Using the example of a locality this thesis examines the key elements of the new public health from a geographic perspective. Three voluntary groups (based in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets) have been examined as a case study of expressions of the new public health. The thesis argues that the new public health is an urban social movement, which has expressions at the local level which vary. It is argued that this variance results from the key elements which inform and shape the new public health. They are the nature of the public health activities and initiatives carried out; the organisation and representation of the groups that make up the movement; and the knowledge and activities informed by sense of the place that the groups have. The sense of place of the groups collectively, and the individuals within the groups, informs what public health activities and initiatives are implemented based on perceived need. The sense of place of the area is also the main mobilising factor for the agents who make up the public health groups and hence the new public health movement. The new public health movement is an urban social movement organised at a number of different geographical levels and in particular at the local and international levels. In discussing and describing how the new public health is a social movement, the thesis contends that previous exploration of social movements has failed to examine the importance that place has to the organisation and shape that movements take. This thesis, through a geographic analysis, constructs a new framework for looking at urban social movements with an emphasis on place. It also outlines how an geographical analysis of the new public health can broaden the focus of current research within medical geography by examining health within the wider context of society.

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Public health policy and practice principally acknowledge a needs-based approach when developing, implementing, and evaluating community health programs. This needs-based perspective receives criticism because it focuses too heavily on what is missing or wrong with communities as opposed to building on their strengths. As a result, community members are perceived as passive recipients, which is disempowering, and ultimately risks creating unsustainable and ineffective programs. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in achieving a balance between the needs-based approach and the asset-based approach, which accentuates positive capabilities. While the amount of literature discussing the benefits of this latter perspective has grown substantially, accompanying evaluation required to sustain continued investment has been limited. Compared to needs-based research, there is less literature on asset-based evaluation. Emphasis on such research could contribute to the progression of evaluation methodologies and theories, ultimately encouraging their use. The purpose of this study is to apply an existing public health evaluation framework – the RE-AIM model (Glasgow, Vogt, and Boles, 1999) – to asset-based community health interventions and to examine the utility of such an evaluation structure across a variety of asset-based health projects. A multiple case study design facilitated comparison of the applicability of the RE-AIM model dimensions – Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance across three cases in the East London borough of Tower Hamlets, United Kingdom. These included the Local Links Asset-mapping project, the Healthy Early Years Project, and the Good Moves project. The RE-AIM framework is additionally guided by principles of the Realist Evaluation approach (Pawson and Tilley, 1997). This research study contributes to asset-based research by providing a guideline and conceptual framework to support asset-based intervention evaluation theory and practice.