Home Location Research Articles

Online Social Network User Home Location Inference Based on Heterogeneous Networks

Online Social Network User Home Location Inference Based on Heterogeneous Networks

The Burden of Plastic Surgery in Rural Kenya: The Kapsowar Hospital Experience.

Both governmental and nongovernmental training programs are expanding efforts to train the next generation of plastic surgeons who will work in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Sufficient training is dependent on acquiring the appropriate skillset for these contexts. Few studies have characterized the spectrum of practice of plastic surgeons in LMICs and their relative disparity. We performed a retrospective review on all patients who received plastic surgery at a single institution in rural western Kenya from 2021 to 2023. Data such as diagnoses, procedures, and home village/town of residence were collected. Patient home location was geomapped using an open-access distance matrix application programming interface to estimate travel time based on terrain and road quality, assuming patient access to a private vehicle and ideal traveling conditions. Descriptive statistics were performed. A total of 296 patients received surgery. Common procedures included treatment of cleft lip/palate (CLP), burn reconstruction, and reconstruction for benign tumors of the head and neck. The average distance to treatment was 159.2 minutes. Increased travel time was not associated with time to CLP repair (P > 0.05). Increased travel time was associated with delayed treatment for burns (P = 0.005), maxillofacial trauma (P = 0.032), and hand trauma (P = 0.016). Training programs for plastic surgeons in LMICs should ensure competency in CLP, flaps, burn reconstruction, and head and neck reconstruction. Our novel use of an application programming interface indicates that international partnerships have been more successful in decreasing treatment delays for CLP patients, but not other reconstructive procedure patients. Expanded commitment from international partners to address these reconstructive burdens in LMICs is warranted.

Effectiveness of dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation in private home versus public locations for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients − A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundDispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DACPR) significantly improves the survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. However, the effectiveness of DACPR may vary depending on the location of the cardiac arrest. This study compares DACPR outcomes in private homes versus public places. MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included all OHCA incidents with emergency medical service (EMS) activation in Taichung City, Taiwan, from May 1, 2021, to April 30, 2022. Trained dispatch reviewers analyzed audio recordings of the included cases to extract DACPR indicators. The primary outcome was the number of successful chest compressions performed. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of OHCA recognition, call-to-chest compression time, call-to-OHCA recognition time, reasons for failure to identify OHCA, and reasons for failure to perform chest compressions or complete instructions. A subgroup analysis examined the caller-patient relationship in both locations. ResultsThe study included 1,160 OHCA patients, with 1,009 cases occurring in private homes and 151 in public places. Patients in public places were younger (60 vs 75 years), more often male (81.5 % vs 59.9 %), and had a higher rate of witnessed collapse compared to those in private homes (40.4 % vs 26.7 %, p < 0.001). Chest compressions were less frequently administered in public places (41.1 % vs 65.5 %, adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.48 [0.31 to 0.75]). Public place cases had a lower proportion of OHCA recognition (51.9 % vs 76.9 %) and longer call-to-OHCA recognition times (108 vs 79 s) than those in private homes. Callers in public places more often encountered hazardous environments or physical barriers (16.4 % vs 8.3 %) and refused to execute instructions (11.0 % vs 4.1 %), but faced fewer emotional or psychological obstacles (0 % vs 8.3 %). Family members in private homes had a higher proportion of chest compressions (67.1 % vs 53.8 %, aOR: 1.81 [1.15 to 2.83]) and shorter times to chest compression (160 s vs 171 s, adjusted beta: −30 s [-55.6 to −6.3]) compared to non-family members. ConclusionThis study demonstrated reduced DACPR effectiveness in public places compared to private homes, potentially influenced by caller factors, environmental conditions, and the caller-patient relationship. Developing location-specific strategies is essential to enhance DACPR effectiveness.

Exploring Place of Death among Individuals with Huntington's Disease in the United States

ObjectivesTo describe trends and identify factors associated with place of death among individuals with Huntington's disease (HD). DesignRetrospective cohort of deceased individuals with HD from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Setting and ParticipantsA total of 13,350 individuals with HD who died in the United States between 2009 and 2019. MethodsWe analyzed place of death, categorized as long-term care (LTC) facility, home, hospital, hospice facility, and other locations. Trends in the places of death from 2009 to 2019 were assessed using linear regression models. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify sociodemographic factors associated with place of death. ResultsFrom 2009 to 2019, the greatest proportion of deaths occurred in LTC facilities (48.4%). There was a significantly decreasing trend in the proportion of deaths occurring in LTC facilities (53.5%–43.9%, P < .001). A greater proportion of deaths in rural areas occurred in LTC facilities compared with all other locations (P < .001 for all comparisons). In the multivariate model, aged younger than 44 years, Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, some college education or greater, and being married were associated with significantly lower odds of dying in a LTC facility compared with home. Conclusions and ImplicationsDespite a decreasing trend, LTC facilities remain a cornerstone of support for individuals with HD, particularly in rural areas. These results suggest multiple avenues for research to improve accessibility and quality of care for individuals with late stages of HD. Future studies are needed to further understand the impact of rurality and lack of support in the home on the accessibility and quality of LTC and hospice care for individuals with HD. These results may also help inform interventions focused on training and staff education within LTC and hospice facilities to better manage HD progression and symptoms.

Time-varying exposure to food retailers and cardiovascular disease hospitalization and mortality in the netherlands: a nationwide prospective cohort study.

Very few studies to date investigated the prospective association of changes in exposure to the food environment with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We aim to explore if time-varying exposure to the food environment was associated with hospitalization and mortality due to total and specific types of CVD in The Netherlands. In this prospective cohort study, 4,641,435 Dutch adults aged 35 + years who did not change residence in 2002-2018 were identified through registry data. Exposure to the food environment was defined as time-varying Food Environment Healthiness Index (FEHI) scores (range: - 5 to 5) and time-varying kernel density of specific food retailers (e.g., fast food outlets, supermarkets) around the home location between 2004 and 2018. The main outcome measures were hospitalization and mortality due to overall CVD, stroke, HF, and CHD occurring between 2004 and 2020, based on hospital and death registries. In Cox regression models, each unit increase in the FEHI was associated with a lower hospitalization and mortality of CVD (hospitalization hazard ratio (HRh) = 0.90 (0.89 to 0.91), mortality hazard ratio (HRm) = 0.85 (0.82 to 0.89)), CHD (HRh = 0.88 (0.85 to 0.91), HRm = 0.80 (0.75 to 0.86)), stroke (HRh = 0.89 (0.84 to 0.93)), HRm = 0.89 (0.82 to 0.98)), and HF (HRh = 0.90 (0.84-0.96), HRm = 0.84 (0.76 to 0.92)). Increased density of local food shops, fast food outlets, supermarkets, and convenience stores and decreased density of food delivery outlets and restaurants were associated with a higher risk of CVD, CHD, stroke, and HF hospitalization and mortality. In this observational longitudinal study, changes in exposure to a healthier food environment over 14years were associated with a risk reduction in CVD hospitalization and mortality, in particular in urbanized areas and for younger adults and those with higher incomes.

Uneven transitions and disparate mobility patterns for South Africa’s electric paratransit

The electrification of sub-Saharan Africa’s paratransit industry is mainly seen in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals around climate action, clean energy, health, and sustainability. However, a vital objective of the transitions is a “just energy transition” through equal access for all in the transition to a low-carbon economy. The transition to electric paratransit may have unintentional and adverse implications on equality for different groupings, an aspect not considered before. This paper evaluates the viability of the transition for two distinct groupings in South Africa’s paratransit sector from the same town. We used two datasets from Stellenbosch, South Africa, and its surrounding areas, with the two groups identified based on home location. Group A comprises lower-middle-income communities, while Group B comprises impoverished communities. We found differences in mobility patterns and driving efficiencies, with Group A having a higher electrification viability rate of 82% compared to Group B’s 32%. The transition will not be equal for these two groups. Electrification of the paratransit industry needs sufficient policies and incentives to ensure a just transition for all. Moreover, policymakers and infrastructure planners need to take special care in considering representative mobility data sources to ensure the representation of all groupings’ mobility in the data.

The illusion of home and belongingness: a representation and (dis)location of home in Tabish Khair’s novels

ABSTRACT This paper foregrounds Khair’s two novels, The Bus Stopped and Filming: A Love Story, examining the concepts of home, representation, (dis)locations and its non-belongingness, focusing on the discourses of Indian nationalism and national identity. There is a massive gap between the living styles of rural and urban people in India. How people live in a country is vital to a modern nation and its nationalism. Khair says, ‘houses do not make homes’ because the concept of home varies according to the socio-economic conditions. Many poor people in India do not have a permanent home and constantly migrate from one place to another. They mostly make a temporary one-night stand for home, but unfortunately, their journey becomes a permanent home. That makes their existence neither inside nor outside society, creating a different kind of third space, but far more precarious than Bhabha’s notion of a third space. In Khair’s novels, the concept of third space is far less empowering than Bhabha’s notion of third space in postcolonial studies. Khair also shows that home is an illusion, not a permanent place that constantly changes like a dream and never gets concretised.

Home Location Preferences in Prone Areas (Coastal Case Study of Bandar Lampung City: Bumi Waras District)

Cities are facing increasing challenges as a result of the effects of climate change. Climate change is causing changes in rainfall patterns, rising sea levels, and rising temperatures in Indonesia, resulting in tidal flooding in inundated coastal areas as well as urban infrastructure. Coastal communities in Bumi Waras district Bandar Lampung City choose to live in inappropriate informal arrangements in disaster-prone areas such as those affected by abrasion, tidal waves, and tsunamis. The population of this disaster-prone area is estimated to be 3000 people, and this number is growing every year. This research aims to discover the factors and history behind why this population continues to live in disaster-prone coastal areas. The structure equation model (SEM) was used to analyze the data in this study, with five factors and 21 variables tested. There were a total of 169 samples collected. Humans (M), with variables of biological needs (M1), perceptions and feelings (M2), emotional connections (M3), and social factors (S), with sub-variables of economy (Economics; S4), and community (S2), are the most influential factors in choosing a place to live on the coast of Bandarlampung City. In 1940, the Bumi Waras district began to develop its housing system. People live in slums due to a lack of housing, economic constraints, and the fact that immigrants do not have enough money to buy or inherit land. Keywords: Home Location preferences, Prone Areas, Structure Equation Model (SEM)

Effect of a virtual oncology telemedicine advanced practice provider clinic on patient financial burden and access to care disparities in patients with new benign hematologic cancer.

388 Background: Anemia is a significant part of healthcare burden in the US with 2.8 million visits per year (CDC Stat Facts, 2024). In a large community oncology/hematology practice of 200+ physical clinics/cancer centers throughout Texas, meeting benign hematology patient needs is challenging. Due to ever-increasing specialty physician shortages, patients are experiencing extended appointment access times and increased financial burden related to travel for New Patient appointments. Patients were waiting an average of 15.1 days from referral to initial provider appointment. A statewide quality improvement pilot was created allowing clinic providers the option to refer benign hematology patients to a Virtual APP (VAPP) clinic for the New Patient visit. Methods: This retrospective endeavor collected electronic medical record data over a 90-day pilot period from January-April 2024, to evaluate the time between referral received vs appointment completion. Additionally, the referred patients’ distance from home location to the nearest in-person clinic was calculated. Results: Implementation of a virtual APP New Patient clinic reduced the time from referral to first appointment from 15.1 days to 9 days for a 40% reduction in time to appointment. Within the pilot, 129 patients on average, would have traveled approximately 44 miles round trip to and from their home residence to the closest in person clinic. This resulted in a minimum mileage cost savings of $9.68 per patient, $1,248 cumulative. Additionally, these same 129 patients saved approximately 3.5 hours of work time by not taking time off for commute resulting in a 96.39 per patient, $12,434.31 cumulative, earned incoming savings based on average Texas salary. Conclusions: The VAPP clinic reduced patient access disparity for Benign Hematology appointments by over 40%. Utilization of a telemedicine-based platform, at a minimum, reduced the patients’ financial toxicity burden and impact by 106.06 per patient or 13,682.31 overall during the 90-day pilot period. Providing a virtual visit option for patients, allows quicker access to quality care, lessens time toxicity, and reduces financial burden associated with medical care in 2024.

Retracted: The Geographical Location Of Nursing Homes: How Accessible Is Care In Our Ageing Society

Abstract Background With ageing demographics, the demand for residential nursing care is increasing. Some evidence and anecdotal experience suggests that nursing home care is often not available locally, resulting in individuals moving from their homes, communities and psychosocial support systems. Methods To evaluate if residential care in Ireland meets demand the number of residential care beds per 1000 adults&amp;gt;65years were estimated from publicly available data. Persons who sought access to the nursing home support scheme over a 6month period were reviewed. Their home location and nursing home location were analysed with respect to locality (city/suburban/town/rural), distance (km), travel time (minutes) and public service networks. Ethically approved. Results Nationally, the lowest availability of nursing home beds was Wicklow and highest Longford. Galway has 0.90 nursing home beds per1000 adults &amp;gt;65years. Of 262 consecutive cases presented to one local placement forum between July–December2023, 133 availed of the scheme and were resident in a nursing home at 3month follow-up. Exclusions included remained at home, deceased, or unknown. Nursing home location was city 6%(n=8), suburb 21%(n=28), town 16.5%(n=22) or rural 56%(n=75). All city placements were public. Drving distance from home to nursing home was 15km (IQR7,31) with a car driving time of 18mins (IQR11,35). No public transport service link from home to nursing home for visiting purposes was available to 38%(n=51), and when available incurred more than one bus change in 65.2%. City dweller was residing in a city located nursing home in 13%(n=5). Of the 87%(n=33) relocated out of the city, over half (n=19) were to rural locations (p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion Nursing home availability is insufficient to meet demands. The location of public and private nursing homes is creating deficits in accessing care close to home and community. Current public transport services to nursing home locations is poor.

Exploring Personalized Tornado Risk with a Sketch Map Activity

Our study sought to understand how individuals think about their home location and county, including their geospatial awareness, and how they conceive of risk from a tornado geospatially. We conducted interviews and a sketch mapping activity with sixty-five individuals from Mississippi and Alabama. Our results indicated that participants could name and correctly locate only a few neighboring counties and that there was a difference of 4.7 miles on average between their perceived home location and their actual address. Participants labeled on average 9.1 features. Some maps displayed common heuristics or biases, but none was present in a majority of the sketch maps. Regarding geospatial risk personalization, participants’ drawings indicated that many inferred a tornado approaching from the southwest, and that they would take protective action when a tornado was within an average of fifteen miles of their home. Human landmarks and point locations were the features most frequently mentioned that would let participants know a tornado was coming close and participants estimated these features were on average 9.7 miles. Both distances showed a great deal of variation. The results have implications not only for tornado warning communication but also for understanding how individuals might think about a “close call.”

A cross-sectional study assessing the role of interventional radiology services in regional and remote Australia.

It is estimated that 8% of hospitalised patients require treatment from Interventional Radiology (IR). However, little is known about the potential impact of IR on regional and remote Australians, including Indigenous patients. This study aimed to assess treatments performed by IRs on regional/remote patients to predict future IR workforce and governance needs. Single-centre cross-sectional study at a tertiary Victorian hospital. Patients were identified when they had an advanced IR treatment between 1 January 2022 and 2024. Basic procedures such as biopsy and drain insertion were not included. The primary outcome was the type and volume of IR treatments performed on patients who were transferred from a regional or remote home location for treatment. Of 3485 advanced IR interventions, 908 procedures (26.0%) from patients who lived in a regional or remote location were included with 36.5% female, of mean age 55.6 years (SD 17.9). 1.4% identified as Indigenous which is similar to the Indigenous population incidence in Victoria of 1.0%. Of this group, 350 (38.5%) were either a day procedure, overnight elective admission, or simple inpatient procedure which could have been performed in a regional centre, which included 1.1% Indigenous patients. There is an unmet need for IR services in regional and remote Australia, with many patients being transferred to our metropolitan centre for treatment that could be performed in regional IR hubs. This data will be important to drive government and hospital planning including capital infrastructure, workforce modelling and future recognition of IR as a new specialty in Australia.

Analytically articulating the effect of buffer size on urban green space exposure measures

Advanced techniques in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) currently provide one of the most promising approaches to investigating the health impacts of green space. The GIS solution of deriving causally relevant green space exposures still faces challenges from the arbitrary determination of the contextual unit size. This paper presents an in-depth and rigorously defined analytical framework to illustrate the effect of buffer and to find the optimal buffer radius. We employed a cross-sectional study with 980 participants in Hong Kong to validate our analytics. The home locations, socio-demographic attributes, and self-reported health statuses were collected from questionnaires. Residence-based green space exposures were derived using an exhaustive range of buffer radii and fine-grained remote sensing data. Participants’ overall health was modeled through logistic regression to validate our analytics. Our results clearly indicate the U-shaped p-value curves along the gradient of buffer radii, which illustrates the optimal buffer sizes in pertinent geographic contexts. We also observed two independent ranges of optimal buffer sizes. Our work elicited the effect of buffer size on green space exposure measures and essential implications for a range of health geography and environmental health studies that require accurate green space exposure measures.

A sidewalk-level urban heat risk assessment framework using pedestrian mobility and urban microclimate modeling

Climate change and the associated increase in heat-related hazards pose a pressing threat to urban residents’ health and well-being. People, when walking in particular, are at risk of experiencing heat stress as they navigate urban environments. This study proposes a novel heat risk assessment framework combining pedestrian mobility modeling with urban microclimate modeling. Using this framework, we assessed pedestrian heat-related exposure and risk in urban areas by integrating the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) as the hazard and pedestrian trips to critical destinations as exposure. We considered temporal variation, in both hazard and exposure, by examining different time periods during the day—morning peak, midday, and evening peak. In addition to hazard and exposure, we also considered vulnerability by focusing on young children and older adults. We contribute to improving the spatial resolution of heat risk assessment by analyzing the hazard for pedestrian trips between home locations and five critical destinations—bus stops, rail stations, parks, schools, and commercial amenities—at the address-point level and using a pedestrian network comprising sidewalks and crosswalks. Our framework helps identify sidewalks with high heat exposure levels as well as home locations with high cumulative heat risk, accounting for walking trips to critical destinations along feasible routes. We demonstrated the effectiveness of this framework by applying it to a 36-square-kilometer area of central Los Angeles, CA. Our findings offer valuable information to urban planners and policy-makers, supporting evidence-based prioritization of intervention sites, climate adaptation strategies, and policy decisions essential for climate-proof planning. By implementing targeted interventions in areas where heat hazard is expected to affect the most vulnerable pedestrians, planners can create heat-resilient, pedestrian-friendly environments while prioritizing the health and well-being of vulnerable groups. This study contributes to the growing knowledge of robust risk assessment methodologies for climate-proof planning, specifically with regard to addressing outdoor heat-related risks during extreme heat events.

Female Victims of Firearm Intimate Partner Violence: Characterization and Lethality Predictors.

Objective: To characterize the sociological risk factors for firearm intimate partner violence (IPV) among women in Texas, with a focus on lethal predictors to aid in screening and intervention guidelines. Methods: A retrospective medical and forensic chart review was conducted and supplemented by news sources, public police reports, and court records on firearm cases in Houston, TX, from 2018 to 2020. IPV was defined as a cis-gendered female victim of firearm violence from a current or ex-intimate partner. Non-IPV was defined as cis-gendered female victims of firearm violence from strangers, friends/acquaintances, gang, client, or similar relationships. Numeric variables were compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and reported as median [Q1, Q3]. Categorical variables were compared using Fisher's exact test and reported as count (%). Results: A total of 102 cases of IPV were identified. Nonspousal IPV was more prevalent than spousal (65.7% versus 34.3%). Lethal injuries, older age, home location, and head injuries were more prevalent in the IPV cohort. Older age, spousal perpetrator, home shooting location, and history of prior domestic abuse were associated with lethal IPV. There were 31 cases of murder-suicide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, IPV cases increased by 91.3%, with lethal cases increasing by 57.6%. Conclusion: Risk factors for overall IPV and lethal IPV are not the same; therefore, it is imperative that all women, irrespective of race, age, or relationship status, be screened for IPV and prior domestic violence to allow intervention and prevention of lethal IPV. Patients should also be screened for personal or partner access to firearms as firearm IPV is a highly lethal form of violence.

58 Recreational walking and perceived environmental qualities in Denmark

Abstract Purpose The objective of this study is to investigate the variety of motivations behind recreational walking among individuals with diverse sociodemographic backgrounds. Additionally, we aim to employ a dynamic, person-centered approach to assess recreational walking behaviors geographically, along with preferences for the quality of places associated with recreational walking. Methods A survey conducted via the map-based platform Maptionnaire included 1838 adult respondents (aged 15-90 years) who engage in recreational walking. Georeferenced data regarding respondents’ home locations, other starting points for walking excursions, and points of interest along their routes were collected. Utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS), distances between home and other starting points, as well as points of interest, were calculated. Traditional questionnaire functions in Maptionnaire were also employed to gather additional information on recreational walking behaviors and motivations. Results Predominant motivations for recreational walking included mental well-being, physical health, enjoyment, and experiential aspects of walking. Individuals with tertiary education exhibited a positive correlation with motivations related to mental well-being, experiences, and outdoor activities with pets and children. Higher income levels were associated with experiences, walking with pets, enjoyment of walking, and socializing while walking. Our map-based approach revealed that recreational walking often commences at locations distant from home and is not confined to the immediate neighborhood. A total of 4598 points of interest were identified, with the most frequently cited place qualities being green spaces, water bodies, wildlife, scenic views, and tranquility. Conclusion Employing a dynamic, person-centered methodology allowed respondents to pinpoint relevant locations for their walking activities, irrespective of their residential neighborhoods. Recreational walking frequently begins away from home or extends beyond the nearest neighborhood. The median distance from home to mapped points of interest ranged between 1.0 and 1.6 km for home-based trips and between 9.4 and 30.6 km for trips originating from other locations. Greenery, water features, wildlife, scenic views, and tranquility emerged as the most favored place qualities associated with the mapped points. Support/Funding Source ‘Moving Denmark’ is funded by the Danish philanthropic foundation NordeaFonden (https://nordeafonden.dk/about-nordea-fonden).

Accessibility, neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and expenditures on electronic gambling machines: a spatial analysis based on player account data

BackgroundGambling and its harmful effects on human health and well-being represent a significant public health concern in many countries, with electronic gambling machines (EGMs) recognized as one of the most detrimental forms of gambling. Previous research has established an association between EGM accessibility, expenditure, gambling harm, and the socioeconomic status (SES) of neighborhoods. However, there is limited understanding of the direct impact of SES and EGM accessibility on individual player expenditures. Prior estimations of expenditure often rely on self-reported data or venue-level revenue statistics. This study uses high spatial resolution socioeconomic data together with individual-level account-based location and expenditure (point of sales) data (71,669 players, 745 EGM venues) to explore the association between EGM accessibility and neighborhood SES and to examine whether the EGM expenditure of neighborhood residents is associated with EGM accessibility and neighborhood SES.Data and methodsPlayer account data include information on the home location and expenditure of the entire EGM gambling population across every EGM venue located in the Helsinki region, Finland. High-resolution (250 × 250 m) grid-level data on socioeconomic variables were used to obtain the local socioeconomic conditions of the players. EGM accessibility was estimated for every grid cell using a calibrated gravity model derived from the player account data. Statistical analyses included correlation analysis, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and regression models.ResultsFirst, significantly higher levels of EGM accessibility were found in areas with lower local SES. Second, regression analysis revealed that both higher EGM accessibility and lower local SES were associated with higher annual losses per adult. These results, in combination with visual and spatial autocorrelation analyses, revealed that accessibility to EGM gambling is highly concentrated, especially in lower socioeconomic neighborhoods with higher levels of EGM expenditure.ConclusionsThe results lay the groundwork for future spatial research on gambling harm, expenditure, accessibility, and SES utilizing detailed account data on the interaction between players and venues. The results underscore the importance of spatial restrictions when regulating EGM accessibility, particularly in areas with vulnerable populations, as a crucial measure for public health and harm prevention. The results also enable targeted gambling harm prevention actions at the local level.

Birth defects in a rural province in Papua New Guinea

BackgroundGlobally, birth defects are the fourth most common cause of neonatal mortality. They cause substantial morbidity, and often long-term disability. Despite this, the impact of birth defects on public health...

Consideration of the conversion factor from air dose rates to individual external dose per hour after the Fukushima accident—individual external dose measurements of a TEPCO employee in Fukushima prefecture over a 9 year period—

The accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in 2011 resulted in the dispersion of radioactive materials throughout the surrounding area and an increase in the air dose rate was even confirmed in Fukushima City, which is located approximately 60 km northeast of FDNPP. A Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Holdings employee, who has lived and worked in Fukushima City since the FDNPP accident, measured individual external doses, GPS data, and his activities in Fukushima Prefecture over a 9 year period beginning in 2014. This data provides valuable information about the area. The data show the following results. (i) Comparison of the air dose rate at the home location to the individual external dose per hour at the home shows that the average conversion factor has increased over the 9 years and exceeded 0.3 since 2019, indicating an overall relatively good correlation. (ii) Individual external doses measured in the office on the fourth floor of a concrete structure in Fukushima City have not changed significantly from 2014 to 2022, when air dose rates showed a decrease. (iii) Outdoor individual external doses, such as those measured when commuting on foot, have a relatively strong correlation with air dose rates from airborne monitoring with the conversion factor of about 0.6. The conversion factor do not differ significantly from 2014 to 2022.In this study, the individual external dose data is applicable to the TEPCO measurer and is not necessarily representative of all residents of Fukushima City. However individual external dose data for 9 consecutive years will be useful for estimating individual external doses from air dose rates, and estimating annual additional exposure doses, if even some of them are applicable to similar life patterns and lifestyles.

Alighting location estimation from public transit data: a case study of Shenzhen

ABSTRACT This study proposes a framework to estimate alighting locations from Smart Card Data (SCD) that are absent information on entry-only public transport systems such as buses and trams. The proposed method uses the characteristics of SCD to (i) determine boarding locations from SCD and GPS-bus data based on exact match and time windows using common attributes, (ii) infer individuals’ home locations and user types from multimodal SCD, (iii) estimate alighting locations using inferred information with different scenarios such as with and without home locations based on the type of users. Reliable results are obtained once home locations are identified with high confidence for all user types. The proposed framework is applied to Shenzhen, China as a case study to validate the proposed model's effectiveness. The study offers valuable insight into aligning location estimation from user types to optimise the quality of public transport planning and services.