City Community Research Articles

Retraction Note: A wide-band flexible body-worn antenna for bio-medical and 5G applications to serve communities of smart cities

Retraction Note: A wide-band flexible body-worn antenna for bio-medical and 5G applications to serve communities of smart cities

Integrated Framework for Enhancing Liveability and Ecological Sustainability in UAE Communities

Urban growth is vast in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to economic development, and there is a need to consider liveability and sustainable ecosystems for future urban expansion. Promising strategies for sustainability focus on minimizing a building’s effects on the environment and improving residents’ quality of life, which is important in the desert and when confronting the issues of water and climate change. Sustainable practices that impact the livelihood of people in the UAE include factors such as walkable areas, open space, policing, healthcare, education, housing, and ensuring friendly transport that enhance the overall quality of life of residents in the region. Recognizing and appreciating the UAE’s cultural values is crucial when incorporating these aspects, allowing references to the nation’s character when creating communal areas. The primary research included quantitative surveys of three identified communities, composed of fifty participants each, where the findings indicate partial to full compliance, with 85.7% of the liveability indices being about public transport and green space. Through this analysis, liveability and sustainability principles need to be trialed and incorporated into future urban development to embrace the ecology as well as the inhabitants. To realize these targets, the proposed study adopted a four-part approach. Initially, an analysis of related studies concerning the UAE or the Gulf area was carried out to obtain important liveability and quality-of-life factors. A total of 6 dimensions and 51 indicators were extracted from the literature to inform the next stage. Subsequently, the authors identified and evaluated the design of three chosen communities in various cities in the UAE concerning liveability and sustainability indices. Consequently, a conceptual redesign of a typical community was made, illustrating the improved quality of life and sustainability. Lastly, a survey with respective facets from an urban planning architect and environmental scientist cum environmental economist was conducted to evaluate the practicality of the proposed design. This research gives a comprehensive picture of how liveability and sustainable ecosystem concepts need to be implemented in the UAE urban context and offers a direction to develop lively, context-specific, culturally attached, and sustainable urban environments for the present day and for the future.

Community Member Perceptions of Dollar Stores in Baltimore City, Maryland: "They are Not Progressive for the Communities".

Dollar stores are the fastest-growing type of food retailer in the United States, prompting policy action across the country related to their perceived negative impact on the communities they serve. However, there is little existing research that explores community member perceptions of dollar stores, which is critical to inform new, equitable policies. To address this gap in Baltimore City, Maryland, where dollar store density is high, we aimed to describe community member perceptions of dollar stores in terms of their role in the broader community. We used thematic analysis to construct themes from community member in-depth interviews (n = 16) and one community member workshop (n = 21) to understand how dollar stores are viewed in the context of the broader Baltimore City community. Six key themes were generated: (1) dollar stores contribute to neighborhood "blight," (2) better retail is needed, (3) dollar stores meet certain community needs, (4) dollar stores do not invest enough in the community, (5) dollar stores vary in location and stock depending on race-based neighborhood qualities, and (6) product quality is low. Overall, participants acknowledged that dollar stores meet certain needs in communities in which there are few alternative retail options, but many did not view them as a benefit and desired to have other retailers instead. Participants also discussed the lack of dollar store investment in the communities they serve, and the low quality of food and non-food products offered. Future policy development should include community member perspectives to understand local context and align policies with community priorities.

Investigating the role of community organizations in communicating extreme weather events in New York City: A content analysis.

The communication of extreme weather forecasts (e.g., heatwaves and extreme precipitation) is a challenge for weather forecasters and emergency managers who are tasked with keeping residents safe during often unprecedented situations. Weather models have inherent uncertainty, and the ability for potentially life-saving information to get to the people who need it most (e.g., those who need to evacuate) remains a challenge despite the proliferation of digital access to information and social media sites like Twitter. It is also unclear the role that community-based organizations and super-local governmental entities play or may play during weather events in transmitting weather information and providing assistance. In New York City, there remains robust inequality, with communities that are historically disadvantaged often suffering the highest number of deaths and level of destruction following weather events. Results from interviewing 26 New York City community leaders suggest that local organizations often act as intermediaries, passing on official weather information to members of their audience, regardless of the mission statement of their organization. Common challenges for communities in responding to extreme weather include lack of access to information, language barriers, and insufficient resources. Considerations for future weather communication strategies are discussed.

Decision-Making Approach for Land Use in Urban Industrial Area Redevelopment Projects

The process of industrial transformation, becoming the most important for building up sustainable cities, is in urgent need for studying alternative options for land use to ensure sustainable city development. Rapid urbanization requires new built-up design in strong correlation with urban spatial planning issues. The objective of this paper is to contribute for the studies of sustainable land use solutions through investigating the problems of the reorganization of depressed industrial areas. The research methodology is based on the multicriteria decision-making method to provide primarily social functions of depressed industrial areas, depending on environmental and economic aspects of their historical location in urban structure. Since the article highlights the concept of the 15-min city to build a polycentric urban spatial structure, the assessment of supply and demand matching of social facilities is based on the analysis of 15 min accessibility to the serviced within either industrial zone and the city on the whole. The GIS spatial analysis method supports the developed criteria set to evaluate main city functions. The research provides the methodology for defining the priority land use solution for a specific industrial area in a specific location. The proposed methodology suggests a procedure for evaluating the importance of the land use composition for the city community, considering environmental requirements and cost-effectiveness of the project. Three different industrial zones located in the same city are a case study to asses the reliability of the proposed methodology. The research conclusion provides implementing sustainable land-use solutions for improving urban environment quality as well as the quality of life for the population.

Legacy and urban regeneration: long-term local impact of the London 2012 Olympic Games

ABSTRACT The 2012 London Olympics Games bid emphasized using the Olympics as an urban regeneration catalyst of one of London’s poorest areas and one of the Games’ legacies. This study’s contribution is an examination of this legacy using 2001–2022 data, analysing the pricing and sales changes in the residential property market in London’s 656 electoral wards, before and after the IOC announced the location of the Games in 2005, and when the Games were held in 2012. The results reveal a slight and short-lived positive difference between the Olympic Park wards and the rest of the city, particularly after the awarding announcement and the Games themselves. Regeneration efforts were successful but not necessarily in the ways outlined in the bid, as the local community (as was prior to the announcement) is not necessarily the main benefactor due to the predictable migration and gentrification of the area. The London Games exemplify the potential legacy of the Olympic Games but is also a cautionary tale for local communities in host cities.

Urban Development Together with Girls and Young Women

Public spaces are crucial to everyday life, providing sites for community interaction, mobility, and recreation. Traditionally, however, urban planning has been shaped by a gendered perspective that privileges masculine assumptions that overlook intersectional needs and reinforce societal inequalities for women and girls. This special issue, ‘Let Her Guide You’, developed in partnership with UN-Habitat as part of the Her City initiative, underscores the imperative of incorporating gender and youth perspectives into urban planning and design. The Her City Initiative, a collaboration between UN-Habitat and the Shared City Foundation, advances this goal by equipping urban actors worldwide with tools to integrate the perspectives of girls and young women into urban development. Launched in 2021, the Her City Toolbox has supported over 350 independent initiatives with registered users in 120 countries, demonstrating its effectiveness in fostering inclusive urban environments. This special issue features papers by young academic scholars selected from the Her City Master students alumni network, including case studies of feminist planning from Heerlen (The Netherlands), Nairobi (Kenya), Stockholm (Sweden), and Weimar (Germany). It also includes a diverse range of invited viewpoints advocating for collaborative approaches to urban development together with girls and young women, complemented by illustrative case studies from around the globe, including Belgium, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Mozambique, Palestine, Peru, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Uganda, and the United Kingdom. By centring gender and youth perspectives in the urban planning process, this special issue highlights the potential to transform public spaces into more equitable, engaging, and sustainable environments. It calls on city makers, researchers, and community leaders to ensure that contemporary cities are designed with and for everyone.

Model Kolaborasi Pengelolaan Event Pariwisata Berbasis Budaya Studi: Kenduri Sko di Kota Sungai Penuh Provinsi Jambi

Kenduri Sko is a culture-based tourism event that grew from the tradition of the Kerinci tribal community in Sungai Full City, this event is an ancestral heritage tradition that has been carried out for generations, the implementation of the Kenduri Sko event involves many parties, therefore good cooperation between stakeholders involved in its management is needed. This study aims to determine the model of stakeholder collaboration in the management of Kenduri Sko events. This research uses qualitative descriptive methods, the informants are elements of the Pentahelix consisting of government, academia, business, society and media. The data used are primary data and secondary data, data collection is carried out by discussion with informants through focus group discussion (FGD) forums in addition, data is also obtained from the results of literature studies on books and previous research that have relevant topics. The results of this study show that the Pentahelix collaboration model currently applied to the Kenduri Sko event has not been effective, therefore it is necessary to develop a collaboration model into Hexahelix so that governance in the implementation of Kenduri Sko can be more effective and optimal.

Preferensi Masyarakat terhadap Tanaman Identitas di Jalur Hijau Tepi Jalan Kota Yogyakarta

Philosophical and native plants have ecological, aesthetic, and air pollution tolerant functions, and have historical value as constituents of Green Open Spaces (GOS). Plants in the green belt of the Imaginary Line of Yogyakarta are different from other green belt plants, because there are special features. the preferences of the Yogyakarta City community are carried out to choose the right plants, so as to create a good ecosystem on the green belt of Yogyakarta City roads. The purpose of this study was to identify plants to recommendations from people's preferences in choosing green belt plants in the City of Yogyakarta. the research method for selecting respondents used the Slovin method and in-depth interviews with cultural experts from the Yogyakarta Palace, and further tested using the Spearman correlation test. The results showed that of the 33 philosophical and native plants, the physiological characteristics of the plants had a percentage of 8.9%, namely Ficus benjamina L. as a philosophical plant and Chrysopyllum cainito L. 14.6% as a native plant. Visual plant characteristics that have a score of 7 are Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack and Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa.

Association Between Dietary Diversity and Subjective Cognitive Decline in the Middle-Aged and Elderly Chinese Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the association between dietary diversity and risk of subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a precursor of dementia, in middle-aged and elderly Chinese populations residing in eastern China. Participants aged ≥ 45 years were recruited from a community in an eastern Chinese city after excluding potential objective cognitive impairment using the Mini-Cognitive Assessment Instrument (Mini-Cog). SCD was assessed using the Subjective Cognitive Decline Questionnaire-9 (SCD-Q9). Dietary data were collected using the Dietary Quality Questionnaire (DQQ), and the Food Group Diversity Score (FGDS) and the Consumed All Five Recommended Food Score (All-5) were calculated as indicators of dietary diversity. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed to evaluate the associations of FGDS and All-5 scores with SCD after adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and health status. Among the 871 participants, 358 (41.1%) were classified as having SCD. Compared with participants with the highest FGDS (≥8) and those with the highest All-5 score (5), those with the lowest FGDS (≤4) and the lowest All-5 score (≤3) exhibited 85% (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.10-3.13; p = 0.02) and 90% (OR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.21-2.97; p < 0.01) higher risk of SCD, respectively, after adjusting for all covariates. Fruits were the only food group among the All-5 components that demonstrated a significant association with SCD risk. Poor dietary diversity was associated with an elevated risk of SCD in middle-aged and older adults, and fruits were the food group with the most substantial effect.

Identification of Motives of Children Working as Street Clowns in Manado City, North Sulawesi Province

Various activities are carried out by the community to meet their living needs. One activity that has become a new phenomenon seen in Manado City is street clowns. The phenomenon of street clowns can be found at intersections and at the entrances and exits of the Boulevard shopping area. They try to entertain the general public and drivers so that they get money, although the amount is not much. However, most of these street clowns are of school age and should not be active to earn income. This phenomenon is actually different from the culture of the Manado City Community in carrying out activities to earn income. This study was conducted to identify and analyze the motives of children who work as street clowns in Manado City. The results of this study can be used as a recommendation for the Manado City government in compiling a program to strengthen social institutions in the Community and in maintaining public order in public places. This study will be conducted using a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through interviews with children who work as street clowns and with the leaders of the Social and Community Empowerment Service and the leaders of the Manado City Civil Service Police Unit. Conducting observations on the activities of street clown professions and collecting other supporting data through internet-based electronic library searches such as Google Scholar and ResearchGate. Data analysis through the stages of data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions and data verification. Children who work as street clowns in Manado City are school-age children. The main motive is to help parents meet their living needs through additional income. They come from suburban areas and have a community. The hope of feeling affection and attention and having time to play is very much needed by them.

Research on the aging-suitability of community outdoor spaces in Zhengzhou based on the analytic hierarchy process and semantic differential method.

As global populations age, the suitability of community outdoor spaces for older adult residents has become a critical urban planning concern. However, comprehensive evaluation methods for assessing these spaces are lacking. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the aging-suitability of community outdoor spaces in Zhengzhou, China, and provide optimization suggestions for urban planners and policymakers. An evaluation index system was established using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), with aging-suitability as the goal layer. The criteria layer included outdoor behavioral activities, green space configuration, transportation and road systems, and basic service facilities. The semantic differential (SD) method was employed to conduct a comprehensive evaluation among older adult residents in three communities (A, B, and C) in Zhengzhou city. The evaluation revealed that older adult residents generally had a favorable assessment of their community spaces' aging-suitability. Community A received the highest overall rating. Green space configuration and transportation systems emerged as critical factors influencing aging-suitability. The combined AHP-SD approach proved effective in evaluating the aging-suitability of community outdoor spaces. The study identified key areas for improvement in each community, with variations in strengths and weaknesses across the three sites. Implications: Based on the findings, optimization suggestions are proposed in four aspects: enhancing outdoor behavioral activities, improving green space landscapes, refining road transportation systems, and upgrading basic service facilities. These recommendations can guide urban planners and policymakers in creating more age-friendly community environments.

The concentration of hemoglobin is associated with the dietary iron availability, food insecurity and the use of oral contraceptives among women in socially vulnerable areas of a capital city in northeastern Brazil.

This study aimed to assess hemoglobinconcentration and its association with oral contraceptive (OC) use, food insecurity (FI) and dietary iron availability (DIA) in adult women of reproductive age (20-44 years). This is a population-based cross-sectional study that analysed 505 women living in favelas and urban communities in a capital city in northeastern Brazil. Hemoglobin concentration was determined using capillary blood samples. FI and DIAwere assessed using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale and the 24-h food recall, respectively. Association analysis was carried out using logistic regression. A directed acyclic graph (DAG) was designed to illustrate the causal paths between hemoglobin concentration and DIA. A significance level of 5 % was adopted. Low hemoglobin concentrations (11·2 g/dl: (1·79)) and a high prevalence of anaemia (64·0 %) were observed; 28·7 % used OC (28·7 %) and 76·4 % were in FI. An average energetic intake of 1495 kcal/d (482·0) and 0·46 mg/d (0·27) of DIA were also observed. In the DAG-guided multivariable analysis, it was observed that hemoglobin concentrations ≥ 12 mg/dl were directly associated with higher DIA(OR: 1·67; 95 % CI (1. 08, 2·59)) and OC use (OR: 1·67; 95 % CI (1·10, 2·55)) and inversely associated with mild FI (OR: 0·60; 95 % CI (0·37, 0·96)) or severe FI (OR: 0·37; 95 % CI: (0·18, 0·76)). Women taking OC and with a higher DIA were less likely to have low hemoglobin concentrations, while those in the context of FI were in the opposite situation.

Major air pollution and climate policies in NYC and trends in NYC air quality 1998-2021.

Air pollution poses serious health risks to humans, with particular harm to children. To address the gap in understanding the efficacy of policies to reduce exposure to air pollution, we sought to assess the temporal relationship between the enactment of major air pollution and climate policies in NYC and trends in air quality during the period 1998-2021. We used previously available data from citywide monitoring and new data from the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) longitudinal cohort studies of mothers and children living in communities in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx. We utilized publicly available citywide air monitoring data for particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from 2009 to 2021 from the New York City Community Air Survey (NYCCAS) database and CCCEH cohort data on residential exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 and personal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) during pregnancies occurring from 1998-2016 and 1998-2021, respectively. We compared annual and overall reductions in PM2.5 and NO2 citywide and reductions in PAH concentrations in the cohort studies. As previously reported, annual average concentrations of pollutants in NYC dropped significantly over time. Between 1998 and 2021, PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations were reduced citywide by 37 and 31%, respectively. In our CCCEH cohorts, between 1998 and 2016, the annual average PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations also decreased significantly by 51 and 48%, respectively. Between 1998 and 2020, PAH concentrations decreased significantly by 66%. While it is not possible to link improved air quality to a single policy, our analysis provides evidence of a cumulative beneficial effect of clean air and climate policies enacted between 1998 and 2021 both city-wide and in our cohorts residing in communities that have been disproportionately affected by air pollution. There are important implications for health benefits, particularly for children, who are known to be especially vulnerable to these exposures. The results support further environmental and social policy changes to prevent the serious health impacts of air pollution from fossil fuel emissions.

Gender disparities in self-rated health are contingent upon the neighborhood composition in New York City

ABSTRACT Racial and ethnic disparities in health persist in the United States. Gender health disparities vary by race and ethnicity. Intersectionality theory articulates how gender’s effects differ by one’s other identities and upon the social context. We examined whether neighborhood composition contributed to disparities in self-rated health using individual-level 2010 New York City Community Health Survey data and neighborhood-level U.S. Census data. In multilevel ordered logistic regression, we found a health benefit of white neighborhoods. We found greater gender disparities – men’s health was better than women’s health – in white neighborhoods. Policymakers should consider neighborhood-specific approaches to address gender disparities.

Strategic Management Model in Achieving Presidential Regulation on Electronic-Based Government System in Medan City Government

This research aims to determine the quality of public services through the Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE), as well as to know and analyze the Implementation of Strategies for Achieving PERPRES No. 95 of 2018 concerning SPBE in the Medan City Government. This research is important to obtain a Strategic Management Model in Achieving PERPRES No.95 of 2018 concerning SPBE in the Medan City Government. The research paradigm used is Constructivist Paradigm, with Qualitative Research Method. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, discussions with several informants from the Medan City Office, DPRD, UPT Kecamatan, and community leaders. In addition, data was also collected through literature study, document study, and secondary data. The results showed the following: First, there is coordination between agencies in the development of application services. The coordination is conducted by the Diskominfo of Medan City Government. A number of Departments used external consultants in the development of SPBE. Diskominfo made new rules to address ICT service issues. The services use external programmers and experts and if an error occurs, the City Government is not responsible for the service. Secondly, Medan City Government conducted a Memorandum of Understanding with Tangerang City to collaborate and share resources through the innovation of E-Files application for correspondence needs. The use of shared correspondence applications by the Government in Tangerang City was adjusted based on the specific needs of each city. The platform used is the same, but with different application names, E-Files in Tangerang and Sarana in Medan. Third, there are 3 SPBE service providers in Medan City Government, including: Telkom (PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia) for Kelurahan/Kecamatan, GDS (Global Digital Solusi) for Diskominfo and other OPDs, and TNC (Telemedia Network Cakrawala) for Medan City Office. Fourth, Medan City Government uses a Strategic Management Model that combines the Environmental Model with the Collaboration Model in developing the Achievement of PERPRES No.95/2018 on SPBE in Medan City Government. The Environmental Model/Flow emphasizes vertical and horizontal coordination between work units in Medan City Government. The Collaboration Model develops a strategy of collaborative cooperation with other local governments or state-owned/private enterprises.

Engaging under-represented groups in soundscape evaluation through creative, embodied listening practices

Soundscape studies has been dominated by responses from hearing and neuro normative, middle class and English-speaking communities, often ignoring how noise can illuminate urban power structures and more readily affect underrepresented city communities. A re-evaluation of current methods is required to engage with a more diverse and representative response. This presentation will discuss findings from co-produced research practice that engages in participatory soundscape evaluation with a range of underrepresented groups including neurodiverse, non-English speaking, and refugee communities. The research uses two accessible and innovative visual methods across specially chosen community focus groups: graphic scoring (the abstracted visual representation of sounds taking from musicological practices) and emotional body mapping, (using a body outline as a template, to investigate 'embodied listening') alongside a guided listening practice inspired by Deep Listening. These methods move beyond the lack of common public lexicon around sound and the absence of defined Western listening practices to create new, perspectives, deepening the exploration of the direct impact of environmental sound and building a more inclusive, representative, and equitable 'Acoustemology of Community'.

Pengaruh Likuiditas, Tingkat Utang, Dan Efisiensi Modal Kerja Terhadap Kemampuan Operasional Pada Badan Layanan Umum Daerah (Blud) Puskesmas Kota Palembang 2018-2022

ABSTRACT THE INFLUENCE OF LIQUIDITY, DEBT LEVELS, AND WORKING CAPITAL EFFICIENCY ON THE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY OF THE PALEMBANG CITY PUSKESMAS Sheren Azzahra, 2024 E-mail : The aim of this research is to determine the effect of liquidity, debt levels and working capital efficiency on operational capabilities at the Palembang City Community Health Center BLUD. This type of research is quantitative. The research population was 42 Community Health Centers in the Palembang City Government Community Health Center BLUD using a purposive sampling technique. The research was carried out from March 2024 to July 2024. Secondary data was collected through financial reports, namely balance sheets and budget realization reports. 7 financial report data were obtained from 42 community health centers that were available. processed using multiple linear regression analysis with the SPSS program. These results indicate that liquidity, debt levels, and working capital efficiency have an impact on operational capabilities at the Palembang City Community Health Center Keywords: liquidity, debt level, working capital efficiency, operational capability v

Asset–Based Community Development and Appreciative Inquiry (ABCD/AI) Approach to Community Transformation: The Case of the Drewsland Community

This article is based on a 2014 study of Drewsland, an inner–city community in Kingston, Jamaica. It includes an investigation of how the Asset–Based Community Development and Appreciative Inquiry approaches may be applied to identify the assets of the Drewsland community, empower the residents, and guide the community transformation process through collaboration and partnership between these assets. The study concluded that since educational transformation is a subset of community transformation, community transformation in Drewsland is possible through collaboration among a community and leadership network including the school, community–based organizations, government entities, the church, and the business community.

Intelligent vs. Cultural: Research on the path to improve the resilience of urban and rural community governance based on the AHP-FCE model

Community resilience is a core component of grassroots governance modernization, and community resilience shows different characteristics depending on the type of community. Existing research on community resilience mainly uses direct questionnaire data, relatively ignoring the differences in weights of various dimensions. Different categories of community resilience components play different roles in community resilience. Based on this, the study cited the logic of the AHP-FCE model and added objective data based on empowering resilience, thus making up for the model's shortcomings while giving full play to the model's advantages. The quantitative analysis of 353 questionnaires from five urban districts and five rural communities in the sample city was based on the community resilience evaluation model. In the current process of community resilience construction, there are typical problems of a lack of cultural resilience in urban community resilience construction and a need for more intelligent resilience in rural community resilience construction. The key to future community resilience construction is reconciling the relationship between cultural and intellectual resilience to solve the problem of targeting deviation in urban communities and rural community resilience construction. It is necessary to adhere to the spirit of “long-term construction” to build the cultural resilience of urban communities, implement the path of “digital empowerment” to make the intelligent resilience of rural communities, and adhere to the standard of “complete redundancy” to form an urban and rural community resilience governance mechanism gradually, and then Move towards more resilient urban and rural community governance and help realize the modernization of grassroots governance.