1
|
Environmental and Economic Factors of Migration from Urban to Rural Areas: Evidence from Poland. ENERGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/en14248467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The net migration rate is highly diversified and noticeable chiefly in municipalities directly adjacent to large cities. This trend is still maintained in Poland and is now becoming even more visible than previously. Most of the studies conducted to date have not focused on extracting economic and environmental factors or determining the role of individual factors in those decisions. Furthermore, they have not analysed the issue of differences in motives and directions of migration. Thus, the aim of the research was to establish the factors that determine contemporary migrations from the city to suburban areas and to outline the role of economic and environmental factors. For this purpose, 164 interviews were conducted with individuals who had migrated from the city to the countryside surrounding one of the most important urban centres in Central Europe—Wrocław. In the research, the multiple snowball sampling technique was used. It was found that the factors with the most significant impact on the decision to move from the city to the countryside were those of an environmental nature, whereas the selection of a specific location (village) was to a greater extent determined by economic factors. Compared to their previous place of residence, the respondents most positively rated the environmental benefits of living in the countryside, whereas economic factors, especially insufficient sewage and energy infrastructure, in addition to poor services and transport, were downvoted. The results therefore imply the need for better planning of suburban settlement patterns that takes account of the availability and development of the infrastructure network. The settlement dispersion, as shown through spatial studies, leads to higher unit costs, which generate higher public services costs and thus increasing local expenditures.
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang R, He Q, Zhang L, Wang H. Coupling Cellular Automata and a Genetic Algorithm to Generate a Vibrant Urban Form-A Case Study of Wuhan, China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:11013. [PMID: 34769532 PMCID: PMC8583206 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Enhancing urban vitality is a key goal for both the government and ordinary urban residents, and creating this vitality is emphasized in China's urban development strategy. Enhancing urban vitality through the rational design of urban forms is a leading topic of Western urban research. An urban growth pattern (UGP) reflects the dual characteristics of a static pattern and the dynamic evolution of the external urban form. It affects urban vitality by influencing the spatial allocation of internal structural elements and patterns in the adjacent location. The cellular automata (CA) mode can effectively simulate the aggregation process of urban growth (infilling expansion or edge expansion). However, it does not simulate the diffusion of urban growth, specifically the evolution of outlying expansion. In addition, CA focuses on learning, simulating, and building knowledge about geographic processes, but does not spatially optimize collaborative land use against multiple objectives or model multi-scale land use. As such, this paper applies a coupling model called the "promoting urban vitality model," based on cellular automata (CA) and genetic algorithm (GA) (abbreviated as UV-CAGA). UV-CAGA optimally allocates cells with different UGPs, creating a city form that promotes urban vitality. Wuhan, the largest city in Central China, was selected as a case study to simulate and optimize its urban morphology for 2025. The main findings were as follows. (1) The urban vitality of the optimized urban form scheme was 4.8% higher than the simulated natural expansion scheme. (2) Compared to 2015, after optimization, the simulated sizes of the newly increased outlying, edge, and infilling areas in 2025 were 6.51 km2, 102.69 km2, and 23.48 km2, respectively; these increases accounted for 4.90%, 77.32%, and 17.68%, respectively, of the newly increased construction land area. This indicated that Wuhan is expected to have a very compact urban form. (3) The infilling expansion type resulted in the highest average urban vitality level (0.215); the edge expansion type had the second highest level (0.206); outlying growth achieved the lowest vitality level (0.199). The UV-CAGA model proposed in this paper improves on existing geographical process simulation and spatial optimization models. The study successfully couples the "bottom-up" CA model and "top-down" genetic algorithm to generate dynamic urban form optimization simulations. This significantly improves upon traditional CA models, which do not simulate the "diffusion" process. At the same time, the spatial optimization framework of the genetic algorithm in the model also provides insights related to other effects related to urban form optimization, such as urban environmental security, commuting, and air pollution. The integration of related research is expected to enrich and improve urban planning tools and improve the topic's scientific foundation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renyang Wang
- Research Institute of New Economic, Ningbo University of Finance & Economics, Ningbo 315175, China;
| | - Qingsong He
- College of Public Administration, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China;
| | - Lu Zhang
- School of Public Administration, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Huiying Wang
- School of Government, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing 100029, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shaw SJ, Korchmaros JD, Huebner Torres C, Totman MS, Lee JK. The RxHL study: community-responsive research to explore barriers to medication adherence. HEALTH EDUCATION RESEARCH 2019; 34:556-568. [PMID: 31769851 PMCID: PMC6878947 DOI: 10.1093/her/cyz029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to contribute to the development of community-responsive research approaches by describing the research methods used in the RxHL study and the interprofessional and community-based collaboration that produced them. The mixed-method RxHL study was developed in close consultation with staff and providers at our research site, a federally qualified health center in Springfield, MA. We utilized quantitative methods including chart review, manual pill counts and self-report surveys to assess factors associated with medication adherence in a diverse population of low-income patients with chronic disease. We triangulated these results with findings from qualitative methods that included in-depth interviews, home visits and chronic disease diaries. We used the constant comparison method and interdisciplinary, participatory team meetings to integrate quantitative and qualitative findings. A community-responsive approach facilitated the recruitment and retention of a diverse sample of patients. Self-report surveys revealed the widespread scope of barriers to care such as medication costs and transportation, and limited health literacy among diverse groups. Qualitative research methods offered a deeper understanding of the social and environmental contexts in which medication adherence takes place. Prioritizing the needs of community partners and research participants facilitates rigorous data collection in clinical settings with maximum participation from community partners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan J Shaw
- Department of Health Promotion and Policy, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01002, USA
| | | | - Cristina Huebner Torres
- Department of Research and Population Health, Caring Health Center, 1049 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01003, USA
| | - Molly S Totman
- Department of Research and Population Health, Caring Health Center, 1049 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01003, USA
| | - Jeannie K Lee
- Department of Pharmacy Practice & Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To explore the relationship between the built environment and type 2 diabetes, considering both risk factors and policies to reduce risk. The built environment refers to the physical characteristics of the areas in which people live including buildings, streets, open spaces, and infrastructure. RECENT FINDINGS A review of current literature suggests an association between the built environment and type 2 diabetes, likely driven by two key pathways-physical activity and the food environment. Other hypothesized mechanisms linking the built environment and type 2 diabetes include housing policy, but evidence in these areas is underdeveloped. Policies designed to enhance the built environment for diabetes risk reduction are mechanistically plausible, but as of yet, little direct evidence supports their effectiveness in reducing in type 2 diabetes risk. Future work should rigorously evaluate policies meant to reduce type 2 diabetes via the built environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aisha T Amuda
- University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 1001 Bondurant Hall, CB 9535, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Seth A Berkowitz
- Division of General Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Chapel Hill School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, 5034 Old Clinic Bldg. CB 7110, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yang Y, Xue H, Liu S, Wang Y. Is the decline of active travel to school unavoidable by-products of economic growth and urbanization in developing countries? SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY 2019; 47:101446. [PMID: 31984207 PMCID: PMC6980473 DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2019.101446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Economic growth and urbanization may contribute to the decline of active travel to school (ATS). We aim to explain the change of ATS in China between 1997 and 2011 and to predict the prevalence of ATS in China within the next 30 years using various scenario. METHODS We developed a system dynamics model to study ATS and the model assumes the prevalence of ATS is determined by the dynamic interaction of four exogenous and eight endogenous variables. RESULTS The simulated prevalence of ATS is roughly consistent with empirical data. Economic development and urban sprawl are more influential than urban design and crime in terms of ATS. Under a relatively reasonable scenario, the prevalence of ATS is projected to decrease from 73% in 2011 to 65% in 2014, and the prevalence of childhood overweight & obesity is projected to increase from 24% in 2011 to 34% in 2041. With the maintaining of economic development grow, to control urban sprawl is the most effective measure to promote ATS and decrease childhood obesity. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the model enabled us to conduct experiments to test the possible effects of changing one or more factors taking into account their dynamic interrelationship, and our study may provide implications for policy intervention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yang
- School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, 38152
| | - Hong Xue
- Department of Health Behavior and Policy, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University
| | - Shiyong Liu
- Research Institute of Economics and Management, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, #55 Guanghuacun Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Youfa Wang
- Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Health, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Exploring Urban Design Strategies That Maximize the Benefits of Urban Nature for Children's Well-Being. ECOPSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1089/eco.2018.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
|
7
|
Integration of GIS and statistical approach in mapping of urban sprawl and predicting future growth in Midnapore town, India. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s40808-018-0536-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
8
|
Ossola A, Hopton ME. Climate differentiates forest structure across a residential macrosystem. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 639:1164-1174. [PMID: 29929285 PMCID: PMC6734185 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The extent of urban ecological homogenization depends on how humans build, inhabit, and manage cities. Morphological and socio-economic facets of neighborhoods can drive the homogenization of urban forest cover, thus affecting ecological and hydrological processes, and ecosystem services. Recent evidence, however, suggests that the same biophysical drivers differentiating composition and structure of natural forests can further counteract the homogenization of urban forests. We hypothesize that climate can differentiate forest structure across residential macrosystems at regional-to-continental spatial scales. To test this hypothesis, forest structure (tree and shrub cover and volume) was measured using LiDAR data and multispectral imagery across a residential macrosystem composed 1.4 million residential parcels contained in 9 cities and 1503 neighborhoods. Cities were selected along an evapotranspiration (ET) gradient in the conterminous United States, ranging from the colder continental climate of Fargo, North Dakota (ET = 464.43 mm) to the hotter subtropical climate of Tallahassee, Florida (ET = 1000.47 mm). The relative effects of climate, urban morphology, and socio-economic variables on residential forest structure were assessed by using generalized linear models. Climate differentiated forest structure of the residential macrosystem as hypothesized. Average forest cover doubled along the ET gradient (0.39-0.78 m2 m-2), whereas average forest volume had a threefold increase (2.50-8.12 m3 m-2). Forest volume across neighborhoods increased exponentially with forest cover. Urban morphology had a greater effect in homogenizing forest structure on residential parcels compared to socio-economics. Climate and urban morphology variables best predicted residential forest structure, whereas socio-economic variables had the lowest predictive power. Results indicate that climate can differentiate forest structure across residential macrosystems and may counteract the homogenizing effects of urban morphology and socio-economic drivers at city-wide scales. This resonates with recent empirical work suggesting the existence of complex multi-scalar mechanisms that regulate ecological homogenization and ecosystem convergence among cities. The study initiates high-resolution assessments of forest structure across entire urban macrosystems and breaks new ground for research on the ecological and hydrological significance of urban vegetation at subcontinental scale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Ossola
- Centre for Smart Green Cities, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Matthew E Hopton
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Cradock AL, Barrett JL, Chriqui JF, Evenson KR, Goins KV, Gustat J, Heinrich KM, Perry CK, Scanze M, Schmid TL, Tabak RG, Umstattd Meyer MR, Valko C. Driven to Support: Individual- and County-Level Factors Associated With Public Support for Active Transportation Policies. Am J Health Promot 2017; 32:657-666. [PMID: 29108441 DOI: 10.1177/0890117117738758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess predictors of stated support for policies promoting physically active transportation. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING US counties selected on county-level physical activity and obesity health status. PARTICIPANTS Participants completing random-digit dialed telephone survey (n = 906). MEASURES Survey measures assessed stated support for 5 policies to promote physically active transportation, access to active transportation facilities, and time spent in a car. County-level estimates included household car dependence and funding for bicycle-pedestrian projects. ANALYSIS Multivariable generalized linear mixed models using binary distribution and logit link, accounting for clustering within county. RESULTS Respondents supported policies for accommodating bicyclists and pedestrians through street improvements (89%), school active transportation programs (75%), employer-funded active commuting incentives (67%), and allocation of public funding (68%) and tax support (56%) for building and maintaining public transit. Residents spending >2 h/d (vs <0.7 hours) in cars were more likely to support street (odds ratio [OR]: 1.87; confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-3.22) and public transit (OR: 1.85; CI: 1.24-2.77) improvements. Residents in counties investing >$1.6 million in bicycle and pedestrian improvements expressed greater support for funding (OR: 1.71; CI: 1.04-2.83) and tax increases (OR: 1.73; CI: 1.08-2.75) for transit improvements compared to those with lower prior investments (<$276 100). CONCLUSION Support for policies to enable active transportation is higher where relevant investments in active transportation infrastructure are large (>$1.6 M), public transit is nearby, and respondents drive >2 h/d.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angie L Cradock
- 1 Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica L Barrett
- 1 Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jamie F Chriqui
- 2 Division of Health Policy and Administration, School of Public Health and the Institute for Health Research & Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kelly R Evenson
- 3 Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Karin Valentine Goins
- 4 Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jeanette Gustat
- 5 Department of Epidemiology; Prevention Research Center, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Katie M Heinrich
- 6 Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Cynthia K Perry
- 7 Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Michele Scanze
- 8 College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Thomas L Schmid
- 9 Physical Activity and Health Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Rachel G Tabak
- 10 Prevention Research Center, Brown School at Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - M Renee Umstattd Meyer
- 11 Department of Health, Human Performance, & Recreation, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Cheryl Valko
- 10 Prevention Research Center, Brown School at Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Canadian policy perspectives on promoting physical activity across age-friendly communities: lessons for advocacy and action. AGEING & SOCIETY 2017. [DOI: 10.1017/s0144686x17000939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTPopulation ageing combined with physical inactivity has critical implications for the public health of communities in the twenty-first century. In the last decade, the World Health Organization launched the age-friendly cities agenda, aiming to address population ageing through whole-systems, rights-based, health equity-focused approaches. An important intervention for age-friendly communities is modifying built environments to support population-level physical activity. Physical activity can help mitigate impacts of chronic diseases and social isolation on older adults. Need for advocacy and action in this area raises questions of how to develop supportive environments for physical activity across age-friendly community types. In Canada, a substantial proportion of older adults live outside large urban municipalities, for which scant research exists on fostering age-friendly built environments. To this end, we conducted qualitative research involving semi-structured interviews with 21 municipal policy influencers in Alberta, Canada to gather perspectives on development and early implementation of an age-friendly policy framework in the small urban and rural context. Our findings are organised by three main themes providing key lessons for advocacy and action, namelypursuing comprehensive planning,promoting public engagementandprioritising the needs of older adults. This research informs advocacy and action priorities in promoting built environment modification for routine physical activity as part of an age-friendliness agenda for small urban and rural regions of Canada and other countries.
Collapse
|
11
|
Nykiforuk CI, McGetrick JA, Crick K, Johnson JA. Check the score: Field validation of Street Smart Walk Score in Alberta, Canada. Prev Med Rep 2016; 4:532-539. [PMID: 27752462 PMCID: PMC5065046 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Revised: 08/06/2016] [Accepted: 09/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Walk Score® is a proprietary walkability metric that ranks locations by proximity to destinations, with emerging health promotion applications for increasing walking as physical activity. Currently, field validations of Walk Score® have only occurred in metropolitan regions of the United States; moreover, many studies employ an earlier Walk Score® version utilizing straight line distance. To address this gap, we conducted a field validation of the newest, network-based metric for three municipal types along a rural-urban continuum in Alberta, Canada. In 2015, using street-level systematic observations collected in Bonnyville, Medicine Hat, and North Central Edmonton in 2008 (part of the Community Health and the Built Environment (CHBE) project), we reverse engineered 2181 scores with the network Walk Score® algorithm. We computed means, 95% confidence intervals, and t-tests (α = 0.05) for both sets of scores. Applying the Clifford-Richardson adjustment for spatial autocorrelation, we calculated Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficients (rho, rs) and adjusted p-values to measure the strength of association between the derived scores and original network scores provided by Walk Score®. Spearman's rho for scores were very high for Bonnyville (rs = 0.950, adjusted p < 0.001), and high for Medicine Hat (rs = 0.790, adjusted p < 0.001) and North Central Edmonton (rs = 0.763, adjusted p < 0.001). High to very high correlations between derived scores and Walk Scores® field validated this metric across small, medium, and large population centres in Alberta, Canada. However, we suggest caution in interpreting Walk Score® for planning and evaluating health promotion interventions, since the strength of association between destinations and walking may vary across different municipal types.
Collapse
Key Words
- ABL, Average Block Length
- BMI, Body Mass Index
- CHBE, Community Health and the Built Environment
- CI, Confidence Interval
- CSRS, Canadian Spatial Reference System
- Chronic disease
- GIS, Geographic Information System
- Geographic mapping
- Health promotion
- ID, Intersection Density
- IMI, Irvine-Minnesota Inventory
- NAD, North American Datum
- NC, North Central
- NRN, National Road Network
- SS, Street Smart
- TM, Transverse Mercator
- Validation studies
- Walking
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Candace I.J. Nykiforuk
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-300 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405 87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1C9, Canada
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sugiyama T, Niyonsenga T, Howard NJ, Coffee NT, Paquet C, Taylor AW, Daniel M. Residential proximity to urban centres, local-area walkability and change in waist circumference among Australian adults. Prev Med 2016; 93:39-45. [PMID: 27664538 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Consistent associations have been observed between macro-level urban sprawl and overweight/obesity, but whether residential proximity to urban centres predicts adiposity change over time has not been established. Further, studies of local-area walkability and overweight/obesity have generated mixed results. This study examined 4-year change in adults' waist circumference in relation to proximity to city centre, proximity to closest suburban centre, and local-area walkability. Data were from adult participants (n=2080) of a cohort study on chronic conditions and health risk factors in Adelaide, Australia. Baseline data were collected in 2000-03 with a follow-up in 2005-06. Multilevel regression models examined in 2015 the independent and joint associations of the three environmental measures with change in waist circumference, accounting for socio-demographic covariates. On average, waist circumference rose by 1.8cm over approximately 4years. Greater distance to city centre was associated with a greater increase in waist circumference. Participants living in distal areas (20km or further from city centre) had a greater increase in waist circumference (mean increase: 2.4cm) compared to those in proximal areas (9km or less, mean increase: 1.2cm). Counterintuitively, living in the vicinity of a suburban centre was associated with a greater increase in adiposity. Local-area walkability was not significantly associated with the outcome. Residential proximity to city centre appears to be protective against excessive increases in waist circumference. Controlled development and targeted interventions in the urban fringe may be needed to tackle obesity. Additional research needs to assess behaviours that mediate relationships between sprawl and obesity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takemi Sugiyama
- Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Centre for Design Innovation, Faculty of Health Arts & Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Theo Niyonsenga
- Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Natasha J Howard
- Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Neil T Coffee
- Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Catherine Paquet
- Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Research Centre of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Québec, Canada
| | - Anne W Taylor
- Population Research and Outcome Studies, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Mark Daniel
- Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Perez Barbosa D, Zhang J, Seya H. Effects of the Residential Environment on Health in Japan Linked with Travel Behavior. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:190. [PMID: 26848676 PMCID: PMC4772210 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13020190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Revised: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
This paper aims to clarify how the residential environment is associated with overall health-related quality of life (QOL) via active travel (walking and cycling), by reflecting the influence of different trip purposes in Japan. The health-related QOL includes physical, mental, and social dimensions. For this study we implemented a questionnaire survey in 20 cities in Japan in 2010 and obtained valid answers from 1202 respondents. The residential environment is defined in terms of distances to and densities of different daily facilities extracted from both the survey and external GIS data. We found that the effects of residential environment on active travel behavior are mixed and limited, depending on types of trip makers. Unexpectedly, travel behavior has no direct effects on the health-related QOL. The residential environment, which is only observed indirectly via lifestyle habits for commuters, has limited effects on health. As for noncommuters, neither their travel behavior nor the residential environment influences their health-related QOL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Perez Barbosa
- Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan.
| | - Junyi Zhang
- Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan.
| | - Hajime Seya
- Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Houston D, Basolo V, Yang D. Walkability, transit access, and traffic exposure for low-income residents with subsidized housing. Am J Public Health 2012; 103:673-8. [PMID: 22897555 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2012.300734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We assessed the spatial distribution of subsidized housing units provided through 2 federally supported, low-income housing programs in Orange County, California, in relation to neighborhood walkability, transit access, and traffic exposure. METHODS We used data from multiple sources to examine land-use and health-related built environment factors near housing subsidized through the Housing Choice Voucher Program and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, and to determine these patterns' associations with traffic exposure. RESULTS Subsidized projects or units in walkable, poorer neighborhoods were associated with lower traffic exposure; higher traffic exposure was associated with more transit service, a Hispanic majority, and mixed-use areas. Voucher units are more likely than LIHTC projects to be located in high-traffic areas. CONCLUSIONS Housing program design may affect the location of subsidized units, resulting in differential traffic exposure for households by program type. Further research is needed to better understand the relationships among subsidized housing locations, characteristics of the built environment, and health concerns such as traffic exposure, as well as which populations are most affected by these relationships.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Houston
- Department of Planning, Policy, and Design, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-7075, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|