LAUSR

Abstract Rural environments present unique barriers and opportunities for healthy living, and yet planning-for-health research and practice guides focus primarily on urban and suburban environments. “Healthy Rural Community Design: A Scorecard for Comprehensive Plans” is a new comprehensive plan assessment tool to help rural and small town communities promote active living and healthy eating. Focus groups and workshops with rural planners and public health practitioners informed the tool’s development. This iterative, user-centered process of tool evaluation and revision continues. The scorecard can help rural planners and public health practitioners: identify strengths in planning policy and areas for improvement; engage diverse stakeholders in planning for health; start a dialogue between health and planning practitioners; and generate ideas for policy, systems, and environmental change for healthier, more prosperous, and more sustainable rural and small town communities.