Moreover, selection should adhere to principles that allow for not only the scientific evaluation and monitoring of the status quo in urban construction and the quality of living environment but also reflect the direction of high-quality urban development. In addition to using objective data, a satisfaction survey was designed with corresponding questions for each dimension, so each dimension contains both objective data and subjective satisfaction data. In the city health examination of 36 cities in China in 2020, an index system comprising 8 dimensions and 50 specific indicators were adopted (Table 1).
Table 1. Common index system used in the city health examination of 36 cities in China in 2020
Function Dimension Specific indicators Objective indicators Subjective satisfaction indicators Basis Security resilience The density of waterlogging points in urban built-up areas; the death rate per 10000 vehicles in the city; the number of large construction accidents per 10000 people in the city; the area of emergency shelters per capita; the coverage rate of urban secondary and above hospitals; urban medical waste treatment capacity; the size of public facility areas that meet the conditions for emergency transformation per capita; the concentration of urban traditional commercial wholesale markets Public security; traffic safety; emergency shelters; traditional trade wholesale market management order; fire safety Health and comfort The coverage rate of community convenience stores; the coverage rate of community care facilities for older adults; the coverage rate of inclusive kindergartens; the outpatient rate of community health service centers; the area of sports venues per capita; the area of community sports venues per capita; proportion of land area in old communities; proportion of high-rise and high-density residential land; proportion of high-density hospitals Number of general hospitals; sports venues; large-scale shopping facilities; community inclusive kindergartens; community care facilities for older adults; community health service centers; community supermarkets and convenience stores; maintenance of community roads, fitness equipment and other facilities; old community renovation; neighborhood relations Methods Convenient traffic Average vehicle speed during peak hours in built-up areas; urban road network density; average one-way commuting time of permanent urban residents; ratio of parking spaces to car ownership in residential areas; public transportation travel share rate Walking environment; cycling environment; public transportation; road patency and congestion; time spent commuting after work or school; car parking Neatness and order The recycling rate of urban domestic waste; the rate of the centralized collection of urban domestic sewage; the density of public toilets in built-up areas; the rate of establishment of various types of urban pipe networks; the proportion of residential communities that implement professional real estate management Residential waste classification; real estate management in the residential community; city appearance; sanitary conditions of public toilets Motivation Diversity and inclusiveness The coverage rate of basic public services for the permanent population; the coverage rate of barrier-free facilities in public spaces; the ratio of urban residents’ minimum living security standards to the per capita consumption expenditure of urban residents in the previous year; the ratio of annual rent per unit area to the per capita disposable income of residents; the ratio of average housing price to the per capita disposable income of residents Acceptability of housing prices; acceptability of house-renting prices; the friendliness to floating populations; the friendliness to international people; the friendliness to vulnerable groups; subsistence allowance standard; social security standard; urban barrier-free facilities Innovation vitality Percentage of urban permanent registered population; proportion of newly-increased urban employment population with university education level; proportion of total social research and development expenditure in the gross domestic product; non-public economic growth rate; number of high-tech enterprises per 10000 people Job opportunities; suitability to start a company or do business; policy environment to start a company or do business; talent introduction policy Goals Ecological livability Regional development intensity; urban population density; urban development intensity; proportion of urban blue and green spaces; number of days with good air quality (AQI≤100); ratio of urban water environment quality better than Level Ⅴ (based on Environmental quality standards for surface water, China National Standards GB3838—2002); coverage of green space service radius; urban greenway density; proportion of green buildings in new construction Parks and green spaces; waterfront accessible spaces; public open spaces; building density; air pollution; water pollution; noise pollution Landscape features The preservation rate of the integrity of urban historical and cultural blocks; the utilization rate of industrial heritage; the average density of urban historical buildings; the attraction of domestic and foreign tourists Landscape protection; historical block protection; restoration and utilization of historical buildings and traditional houses; landmark buildings; landscape aesthetics; cultural features
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Abstract: National urban planning, construction, and management levels have undergone qualitative changes in China since 2000. Nonetheless, problems caused by rapid urbanization are becoming increasingly prominent. The concept of the city health examination appears to tackle these problems and is being gradually implemented, starting from the implementation of a national strategy and leading to the concrete practice of high-quality urban development. This paper elaborates on the basic philosophy and theory of the city health examination, briefly explains indicator selection and aims, and comprehensively illustrates examination methods. It then describes the empirical research that operationalized the dataset collected from a satisfaction survey administered during the 2020 city health examination. It aims to provide a reference for the standardization, specialization, analysis, and application of the results of the city health examination in China; this may help promote a smooth elimination of ‘urban diseases’ and allow for the development of high-quality livable cities. This research shows that city residents are generally more satisfied with the landscape features, ecological livability, and security resilience; it also shows that residents are generally more dissatisfied with traffic issues. Residents with different characteristics showed different satisfaction levels toward different indicators. Residents were also shown to be more sensitive to innovation vitality, ecological livability, and health and comfort in considering whether to stay in their current city.
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Key words:
- city health examination /
- urban disease /
- methodology /
- living environment /
- satisfaction survey
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Table 1. Common index system used in the city health examination of 36 cities in China in 2020
Function Dimension Specific indicators Objective indicators Subjective satisfaction indicators Basis Security resilience The density of waterlogging points in urban built-up areas; the death rate per 10000 vehicles in the city; the number of large construction accidents per 10000 people in the city; the area of emergency shelters per capita; the coverage rate of urban secondary and above hospitals; urban medical waste treatment capacity; the size of public facility areas that meet the conditions for emergency transformation per capita; the concentration of urban traditional commercial wholesale markets Public security; traffic safety; emergency shelters; traditional trade wholesale market management order; fire safety Health and comfort The coverage rate of community convenience stores; the coverage rate of community care facilities for older adults; the coverage rate of inclusive kindergartens; the outpatient rate of community health service centers; the area of sports venues per capita; the area of community sports venues per capita; proportion of land area in old communities; proportion of high-rise and high-density residential land; proportion of high-density hospitals Number of general hospitals; sports venues; large-scale shopping facilities; community inclusive kindergartens; community care facilities for older adults; community health service centers; community supermarkets and convenience stores; maintenance of community roads, fitness equipment and other facilities; old community renovation; neighborhood relations Methods Convenient traffic Average vehicle speed during peak hours in built-up areas; urban road network density; average one-way commuting time of permanent urban residents; ratio of parking spaces to car ownership in residential areas; public transportation travel share rate Walking environment; cycling environment; public transportation; road patency and congestion; time spent commuting after work or school; car parking Neatness and order The recycling rate of urban domestic waste; the rate of the centralized collection of urban domestic sewage; the density of public toilets in built-up areas; the rate of establishment of various types of urban pipe networks; the proportion of residential communities that implement professional real estate management Residential waste classification; real estate management in the residential community; city appearance; sanitary conditions of public toilets Motivation Diversity and inclusiveness The coverage rate of basic public services for the permanent population; the coverage rate of barrier-free facilities in public spaces; the ratio of urban residents’ minimum living security standards to the per capita consumption expenditure of urban residents in the previous year; the ratio of annual rent per unit area to the per capita disposable income of residents; the ratio of average housing price to the per capita disposable income of residents Acceptability of housing prices; acceptability of house-renting prices; the friendliness to floating populations; the friendliness to international people; the friendliness to vulnerable groups; subsistence allowance standard; social security standard; urban barrier-free facilities Innovation vitality Percentage of urban permanent registered population; proportion of newly-increased urban employment population with university education level; proportion of total social research and development expenditure in the gross domestic product; non-public economic growth rate; number of high-tech enterprises per 10000 people Job opportunities; suitability to start a company or do business; policy environment to start a company or do business; talent introduction policy Goals Ecological livability Regional development intensity; urban population density; urban development intensity; proportion of urban blue and green spaces; number of days with good air quality (AQI≤100); ratio of urban water environment quality better than Level Ⅴ (based on Environmental quality standards for surface water, China National Standards GB3838—2002); coverage of green space service radius; urban greenway density; proportion of green buildings in new construction Parks and green spaces; waterfront accessible spaces; public open spaces; building density; air pollution; water pollution; noise pollution Landscape features The preservation rate of the integrity of urban historical and cultural blocks; the utilization rate of industrial heritage; the average density of urban historical buildings; the attraction of domestic and foreign tourists Landscape protection; historical block protection; restoration and utilization of historical buildings and traditional houses; landmark buildings; landscape aesthetics; cultural features -
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