Life Space Research Articles

Yubi-Wakka Test for Sarcopenia Screening in the Community: Comparative Agreement, Diagnostic Performance and Validity with Calf Circumference Measurements.

Screening tools such as calf circumference (CC) and Yubi-wakka (finger-ring) test have been recognized as effective tools by Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 (AWGS'19) for sarcopenia screening but their comparative agreement, diagnostic performance and validity are unclear. This study aims to determine: (i)agreement between calf and finger-ring circumference, (ii)diagnostic performance for low muscle mass and AWGS'19 sarcopenia diagnosis, (iii)correlation with muscle mass, strength, and physical performance, and (iv)association with frailty, life space mobility and physical activity. We studied 187 healthy community-dwelling older adults (mean age=66.8+7.0years) from the GERILABS-2 study. CC was measured via (i) both calves in sitting and standing positions, and (ii) Yubi-wakka test by encircling the thickest part of the non-dominant calf with index fingers and thumbs of both hands. We performed Cohen's kappa to check for agreement, area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) to compare diagnostic performance, partial correlations adjusted for age and gender to compare convergent validity, and logistic regression to determine predictive validity for outcome measures. Sarcopenia prevalence was 24.0% (AWGS'19). Yubi-wakka identified 16.6% of participants as screen-positive ("smaller"), showing moderate agreement only with non-dominant sitting CC measurements (k=0.421,p<0.001) and having lower diagnostic performance in determining low muscle mass (AUC=0.591 vs 0.855-0.870,p<0.001; sensitivity=57.1% vs 75.5-90.8%; specificity=58.4% vs 70.8-80.9%) and sarcopenia diagnosis (AUC=0.581 vs 0.788-0.818,p<0.001; sensitivity=55.6% vs 57.5-71.8%; specificity=74.4% vs 75.6-88.9%) compared to CC measurements. Yubi-wakka correlated significantly with muscle mass, grip strength and knee extension but not physical performance. When adjusted for age, gender and hypertension, Yubi-wakka was significantly associated with frailty (OR=3.96,95%CI:1.09-14.38), life space mobility (OR=2.38,95%CI:1.08-5.24) and physical activity (OR=2.50,95%CI:1.07-5.86). Yubi-wakka provides a self-administered, low-cost and practicable community screening tool for sarcopenia. Our study affirmed the convergent and predictive validity of Yubi-wakka, albeit with lower sensitivity and specificity in diagnostic performance compared to CC measurements.

Lived Urban Form

The urban form is a political and social arena. It is produced as a composite of sediments of various ways of living, of complex flow of history, of relationships and subjectivities through which people build and exercise their agency to negotiate and change contingent urban realities. Studies of urban form have so far confronted the challenge of grasping this complexity by scrutinizing a city's physical features. However, this paper puts forward a proposition that urban morphological approaches can also be resourceful tools for conceptualizing and scrutinizing dynamic relations between plural urban realities and transformations of the physical urban fabric. By drawing on the experiences from the Erasmus+ project Emerging Perspectives on Urban Morphologies (EPUM), this paper suggests a multidisciplinary, open educational framework combining various urban morphological approaches as a productive means of developing an understanding of multifaceted spatializations of lived space within urban form, as well as materializations of urban form within lived space. Such an endeavour can extend the study of urban form beyond the focus on an object, to embrace the processes, practices and agents of the production of the built environment, including multiple tensions between changing scales and material manifestations of political, economic and social relations.

Ukrainian Identity: Ontological Foundations and Essential Features

Turning to the phenomenon of Ukrainian identity as a multiverse of national values, as an objective ontological reality, an integral component of European civilization, becomes important in the institutionalisation of the spiritual and practical paradigm of our desire for freedom and independence. The Ukrainian national identity is based on the archetypal principles of human existence. This is a systemic and multi-level phenomenon that is embodied in a number of diverse criteria: biosphere, geological, anthropological, civilizational, ethnic, political, etc. In this context, the following dimensions of Ukrainian identity are decisive: anthropological code, territory (space of life), geopolitical determination, life activity, culture, and politics (state). Identity is based on the perception and understanding of one's own land, family, language, and culture as native and unified. The strengthening of the Ukrainian political nation should be included among the indisputable positive trends of social development. It is formed by the Ukrainian ethnic group and all national minorities in the country. Common to all is the citizenship of Ukraine - the state that they create for themselves to protect the rights and freedoms of each member of society, the national interests of the country in general. Congregationalism becomes the ontological foundation of the creation of a national state as a guarantor of the nation's self-preservation and the creation of the necessary political, economic, social, and other conditions for its development and establishment in the international community. Identity at the level of state policy means the ability of state authorities to organise collective action in such a way as to enable guaranteed opposition to real and potential aggressors. The ideological orientation of social consolidation in Ukraine is the national idea, which will determine the state-building priorities of social and political life based on civic principles. The fundamental feature of the Ukrainian national idea is its creative nature. This is motivated by the need to establish a constructive dialogue between values traditional to Ukrainian society and cultural innovations that penetrate globalisation processes.

INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE DIGITAL ECONOMY SECTOR

The purpose of this article is to improve the theoretical and methodological foundations for studying the essence and peculiarities of development of the institutional environment of the digital economy sector, to allocate the components of its architectonics as the basis for forming a platform for the conceptual development of the national economy based on digitalisation. Methodology. The methodological basis of the study is formed by modern economic and sociological institutional theories, the object of analysis of which is the institutional dynamics of the environment: institutional theory, new institutional theory, substantivist theory, the concept of institutional density, the concept of institutional matrices, the theory of societal psyche. The paper uses the historical-logical and dialectical methods to study the contradictions of the processes of formation and development of the institutional environment, as well as the methods of system analysis to study the components of the architectonics of the institutional environment of the digital economy. Results. From the standpoint of institutional theory, it is formulated and substantiated that the institutional environment of the digital economy sector is a synthesis of a set of formal/іnformal basic/complementary institutions of the traditional and digital economies of different levels and institutions that are in certain interconnections and relationships with each other, forming a hierarchical integrity. Institutions determine the creation and operation of relevant institutions, which, in turn, ensure the implementation and enforcement of established rules and regulations. At the same time, the resilience and flexibility of the environment is based on the natural accumulation or forced implementation of basic institutions capable of ensuring the emergence of new digital economy institutions or significant modernisation of existing ones, which protects and promotes the development of the digital economy. The task of managing the institutional environment is to balance the ratio of institutions. The architectonics of the institutional environment of the digital economy sector is a system that combines a functional set of institutions of the traditional economy (management, labour, property, market, non-market), specific institutions of the digital economy (information, participation, digital space), global institutions, and regional institutions. Institutions as systemic elements, through implementation/legitimation mechanisms, form a set of institutions of the digital economy that mediate the interaction of economic actors, provide contracting, and mechanisms of institutional change. The most important institutions include innovation labs, research centres, technology companies, start-ups, cryptocurrency exchanges, digital agencies, consultancies, educational institutions, learning platforms, government agencies, legislative bodies, banks, digital banks, financial institutions, digital platforms, and digital networks. Interaction and mutual influence of institutions and institutions of the digital economy form the guidelines for selecting effective elements of the institutional structure from alternative institutional forms. The digitalisation of Ukraine, which is focused on the norms of international, European and regional cooperation, will facilitate Ukraine's integration into the European and global market of e-commerce, goods and services based on information and communication technologies. A new global economic architecture is being designed, into which new economic agents are integrating. At the same time, regionalisation processes are taking place, new regional clusters are emerging, and the country is being integrated into the European cluster. Practical implications. The elements of the architectonics of the institutional environment of the digital economy sector are identified and summarised by criteria, which makes it possible to identify the most problematic areas of institutional transformations and to formulate and select instrumental solutions to overcome them. The development of the relevant elements of the institutional environment of the digital economy sector contributes to a rapid and profound digital transition, when the results of digital transformation will become the basis of Ukrainian society and a key factor on the path to Ukraine's prosperity and welfare. Value/оriginality. It is established that the use of institutional analysis tools will allow determining the optimal directions of institutional building/transformation of digital economy institutions and minimising the social costs of Ukraine's evolutionary development. A two-level approach to designing the institutional environment of the digital economy sector in the national space is proposed: at the institutional level – as designing the socio-political and economic conditions for the development of digital economy institutions based on the development of digital products and technologies; at the individual level – as designing the functional place of a digital product in the human life space.

COMPREHENSIVE MOBILITY FRAMEWORK VERIFICATION USING CANADIAN LONGITUDINAL STUDY ON AGING DATA

Abstract Mobility within and between life spaces (one’s room, home, local community, and further destinations) positively influences quality of life and health in older adults. Understanding factors that impact mobility is relevant in many contexts (e.g., in clinical and research environments, for city-planning and social programming). The purpose of this study was to verify a comprehensive theoretical framework for mobility (Webber et al., 2010) with structural equation modelling using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). We estimated associations between latent factors consisting of physical, psychosocial, environmental, financial, and cognitive attributes, and life space mobility for participants 65-85 years of age (n=11,667, mean age 73 ± 6 years) with age, sex and education as covariates. The model demonstrated good fit (CFI = 0.90, RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.025 (0.024, 0.026)). Physical, psychosocial, and cognitive health were positively associated with life space mobility. Being less afraid to walk after dark (environmental variable) was also associated with greater mobility. Financial status influenced mobility through positive associations with psychosocial health and physical health. Higher education was related to better cognitive function and better financial status. Age was indirectly associated with life space mobility through its negative associations with financial status, cognition, and physical health. The same model can be used for males and females. The comprehensive mobility framework was verified with the large population-based CLSA dataset. Continued use of the framework is supported as it accurately portrays the complexity of factors that influence older adults’ life space mobility.

RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH COGNITION IN AN ETHNICALLY DIVERSE OLDER POPULATION

Abstract One quarter of older adults in the U.S. are socially isolated; far more experience subjective loneliness. The potentially negative effects of limited social support and social engagement pose a concern for maintaining the well-being of older individuals, including the effect on cognitive function. To test the hypothesis that cognitive function is associated with social support and social engagement, we employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze data from an ethnically diverse sample (118 African American, 147 Afro-Caribbean, 133 Hispanic, and 235 European American) of 623 community-dwelling older adults age ≥ 65 (173 male, 450 female). Using the model proposed by Cenè et al. (2022), we conceptualized level of social support and engagement as the exposure, emotional state (anxiety, depression, general emotional well-being), and physical function (functional activity, life space, general physical function, and self-rating of health) as mediators and cognitive function as the outcome of interest. Statistically significant direct and indirect effects were found between the three latent variables (emotional state, physical function, and social support and social engagement), indicating that the level of social support and engagement the older individual is related directly and indirectly to cognition (β=-.75, SE=.49, p&amp;lt;.028; β=-0.08, SE=0.795, p=0.017). The SEM models showed goodness of fit with χ2/df=3.001, CFI=0.931, AGFI=0.966, SRMR=0.045, and RMSA=0.058, and explained 35.3% of the variability. These values support the hypothetical model. Results suggest the importance of maintaining existing social support and engagement activities as well as development and testing of approaches to increase social support and engagement in later life.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN TIME SPENT OUTSIDE THE HOME AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH PAST TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Abstract Time spent out of the home and in the surrounding neighborhood has numerous physical health benefits, but the cognitive benefits are less clear. Evidence suggests that executive functions are important to navigating activity outside the home. This study examined whether time spent outside in participants’ immediate neighborhoods was more strongly associated with executive function than memory. Participants were adults with mild cognitive impairment and history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) enrolled in an immersive computer game intervention (N=11; 63.6% male; mean=59.0 years, range: 42-75). At baseline, participants completed the Life Space Questionnaire (LSQ) and cognitive tests of Stroop (executive function), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) (memory), and Pattern Comparison Test (PCT) (processing speed). Cognitive tests were performed on an iPad to precisely measure reaction time. Pearson correlations were used to examine the association between the LSQ and cognitive measures. Although time spent in the neighborhood was not statistically associated with performance on cognitive measures, the magnitude of the correlations was noteworthy. After adjusting for age and education, days spent in the neighborhood were more strongly associated with better executive function (Stroop) (r=-0.58, p=0.10) and processing speed (PCT) (r=-0.27, p=0.49). Additionally, neighborhood exposure explained a larger proportion of the variance in Stroop and PCT rather than in RAVLT. In patients with past TBI, time spent outside of the home in the neighborhood may be associated with better executive functions through engagement with one’s environment. We will further describe objective measures of time spent outside the home using GPS.

COVARIATE-ADJUSTED ASSOCIATIONS OF COGNITION, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT WITH LIFE SPACE MOBILITY

Abstract Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases among older adults and can affect their movement, participation, and all aspects of daily living, thus restricting life space mobility. Life space mobility reflects individuals’ ability to move independently and engage in social activities. This study examines covariate-adjusted associations of cognition, depressive symptoms, amount of support received and satisfaction with support with life space mobility. The study included 247 older adults aged 65 and above from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Diabetes and Aging Study of Health (DASH). Average age was 73, 45% of the sample were Black/African American, 53% were female, and 47% were married. Results from multiple covariate-adjusted regression analyses revealed that being Black/African American, older, female, and higher depressive symptoms significantly predicted lower life space mobility (all p’s &amp;lt; .05) while being married, educated, and reporting better health significantly predicted greater life space mobility. Similarly, higher cognitive function was a significant predictor of greater life space mobility (B = .140, p &amp;lt; .05). Results remained significant even when adjusted for covariates. Amount of support received and satisfaction with support did not predict life space mobility. Findings from this investigation identify individuals who are at risk for restricted life space mobility and suggest protective factors. Establishing these associations with life space mobility within a health disparities framework would be important as it would draw attention to functioning in later life for socially disadvantaged groups and help inform interventions.

USABILITY AND PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE MOBITEC-GP APP FOR REAL-LIFE MOBILITY ASSESSMENT

Abstract Modern technologies such as the Global Navigation Satellite System and accelerometers which are integrated in every smartphone enable tracking mobility patterns over time, which in turn enables early detection of mobility impairments. Aim of the MOBITEC-GP project was to develop a mobile app which measures walking speed and spatial mobility under everyday conditions. Reliability and validity of the application was tested first (Study 1). The applicability in everyday life and the acceptance by older adults (Study 2) was also investigated. In study 1, participants underwent several supervised walking speed assessments as well as a 1-week life-space assessment during two assessment sessions 9 days apart. Fifty-seven older adults (47.4% male, mean age= 75.3 years) were included in the study. The app showed moderate to excellent test-retest reliability and validity of walking speed measurements of 50 meters and above and of most 1-week life-space parameters, including life-space area, time spent out-of-home, and action range. Study 2 revealed a good usability of the app (mean System Usability Scale score=77.18) among older adults (N=60 with ≥2 chronic conditions) for a 1-week usage of the app including both, a 1-week life space assessment and at least one gait speed measurement in a 30-minute stroll. The MOBITEC-GP app is a reliable, valid and usable tool for the assessment of real-life walking speed (at distances of 50 metres and above) and life-space parameters of older adults. Future studies should look into technical issues more systematically in order to avoid invalid measurements.

SELF-NEGLECT IN OLDER ADULTS: CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SOCIAL CONNECTION, MEANING AND PURPOSE, AND INTERVENTIONS

Abstract Social isolation and loneliness are pervasive health threatening conditions increasing the morbidity and mortality of older adults worldwide. Older adults experiencing self-neglect (SN) represent some of the most isolated and socially disconnected members of our communities living with high morbidity and mortality risks. We know very little about the interplay of SN, social isolation, loneliness, and related factors that could inform scalable social interventions for this population. We completed mixed methods structured conversations with N=10 older adults with Adult Protective Services validated SN, focusing on social isolation, loneliness, meaning and purpose, and intervention approaches. The average age was 77 years, 50% African American, 66% male, 83% lived alone with an average of 4 medical conditions. On standardized assessments, 66% reported high ability to engage in social activities, but all were socially isolated, with limited mobility. Eighty-three percent reported moderate to high loneliness, 50% with generalized anxiety and 17% with depression. Only 33% lacked meaning and purpose in their lives. The conversations suggest higher rates of depression. Loneliness was linked to living in limited life spaces and few meaningful and quality social interactions reflecting loss and personal impairments. Meaning and purpose was maintained through spirituality. All participants were willing to be engaged meaningfully and socially, in the future, by someone new to their life, in-person or via telephone, to increase social connection. These preliminary findings suggest that low-cost social connection interventions are acceptable options for improving the social lives and possibly the health of isolated and lonely older adults experiencing SN.

Multimodal lifestyle engagement patterns support cognitive stability beyond neuropathological burden

BackgroundModifiable lifestyle behaviors account for a large proportion of dementia risk. However, the combined contributions of multidomain lifestyle patterns to cognitive aging are poorly understood, as most studies have examined individual lifestyle behaviors in isolation and without neuropathological characterization. This study examined data-driven patterns of lifestyle behaviors across multiple domains among older adults and tested their associations with disease-specific neuropathological burden and cognitive decline.MethodsParticipants included 2059 older adults enrolled in the longitudinal Memory and Aging Project (MAP) at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center; none of whom had dementia at baseline (73% no cognitive impairment (NCI), 27% mild cognitive impairment [MCI]). All participants completed cognitive testing annually. Lifestyle factors were measured during at least one visit and included (1) actigraphy-measured physical activity, as well as self-reported (2) sleep quality, (3) life space, (4) cognitive activities, (5) social activities, and (6) social network. A subset of participants (n = 791) had autopsy data for which burden of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), cerebrovascular disease (CVD), Lewy body disease, and hippocampal sclerosis/TDP-43 was measured. Latent profile analysis across all 2059 participants identified distinct subgroups (i.e., classes) of lifestyle patterns. Linear mixed-effects models examined relationships between lifestyle classes and global cognitive trajectories, with and without covarying for all neuropathologies. Classes were also compared on rates of incident MCI/dementia.ResultsFive classes were identified: Class 1Low Life Space (lowest lifestyle engagement), Class 2PA (high physical activity), Class 3Low Avg (low to average lifestyle engagement), Class 4Balanced (high average lifestyle engagement), and Class 5Social (large social network). Classes 4Balanced and 5Social had the lowest AD burden, and Class 2PA had the lowest CVD burden. Classes 2–5 had significantly less steep global cognitive decline compared to Class 1Low Life Space, with comparable effect sizes before and after covarying for neuropathological burden. Classes 4Balanced and 5Social exhibited the lowest rates of incident MCI/dementia.ConclusionsLifestyle behavior patterns among older adults account for differential rates of cognitive decline and clinical progression. Those with at least average engagement across all lifestyle domains exhibit greater cognitive stability after adjustment for neuropathology, highlighting the importance of engagement in multiple healthy lifestyle behaviors for later life cognitive health.

Inclusive Approach in Higher Education: From the Experience of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University

Purpose: The aim of the study is to summarise the experience of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University in creating conditions for people with disabilities to obtain higher education. Design / Methodology / Approach: The following methods were used in the course of the study: analysis of regulatory acts, content analysis of websites, comparative analysis, scientific abstraction, etc. Findings: The article provides a thorough analysis of the educational and scientific activities of the Centre for Social and Pedagogical Integration, Inclusive Rehabilitation and Social Tourism “Barrier-Free”, which introduces new technologies of social and psychological rehabilitation in the context of expanding the life space of students with disabilities, in particular through inclusive social and rehabilitation tourism, volunteering, social and pedagogical practice, etc. The principles of the Centre’s activities are defined, including respect and perception of individual characteristics of a person, observance of his or her best interests, prevention of discrimination and violation of human rights, confidentiality, accessibility of educational services, and interagency cooperation. The main activities of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University in the context of inclusive higher education are highlighted. Originality / Value: It is proved that the greatest social effect is achieved by involving students with disabilities in the university community and educational activities, creating conditions for their social integration, and professional assistance in overcoming their social exclusion and isolation. Practical Meaning: The practical aspects of inclusion in the educational activities of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University are as follows: ensuring compliance with the requirements for accessibility to educational facilities for persons with disabilities and other low-mobility groups; Adaptation of the official university website and the website of the Faculty of Social and Psychological Education for people with visual impairments in accordance with WCAG 2.0 global standards; creation of 5 inclusive groups in accordance with the current legislation; introduction of psychological support for applicants under martial law; launching project activities; completion of the research project of young scientists “Social and Psychological Rehabilitation of Children and Youth with Special Educational Needs through Inclusive Tourism”. Further Research: Development of methodological support for social and natural resource assessment of inclusive tourism facilities.

Seasonal differences in mobility and activity space in later life: a case study of older adults in the Northern Netherlands

Mobility is crucial for maintaining well-being in later life. Previous research has shown that older adults’ mobility fluctuates throughout the day, with a particular focus on afternoon outdoor movement. This paper takes a broader approach and explores the seasonal differences and similarities in mobility and activity space in later life, using older adults in the Northern Netherlands as a case study. Seventeen older adults participated in the study, for which we used a mixed-methods approach combining GPS-, activity diaries, and in-depth interview data analysed through grounded visualisation. We have collected data from each participant for a week, once during fall/winter and once during summer. The findings of this paper defy common expectations around older adult mobility; for instance, the participants walked less in summer and had a larger activity space in winter. Equally, we demonstrate that it is crucial to distinguish between daily and incidental activity spaces, particularly when factoring in seasonal variations. Yet our mixed-methods approach revealed discrepancies between perceived and measured mobility and activity space. We argue that the intricate interplay of seasonal influences, weather conditions, and personal factors significantly shapes mobility practices in later life, underscoring the need for holistic planning of age-inclusive environments.

Rediscovering Citta: Vignettes on Violence and Healing in Life and Commercial Yoga Spaces

Rediscovering Citta: Vignettes on Violence and Healing in Life and Commercial Yoga Spaces

Factors influencing living space utilization among older Afro-Colombian adults

ABSTRACT Objectives: Investigate the factors influencing life space utilization in older Afro-descendant adults residing in Tumaco, Colombia – a marginalized region of the country. Design: This cross-sectional study included 388 Afro-descendant older adults. The study assessed living space using the Life Space Assessment (LSA) scale and collected demographic data. Cognitive levels were measured with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Yesavage scale. Socio-emotional indicators were determined with the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS). The research employed linear and logistic regression models for data analysis. Results: On average, participants scored 27.0 on the LSA scale. A lack of perceived income resulted in a 10.44-point decrease on the LSA scale. For each unit increase in the MOS-Instrumental Dimension score, the LSA score increased by 0.52 points (95% CI 0.17–0.87). As for cognitive performance (MMSE scale), each one-point increase resulted in a 0.69 decrease in the LSA score (95% CI −1.25 to −0.12). Conclusion: Socioeconomic disadvantages limit living space utilization, particularly in the Afro-descendant population. Yet, social support can enhance living space use despite environmental and economic constraints.

Gendered livelihood impacts and responses to an invasive, transboundary weed in a rural Ethiopian community

Gender as unequal power relations intersects with global environmental change threatening agriculture-based livelihoods, including land degradation, increasing climate variability, and invasive alien plants. Commonly overlooked, invasive alien plants may have gendered impacts on everyday life that disproportionately affect the less powerful. Drawing on experiences of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia’s Oromia region with an invasive, transboundary weed, Parthenium hysterophorus L., this paper illustrates how environmental change interacts with pre-existing vulnerabilities to shape individual and household-level impacts and responses. We applied a feminist perspective in livelihoods and environmental change research and praxis to explore the intersection of gendered livelihoods and parthenium management in spaces of everyday life. While invasive plants, including parthenium, may be easily perceptible in the field, understanding impacts on livelihoods requires consideration of women’s and men’s roles and responsibilities within the broader household compound as well as intra-household decision-making. Parthenium can be harmful to environmental, animal, and human health, but unduly impacts women’s labor, spaces, and assets, including cows whose milk may be tainted by grazing in parthenium-infested fields. We demonstrate the importance of considering women’s social networks and so-called reproductive space and labor to understand gendered and place-based inequities of climate change. This study reveals intimate connections between environmental stressors and gendered livelihoods. Our findings demonstrate how inequalities can be reinforced by new forms of vulnerability, with response options socially differentiated. We argue that a feminist livelihood lens helps bridge the global scale of environmental change with local scales of gendered livelihood adaptation embedded within broader socio-environmental change.

Verification of a comprehensive framework for mobility using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging: a structural equation modeling analysis

BackgroundMobility within and between life spaces is fundamental for health and well-being. Our objective was to verify a comprehensive framework for mobility.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. We used structural equation modeling to estimate associations between latent factors with data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging for participants 65–85 years of age (65+, n = 11,667) and for adults with osteoarthritis (OA) aged 45–85 (n = 5,560). Latent factors included life space mobility, and physical, psychosocial, environmental, financial, and cognitive elements. Personal variables (age, sex, education) were covariates.ResultsThe models demonstrated good fit (65+: CFI = 0.90, RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.025 (0.024, 0.026); OA: CFI = 0.90, RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.032 (0.031, 0.033)). In both models, better psychosocial and physical health, and being less afraid to walk after dark (observed environmental variable) were associated with greater life space mobility. Greater financial status was associated with better psychosocial and physical health. Higher education was related to better cognition and finances. Older age was associated with lower financial status, cognition, and physical health. Cognitive health was positively associated with greater mobility only in the 65 + model. Models generated were equivalent for males and females.ConclusionsAssociations between determinants described in the mobility framework were verified with adults 65–85 years of age and in an OA group when all factors were considered together using SEM. These results have implications for clinicians and researchers in terms of important outcomes when assessing life space mobility; findings support interdisciplinary analyses that include evaluation of cognition, depression, anxiety, environmental factors, and community engagement, as well as physical and financial health. Public policies that influence older adults and their abilities to access communities beyond their homes need to reflect the complexity of factors that influence life space mobility at both individual and societal levels.

Biyo-İklimsel Konfor ve İklim Değişikliği İlişkisi: Burdur Havzası'nda Bir Örnek Çalışma

Aim of study: Climate change triggers many problems, such as loss of biodiversity on land and sea, destruction of forest areas, poverty, inequality, and economic development. One of the most vital indicators of quality of life and sustainable development is temperature, humidity, and wind conditions, which are in the range of bio-climatic comfort values. The changes in these parameters due to global warming threaten vitality and affect the use of space and quality of life in cities. The study aimed to model the evolution of bioclimatic comfort zones with the effect of climate change in the research area.&#x0D; Area of study: The research was carried out in the Burdur Basin of Türkiye, which is an area that includes the underground and surface water bodies and the lakes region within its borders.&#x0D; Material and Methods: Models were produced at 20-year intervals until 2100. The spatio-temporal variations are generated according to the IPCC's SSPs 245 and SSPs 585 scenarios. The discomfort index (DI) and Effective warming wind speed (ETv) were used to determine bioclimatic comfort.&#x0D; Main Results: According to the DI, 87.4% of the area will be in the cold zone today, while in 2100, 50.5%, according to the SSP245, and 98.3%, according to the SSP 585 will be in the comfort zone. According to ETv, 92.7% of the area is quite cool today; by 2100, 90% of the site will be classified as slightly cool according to SSP 245, and 89.3%, according to SSP 585 will turn into mild areas.&#x0D; Research highlights: The results of the research reflect the spatial impact of climate change and are significant in terms of holistic risk management at the basin scale

Children's social life space during a pandemic - a research report from rural areas

The article presents qualitative research on the social relations of rural children during the Covid-19 pandemic and their agency in this regard. The research material was collected through focus group interviews with children aged 7 and 9 from two villages in north-eastern Poland. As a result of the research, their social contacts in the space of home, school and backyard were characterized. It was found that the children experienced relatively limited solitude, being always in contact with family members and peers from the neighborhood. Staying at school is the basis for expanding the social relations of children in the countryside. Early school age children prefer direct contacts and the media did not constitute a satisfactory field of social relations during the pandemic. Parents and the school limited the agency of children during the pandemic.

Change in life space is associated with cognitive decline and increased risk of incident Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease in older men

AbstractBackgroundLife space measures the range of geospatial movement through one’s environment during daily functioning. Prior studies on the association of life space and cognitive change are mostly cross‐sectional and have mixed results. To clarify this association, we prospectively evaluated change in life space with cognitive decline and incident Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD).MethodWe studied 1,684 men enrolled in a prospective study of aging. We excluded individuals with probable dementia or PD at baseline (Study Year 7). Life space was evaluated with the self‐reported University of Alabama at Birmingham Life Space Assessment at Year 7 and Year 14. The composite life space score ranges from 0 (most restricted) to 120 (least restricted). Incident AD or PD was defined as a self‐reported physician diagnosis or medication use at Year 14. We conducted logistic regression analyses examining change in life space with the odds of our outcomes unadjusted and adjusted for age, clinic site, race, education, living arrangement, vascular risk factors, and depression. We also conducted mixed linear effects models to evaluate the association between change in life space and change in 3MS and Trails B score.ResultOf 1,684 men (mean age 77.1 +/‐ 18.7 SD) in our analytic cohort, 80 (4.8%) developed incident AD and 23 (1.4%) developed PD over 7 years. The mean (SD) life space score at baseline was 92.9 (18.7) and change over 7 years was ‐9.9 (22.3). In the fully adjusted model, each 1 SD decrement in life space was associated with increased odds of AD (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3, 2.0) and PD (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1, 2.5). For each 1 SD decline in life space, men worsened by 20.6 seconds in their Trails B score and 1.15 points in their 3MS score over 7 years (p&lt;0.001 for both).ConclusionIn this novel longitudinal analysis, decline in life space is associated with cognitive decline and incident AD and PD. Future studies should examine whether decline in life space is a sensitive and practical way to identify older individuals at risk for cognitive dysfunction and neurodegenerative disease.