Do nudges work?:using personal normative message in mHealth intervention to dissuade from physical inactivity

Abstract Physical inactivity leads to a high risk of medical complications and triggering substantial health care expenses. The goal of the project within which the research is conducted is to explore the effect of the use of nudges to dissuade individuals from physical inactivity. This study is aimed to design and develop a zero/low-cost nudging mHealth intervention that allows users to check their time with normative messages when walking. This intervention is then utilised for individuals to investigate whether it stimulates physical activity. The design of the nudging intervention is followed by an iterative Design Thinking process. The result of the pilot study has shown us that participants highlighted personal normative message installed as a screensaver in a smartphone as a zero-cost solution to dissuade their physical inactivity. Our future effort is to access this intervention by experimental design studies with quantitative and qualitative surveys, which will be carried out with students to measure physical activity behavioural change

Strategies for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in Urban Areas: The Erice 50 Charter

The Erice 50 Charter titled "Strategies for Diseases Prevention and Health Promotion in Urban Areas" was unanimously approved at the conclusion of the 50th Residential Course "Urban Health. Instruments for promoting health and for assessing hygienic and sanitary conditions in urban areas", held from 29th March to 2nd April 2017 in Erice, at the "Ettore Majorana" Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture and promoted by the International School of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine "G. D'Alessandro" and the Study Group "Building Hygiene" of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health (SItI). At the conclusion of the intense learning experience during the Course, with more than 20 lectures, workshops and long-lasting discussions between Professors and Students, the participants identified the major points connecting urban features and Public Health, claiming the pivotal role of urban planning strategies for the management of Diseases Prevention and Health Promotion activities. The Erice 50 Charter is configured as a Decalogue for Healthy Cities and as a Think Tank for designing effective strategic actions and best practices to develop urban regeneration interventions and improve the urban quality of contemporary cities. The Decalogue is structured into the following key strategic objectives: 1. Promoting urban planning interventions that address citizens towards healthy behaviours; 2. Improving living conditions in the urban context; 3. Building an accessible and inclusive city, with a special focus on the frail population; 4. Encouraging the foundation of resilient urban areas; 5. Supporting the development of new economies and employment through urban renewal interventions; 6. Tackling social inequalities; 7. Improving stakeholders' awareness of the factors affecting Public Health in the cities; 8. Ensuring a participated urban governance; 9. Introducing qualitative and quantitative performance tools, capable of measuring the city's attitude to promote healthy lifestyles and to monitor the population's health status; 10. Encouraging sharing of knowledge and accessibility to informations. Finally, all the participants underlined that a multidisciplinary team, composed of Physicians specialized in Hygiene, Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Technicians as Architects, Urban planners and Engineers, is needed to deepen the research topic of Urban Health