Health Of Urban Dwellers Research Articles

Traffic noise modelling at intersections in mid-sized cities: an artificial neural network approach.

Traffic noise has emerged as one major environmental concern, which is causing a severe impact on the health of urban dwellers. This issue becomes more critical near intersections in mid-sized cities due to poor planning and a lack of noise mitigation strategies. Therefore, the current study develops a precise intersection-specific traffic noise model for mid-sized cities to assess the traffic noise level and to investigate the effect of different noise-influencing variables. This study employs artificial neural network (ANN) approach and utilizes 342h of field data collected at nineteen intersections of Kanpur, India, for model development. The sensitivity analysis illustrates that traffic volume, median width, carriageway width, honking, and receiver distance from the intersection stop line have a prominent effect on the traffic noise level. The study reveals that role of noise-influencing variables varies in the proximity of intersections. For instance, a wider median reduces the noise level at intersections, while the noise level increases within a 50-m distance from intersection stop line. In summary, the present study findings offer valuable insights, providing a foundation for developing an effective managerial action plan to combat traffic noise at intersections in mid-sized cities.

REMOTE SENSING AND NIGHT TIME URBAN HEAT ISLAND

Abstract. The urban climate literature has highlighted the remarkable prominence of nighttime UHI phenomenon. During nighttime the UHI effects become more evident due to the greater thermal inertia of the materials used in urban fabric. It is during the night when the heat accumulated in urban materials, especially in contexts of heat waves, can generate significant health risks. The low cooling capacity of urban construction materials negatively affects the comfort and the health of urban dwellers. However, and despite the great importance of night stress due to heat, the study of night UHIs is still underdeveloped. In this context, this paper aims to determine nighttime LST contrasting Landsat's very limited nighttime images with daytime ones. The example developed refers to heat wave situations during the summer 2015. The case study is the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (35 municipalities, 636 km2, 3.3 million inhabitants).

ОЦЕНКА ЛЕТНЕГО ПОВЕРХНОСТНОГО ГОРОДСКОГО ОСТРОВА ТЕПЛА ГОРОДА НОВОСИБИРСК ПО ДАННЫМ LANDSAT 8

An urban heat island is a phenomenon which occurs when the temperature in urban areas is higher than that in their rural surroundings. The formation of an urban heat island has a negative impact on the health of urban dwellers and the ecology of the city. We assessed the intensity of the surface urban heat island (UHISurf) in the city of Novosibirsk during the summer period from 2018 to 2020 using two categories of indicators – those based solely on differences in temperature (UHI-driven) and those including land cover type data (land-cover-driven). Data from the Landsat 8 were used to obtain information on land surface temperature. In accordance with the chosen methodology, bands 4, 5 and 10 were taken to calculate the land surface temperature. A prerequisite for satellite data selection was the absence of cloud cover over the study area. In this paper, nine buffers with a diameter of 1 km were selected, each around ground-based meteorological observation points at the Roshydromet network of stations. The results obtained indicate the presence of a stable surface urban heat island in Novosibirsk during the study period. The maximum value among all surface urban heat island intensity indicators was 23,0°C for the range indicator. Negative intensity values (up to –1,6°C) were also obtained for several cases, which is associated with a larger heating of croplands relative to urban surfaces. It is concluded that UHISurf intensity values depend on the choice of the calculation approach.

Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak in Urban Settings in China.

The COVID-19 outbreak in China was devastating and spread throughout the country before being contained. Stringent physical distancing recommendations and shelter-in-place were first introduced in the hardest-hit provinces, and by March, these recommendations were uniform throughout the country. In the presence of an evolving and deadly pandemic, we sought to investigate the impact of this pandemic on individual well-being and prevention practices among Chinese urban residents. From March 2–11, 2020, 4607 individuals were recruited from 11 provinces with varying numbers of COVID-19 cases using the social networking app WeChat to complete a brief, anonymous, online survey. The analytical sample was restricted to 2551 urban residents. Standardized scales measured generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), the primary outcome. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to identify correlates of GAD alongside assessment of community practices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the recommended public health practices significantly (p < 0.001) increased, including wearing facial mask, practicing physical distancing, handwashing, decreased public spitting, and going outside in urban communities. Overall, 40.3% of participants met screening criteria for GAD and 49.3%, 62.6%, and 55.4% reported that their work, social life, and family life were interrupted by anxious feelings, respectively. Independent correlates of having anxiety symptoms included being a healthcare provider (aOR = 1.58, p < 0.01), living in regions with a higher density of COVID-19 cases (aOR = 2.13, p < 0.01), having completed college (aOR = 1.38, p = 0.03), meeting screening criteria for depression (aOR = 6.03, p < 0.01), and poorer perceived health status (aOR = 1.54, p < 0.01). COVID-19 had a profound impact on the health of urban dwellers throughout China. Not only did they markedly increase their self- and community-protective behaviors, but they also experienced high levels of anxiety associated with a heightened vulnerability like depression, having poor perceived health, and the potential of increased exposure to COVID-19 such as living closer to the epicenter of the pandemic.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11524-020-00498-8.

Human thermal comfort and urban climate of Zambia’s economic and political hub: a RayMan model study

One of the most acute environmental effects of urban sprawl in a changing climate is related to human thermal comfort (HTC) especially in developing countries. This necessitates applied urban design and civil engineering works that take HTC into account. Here, we employ the radiation and human-bioclimate model, RayMan to interrogate HTC and urban climate in Zambia’s biggest city—Lusaka. We chose RayMan because of its tried and proven robust ability to compute radiation flux densities and thermo-physiologically important indices using only a few input variables. To assess HTC, we used synoptic data at 3 hourly intervals as observed at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) from 2000 to 2018. We also retrieved high-resolution monthly data for the period 1901–2016 from the Climatic Research Unit and used it to better understand the long-term evolution of urban climate over Lusaka. We observed that during September–November (SON), the highest physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) values are similar to those of the December–February (DJF) season with moderate heat stress at midday. However, with PET values of about 11 °C at dawn, SON is slightly colder than DJF hence making DJF the most thermal stressful season to people in Lusaka. In the evening, the city is generally comfortable to slightly warm from October to March and experiences moderate cold stress to no thermal stress from April to August. The most obvious finding to emerge from these analyses is that the thermal comfort of Lusaka varies between moderate cold stress and slight heat stress. Together, these results provide important insights that can be used in applied urban design for the health of urban dwellers.

A Review : Sustainability from Waste

The increasing volume and complexity of waste associated with the modern economy as due to the ranging population, is posing a serious risk to ecosystems and human health. Every year, an estimated 11.2 billion tonnes of solid waste is collected worldwide and decay of the organic proportion of solid waste is contributing about 5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions (UNEP). Poor waste management - ranging from non-existing collection systems to ineffective disposal causes air pollution, water and soil contamination. Open and unsanitary landfills contribute to contamination of drinking water and can cause infection and transmit diseases. The dispersal of debris pollutes ecosystems and dangerous substances from waste or garbage puts a strain on the health of urban dwellers and the environment. India, being second most populated country of the world that too with the lesser land area comparatively, faces major environmental challenges associated with waste generation and inadequate waste collection, transport, treatment and disposal. Population explosion, coupled with improved life style of people, results in increased generation of solid wastes in urban as well as rural areas of the country. The challenges and barriers are significant, but so are the opportunities. A priority is to move from reliance on waste dumps that offer no environmental protection, to waste management systems that retain useful resources within the economy [2]. Waste segregation at source and use of specialized waste processing facilities to separate recyclable materials has a key role. Disposal of residual waste after extraction of material resources needs engineered landfill sites and/or investment in waste-to-energy facilities. This study focusses on the minimization of the waste and gives the brief about the various initiations for proper waste management system. Hence moving towards the alternatives is the way to deal with these basic problems. This paper outlines various advances in the area of waste management. It focuses on current practices related to waste management initiatives taken by India. The purpose of this article put a light on various initiatives in the country and locates the scope for improvement in the management of waste which will also clean up the unemployment.

The footprint of urban heat island effect in 302 Chinese cities: Temporal trends and associated factors

The urban heat island (UHI) effect has been a concern for decades due its adverse influence on energy consumption, air and water quality, and, most importantly, the health of urban dwellers. Researchers have paid much attention to the magnitude of the UHI effect, but ignored its spatial extent (i.e. footprint) which is another important aspect of the UHI effect. In this study, we systematically analyzed the footprint of surface UHI (SUHI) effect in 302 Chinese cities, especially temporal trends of the footprint, by using multi-source remote sensing data. The footprint of SUHI effect (FP) was estimated by the Gaussian surface, and its temporal trend was examined by the Mann-Kendal and the Sen's slope estimator non-parametric tests. We found the FP showed evident diurnal (daytime > nighttime), seasonal (summer > winter) and inter-city (big cities > small and medium-sized cities) differences. During the period 2003–2016, over 80% of the 302 cities exhibited increasing trends of the FP in annual days and summer days, and the increasing trends were statistically significant (p < 0.05) in about half of these cities. In the nights, the FP increased in more than 70% of the cities, and about one-third of the 302 cities experienced significantly increasing trends of the FP. On average, the annual daytime and annual nighttime FPs increased at a rate of 5.0% per year and 3.8% per year, respectively. More importantly, the correlation analysis indicated that the increase of anthropogenic heat emissions and the decrease of vegetation activities and surface albedos should take lead responsibility for the expansion of the FP in the urbanization process. These results reveal that the spatial extent of heat island effect has expanded significantly in numerous Chinese cities, and this increasing trend will be sustained in the coming years if no more effective measures are carried out.

Urban Livestock Keeping in the City of Nairobi: Diversity of Production Systems, Supply Chains, and Their Disease Management and Risks

Urban livestock keeping in developing cities have an important role in food security and livelihoods but can also pose a significant threat to the environment and health of urban dwellers. The aim of this study was to identify the different livestock systems in Nairobi, their supply chains, and their management and food safety risks. Seven focus group discussions with livestock production officers in charge of each major Nairobi sub-county were conducted. Data were collected on the type of systems existing for each livestock species and their supply chains, disease management, food safety risks, and general husbandry and gender factors. Supply chain flow diagrams and thematic analysis of the data was done. Results of the study show a large variability of livestock keeping in Nairobi. The majority were small scale with: <5 dairy cows, 1–6 dairy goats, <10 small ruminants, <20 pigs, 200–500 broilers, 300–500 layers, <10 indigenous chickens, or <20 rabbits. Beef keeping was mainly described as a “by the way” system or done by traders to fatten animals for 3 month. Supply chain analysis indicated that most dairy farmers sold milk directly to consumers due to “lack of trust” of these in traders. Broiler and pig farmers sold mainly to traders but are dependent on few large dominating companies for their replacement or distribution of products. Selling directly to retailers or consumers (including own consumption), with backyard slaughtering, were important chains for small-scale pig, sheep and goat, and indigenous chicken keepers. Important disease risk practices identified were associated with consumption of dead and sick animals, with underground network of brokers operating for ruminant products. Qualified trained health managers were used mainly by dairy farmers, and large commercial poultry and pig farmers, while use of unqualified health managers or no treatment were common in small-scale farming. Control of urban livestock keepers was reported difficult due to their “feeling of being outlaws,” “lack of trust” in government, “inaccessibility” in informal settlements, “lack of government funding,” or “understaffing.” Findings are useful for designing policies to help to control urban livestock production and minimize its associated health and environment risks.

Harnessing urbanisation for human wellbeing and planetary health

Harnessing urbanisation for human wellbeing and planetary health

Urbanisation pattern in South-East Asia and its implications for health of urban dwellers

The urban population in South-East Asia region is growing rapidly at the rate of 4-5% per year posing a threat to their existing health infrastructure. Most countries in the region are passing through epidemiological transition and are facing the dual burden of traditional and modern diseases. The health status within the city is not evenly distributed rather the poor bear the greatest burden of diseases. The uncontrolled urban growth puts strains on food and water supplies, on the availability of safe housing and on health care services. Migrations from rural to urban areas bring in numerous psychosocial problems resulting in increased incidence of crime, accident, drug abuse, alcoholism, smoking, suicide, sexual problems etc that affect health. There is a huge gap between community needs and existing public health services. Cities in the SEA region need inter-sectoral coordination to address the health problems so as to develop healthy cities in the region.

Transformation of the Urban Health Care Safety Net: The Devolution of a Public Responsibility.

Reduced spending in both federal and state programs and the closure of public hospitals have serious consequences for the health of urban dwellers, especially the poor and uninsured. Through a combination of economic factors, many municipalities have formed public-private partnerships and launched community initiatives to preserve some of the elements of the health care safety net. What once was a responsibility of municipal governments, the provision of health care to poor and uninsured populations, is now posing challenges for private-sector providers. This article identifies several factors that have contributed to the incremental demise of the publicly funded urban health care safety net and how local entities and the federal government are responding to the care of the poor and uninsured.

P03 Modeling Potential Health Impact, Active Transport and Time-use-A Case Study

BackgroundBy using the available Spatial Data Infrastructure available through The Victorian Transport Statistics Portal which covers out-of-home activity and travel for most days of the year over the period 1994 to 2007 in the Melbourne Statistical Division, the spatially referenced time use pattern profiles of the residential population are estimated. The sample data quantifies activity for more than 100,000 responding surveyed households MethodsThere is a widely accepted evidence based view that twenty to thirty minute bouts of personal physical activity in the form active transport potentially benefits the maintenance of sound health and wellbeing. The urban sub-regions of Melbourne with a thirty minute existing and/or health benefitting time-use potential as part of normal life are documented elsewhere. Firstly the presentation summarizes the most recent published evidence that there is health maintenance benefit to be gained from the shorter bouts of personal physical activity that form part of normal life. ResultsThe average daily time-use allocated by 80% of the local population to active transport by residents in several sub-regions across the Melbourne metropolis varies by a factor greater than five.Many elderly and/or ambulatory constrained people are unable to benefit from the longer bouts of physical activity to maintain quality of life sustaining activity regimes. ConclusionsThe presentation concludes by modelling several subregions of Melbourne where there is opportunity with more shade and seating to benefit the wellbeing of an aging population by facilitating active transport, including walking frame use. The paper begins to address the additional spatial data infrastructure needed to justify investment in the active transport infrastructure changes needed to adapt to the ever increasing heat island impact on the health of urban dwellers in temperate climate zones, such as Melbourne.The nature of this presentation is such that spatial approximations are necessary, which fall outside accepted numerical statistical criteria. The form of soft edge spatial vector analysis needed to address and progress the topic of interest is too complex to apply normal stats.