Community Mapping Research Articles

The occupation of self-employment in South African informal micro-enterprises

Introduction: Self-employment, in which individuals work for themselves in a small business or microenterprise to earn an income or generate a salary, has been encouraged to facilitate employment opportunities in South Africa. However, participation in self-employment within the community served by professionals such as occupational therapists is limited by many factors, including effective government initiatives, such as implementing the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) policies. To enable individuals and community participation in this type of work for those with occupational dysfunction, mainly persons with disabilities, professionals such as occupational therapists need to understand the structural, contextual and occupational outcomes related to self-employment. Based on the Framework for Occupational Justice, this study explored the occupation of self-employment in microenterprises in the low-resourced urban community of Alexandra Township.
 Method: A quantitative descriptive non-experimental design study was used to identify informal microenterprises in the community using a transect walk and community mapping. Structured interviews were conducted to complete a questionnaire with key informants (service providers and business owners) who provided perceptions on factors that impacted the occupational outcomes of microenterprises.
 Results: Structural and contextual factors from the participants' experience resulted in unjust occupational outcomes, which indicates that occupational rights, particularly participation, choice and balance, were negatively affected by the lack of opportunities, such as jobs. Occupational marginalisation and imbalance were reported since many businesses lacked adequate and appropriate space for trade. Some business owners, however, reported just occupational outcomes related to the occupational right for meaningful occupation in providing a service to the community and financial income to support themselves and their families.
 Conclusion: Occupational therapists need to play various active roles in raising the consciousness of unjust occupational outcomes and support for just occupational outcomes that are achieved in engagement in self-employment in informal microenterprises.
 Implications for practice
 Occupational therapists should take note of the factors and occupational outcomes of being self-employed identified in this study and consider the roles they could play in expediting success in this occupation for clients. Occupational therapists could assume:
 
 A collaborative role, such as referring and working with various key role players or sectors in the interest of sourcing and providing opportunities for skills development for those entering self- employment, particularly in entrepreneurial training. This may include working with the government (e.g., Department of Labour and Small Enterprise Development Agency), private sector (e.g., yes4youth), other professions (social workers and industrial psychologists) and organisations for persons with disabilities (e.g., Disabled People, South Africa
 

Perceptions on transitioning from impairment-based to occupation-based practice in public healthcare within KwaZulu-Natal

Introduction:Holistic healthcare service delivery requires rehabilitation personnel to consider all the components of health that influence the client's quality of life. However, there is limited literature on approaches to implementing rehabilitation services within South African public healthcare. This study explored rehabilitation personnel's (such as occupational therapists, speech therapists, physiotherapists) use of occupation-based practice impairment-based practice and the barriers and facilitators associated with their practice choice.
 Methods: A qualitative research design was conducted through semi- structured interviews (13 participants), a focus group (4 participants) and community mapping. Purposive sampling was utilised to select participants in the iLembe district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data were analysed using deductive thematic analysis.
 Findings: Three themes emerged from the study; Attitudes towards impairment-based practice, Reflections on OBP, and The way forward. The need to focus on all the components of health rather than just the disease and the benefits of using the occupation-based practice approach were highlighted. Additionally, different factors required to implement holistic rehabilitation services and the barriers to OBP were identified.
 Conclusion: Although the study identified OBP benefits, various barriers associated with its implementation were identified. Rehabilitation personnel, community stakeholders, and clients must work together to improve OBP implementation in public healthcare by combating the barriers identified in the study.
 Implications for practice
 This study has implications for rehabilitation service implementation in the iLembe district public healthcare sector. OBP was perceived to have more quality of life and health outcomes, which leads to implications for practice. There is a need to transition from the medical model with approaches only focusing on body structures and functions into approaches that consider all the components of health, such as the OBP. Even though there are barriers towards OBP implementation, rehabilitation personnel can still promote its implementation through inter-professional practice, continuous professional development and health promotion. Furthermore, there are implications for undergraduate programmes to equip undergraduates with the skills to implement OBP within under-resourced facilities.

Evaluation and Selection of Multi-Spectral Indices to Classify Vegetation Using Multivariate Functional Principal Component Analysis

The identification, classification and mapping of different plant communities and habitats is of fundamental importance for defining biodiversity monitoring and conservation strategies. Today, the availability of high temporal, spatial and spectral data from remote sensing platforms provides dense time series over different spectral bands. In the case of supervised mapping, time series based on classical vegetation indices (e.g., NDVI, GNDVI, …) are usually input characteristics, but the selection of the best index or set of indices (which guarantees the best performance) is still based on human experience and is also influenced by the study area. In this work, several different time series, based on Sentinel-2 images, were created exploring new combinations of bands that extend the classic basic formulas as the normalized difference index. Multivariate Functional Principal Component Analysis (MFPCA) was used to contemporarily decompose the multiple time series. The principal multivariate seasonal spectral variations identified (MFPCA scores) were classified by using a Random Forest (RF) model. The MFPCA and RF classifications were nested into a forward selection strategy to identify the proper and minimum set of indices’ (dense) time series that produced the most accurate supervised classification of plant communities and habitat. The results we obtained can be summarized as follows: (i) the selection of the best set of time series is specific to the study area and the habitats involved; (ii) well-known and widely used indices such as the NDVI are not selected as the indices with the best performance; instead, time series based on original indices (in terms of formula or combination of bands) or underused indices (such as those derivable with the visible bands) are selected; (iii) MFPCA efficiently reduces the dimensionality of the data (multiple dense time series) providing ecologically interpretable results representing an important tool for habitat modelling outperforming conventional approaches that consider only discrete time series.

Food and Ayuda Narratives during the Pandemic in Remote and Small Island Communities in Northern Iloilo, Philippines

Food insecurity and access to ayuda, or government-initiated social protection programs, were essential concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. While the needs in urban city centers are fairly attended to by government instrumentalities, the question of how food and survival issues in small and remote island communities are addressed warrants equal attention. In this paper, the people’s narratives in remote and small island communities are investigated to assess how individuals survive and can be subjectively well during the pandemic. Through focus group discussions, three activities were conducted: community map making, Lamesa activity, and ayuda/basket activity participated by representatives from the seven barangays in remote island communities in Northern Iloilo in May 2023. As a result of the FGDs, this paper concluded the following insights: (1) Rice is a key resource as it indicates a household’s food security and subjective well-being at the time of the pandemic, (2) Cash or money in the Ayuda program of the local government is important as it allows households to access food and improve its stock of food supplies, (3) Having alternative financial resources is important as the island communities are mainly dependent on fishing as its core economic activity, and (4) Volunteer work for the community forms part of the people’s subjective well-being despite the limitations experienced with regards to food and financial resources.

Geographically induced and the spatially differentiated dimension of flood vulnerability in Greater Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

ABSTRACT Over the past several years, the constant flooding events and their lethal consequences have reignited the debate on the need for vulnerability assessment of flood-prone communities in urban areas as a flood risk mitigation and adaptation measure. This article focuses on Ghana and uses remotely sensed high-resolution data, and community mapping to assess the flood vulnerability of 442 urban communities of the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA). The Compound Topographic Index and the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission were used systematically. The results showed that 43% of communities were found in low-risk areas, 30% were in medium-risk areas, and 27% were in high-risk areas. Flood intensity and frequencies were found to be dependent on location relative to slopes and undulating terrain. We argue that the identified flood hazard communities should guide policymakers in proffering specific and targeted interventions toward flood risk reduction and community resilience strategies

Tombstones, Stonemasons, and Mental Maps

Abstract This article proposes a methodology for understanding the business networks and mental maps of Jewish communities in central and eastern Europe from the late nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries. The methodology is based on scrupulous documentation of Jewish tombstones, especially the signatures of stonemasons. Through analysis of the signatures found in the Jewish cemeteries of Croatia, geographical networks become apparent, and we can reconstruct the mental maps of Croatian Jews, both in the Austro-Hungarian period and in interwar Yugoslavia. The Jewish cemeteries in some other central European cities serve as comparative material for our discussion.

The impact of the invasive alien plant Vernonanthurapolyanthes on conservation and livelihoods in the Chimanimani uplands of Zimbabwe

Biological invasions can have major social-ecological consequences for rural communities across the world. However, the dimensions (characteristics, infestation and socio-ecological impacts) of emerging invasive alien plants are often less known and urgent information is needed to guide policy and management. In light of this, this paper assesses the social-ecological impacts of Vernonanthura polyanthes, an emerging invasive alien plant found in a Zimbabwean upland landscape which supports conservation and livelihoods. The paper employs qualitative methods—community mapping, time series analysis, and key informant interviews—involving individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, to examine the socio-ecological and economic implications of V. polyanthes and its management in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe. We found that there are nuanced perspectives regarding this invasive alien plant among different socio-economic groups in the region who have different experiences of living with V. polyanthes. Some are embracing it for apiculture, firewood, and ethnomedicine while, on the other hand, some see the tree as negatively affecting key livelihoods (crop farming, pastoralism, and tourism) that are common in the region. Local people also identified that V. polyanthes is associated with ecological impacts that include loss of biodiversity, promoting pests, and negatively affecting watersheds and associated water sources. These mixed experiences concerning the plant are leading to different management practices, in turn inducing some conflicts among various actors. Based on our findings, we suggest more should be done to better manage this invasive alien plant in the region before negative impacts become too great, particularly in protected areas.

Cartography Community Mapping

Cartography Community Mapping

Stacked Up Against Us: Using Photovoice and Participatory Methods to Explore Structural Racism's Impact on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Inequities.

While structural racism has profound impacts on adolescent health, little is known about how youth synthesize racialized experiences and work to dismantle systems of oppression. This article provides an overview of a Youth Participatory Action Research study that used Photovoice and community mapping to explore how structural violence, like racism, impacts the sexual and reproductive health of historically excluded youth as they navigate unjust socio-political landscapes. Youth participants used photography and community maps to identify how the experience of bias, profiling, and tokenism impacted their ability to navigate complex social systems. With youth voices prioritized, participants explored ways to address structural racism in their lives. The importance of co-creating opportunities with and for youth in critical reflection of their lived experience is emphasized. Through an Arts and Cultural in Public Health framework, we provide an analysis of the ways structural racism functions as a gendered racial project and fundamental cause of adolescent sexual and reproductive health inequities, while identifying pathways toward liberation in pursuit of health and well-being.

Community mapping based on Milton Santos as a tool for disaster response and risk management in self-built communities: case study of El Pacífico, Medellín, Colombia

Community mapping based on Milton Santos as a tool for disaster response and risk management in self-built communities: case study of El Pacífico, Medellín, Colombia

Predicting the impacts of clearing on vegetation communities: a model-based approach for identifying conservation priorities in Queensland, Australia

ABSTRACT Predicting outcomes is critical for conservation prioritisation. We predicted the areas that are likely to be impacted using a generalised estimating equation from a logistic regression and intersected our model with vegetation community mapping for Queensland, Australia. Under the assumption that areas with a high probability of clearing would eventually be cleared, we identified vegetation communities at risk of transitioning into a more vulnerable status, addressing a critical knowledge gap. Specifically, we identify: 1) areas within the study region's bioregions face the highest risk of forest cover loss; 2) communities may transition to more vulnerable according to their extent-based vulnerability status. Our analysis determined high-risk areas within the study region and vegetation communities vulnerable to changing status. Three clearing scenarios – low, moderate and high – were evaluated. In the low scenario, 0.3 per cent of vegetation communities experienced clearing, with 26 communities changing their status. The moderate scenario impacted 35 per cent of vegetation communities, with 103 communities at risk. In the high scenario (our most aggressive assumption), 45 per cent of vegetation communities overlapped with areas suitable for clearing, affecting the status of 158 communities. We emphaise the need to protect high-risk communities while implementing effective management strategies in areas where clearing poses minimal threat.

Inclusion of persons living with disabilities in a district-wide sanitation programme: A cross-sectional study in rural Malawi.

Community-led total sanitation (CLTS) is embraced as a key strategy to achieve universal sanitation coverage (Sustainable Development Goal 6.2). Although inclusion is identified as a predictor of CLTS success, people living with disabilities are often excluded from community sanitation programmes and there is limited research exploring CLTS participation amongst people living with disabilities. This study aims to explore the extent to which people living with disabilities participated in a CLTS intervention delivered in rural Malawi using standard approaches. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Chiradzulu district of Malawi. A household questionnaire was administered to collect information about CLTS participation. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to compare participation in different CLTS activities between households with (n = 80) and without a member with a disability (n = 167), and between household members with (n = 55) and without a disability (n = 226). No difference in CLTS participation was observed at the household-level, but there were marked differences in CLTS participation between household members with and without a disability. Household members without a disability felt they could give more input in triggering activities (OR = 3.72, 95%CI 1.18-11.73), and reported higher participation in the transect walk (OR = 4.03, 95%CI 1.45-11.18), community action planning (OR = 2.89, 95%CI 1.36-6.13), and follow-up visits (OR = 3.37, 95%CI 1.78-6.40) compared to household members with disabilities. There was no difference in the likelihood of being invited to triggering (OR = 0.98, 95%CI 0.41-2.36), attending triggering (OR = 2.09, 95%CI 0.98-4.46), or participating in community mapping (OR = 2.38, 95%CI 0.71-7.98) between household members with and without a disability. This study revealed intra-household inequalities in CLTS participation. To improve participation in CLTS interventions, facilitators should be trained on action steps to make CLTS more inclusive. Further research could include an in-depth analysis of predictors of CLTS participation amongst people living with disabilities, including disability types, severity and age.

Seeing Jigamy; using an arts-based method to explore the meaning of place for an aboriginal community controlled organisation on the South Coast of NSW

The relationship between health and place is often difficult to articulate. This paper explores the use of community mapping to understand the meaning of place for members of an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation on the South Coast of NSW. The paper demonstrates that engagement in this arts-based method allows people to think deeply about place to construct a multilayered visual narrative which encompasses history, current experience, and future hopes and in doing so contributes to a critical understanding of place.

Alcohol misuse within different socio-ecologies in rural communities of Botswana.

Alcohol-related research in Botswana has rarely used a socio-ecological approach. This article presents a phenomenological in-depth analysis drawn from community mapping interviews (n = 23) collected among community leaders and service providers in one village in Botswana. The socio-ecological approach guided our research and analysis. This paper explored the influence of alcohol misuse within the cultural, familial, practices and legal frameworks in Botswana. Findings revealed patterns in alcohol misuse over time, the influence of alcohol misuse within different ecological systems, and their response to alcohol patterns as three global themes are discussed. The findings showed that alcohol misuse remains a major public health problem that trickles down from the community, and family systems to an individual, when there are with limited resources to address the alcohol misuse that exists. Recommendations to address alcohol misuse in Botswana include providing alcohol-free recreational places, more research on alcohol harm, and educating communities about alcohol harm.

초등예비교사의 공간적 시민성 함양을 위한 커뮤니티매핑 활용 가능성 모색

The purpose of this study is to explore the possibility of using community mapping project to foster spatial citizenship among elementary pre-service teachers. In this study, the pre-service teachers themselves selected a project topic suitable for fostering spatial citizenship, established a plan for implementation, and carried out the project according to the plan. Then, we analyzed the project cases and examined the preservice teachers' responses. As a result of analyzing the pre-service teachers' reflections and project evaluation sheets, the participants were able to analyze social issues from the perspective of spatial citizenship education through the community mapping process and understand the utility of community mapping as a geospatial technology. The following implications and limitations can be drawn. First, it seems that continuous checks and appropriate feedback are necessary to understand spatial attributes such as social organization and relational understanding of space during the project implementation process. Second, it is necessary to expand educational opportunities in elementary education institutions so that pre-service teachers can be equipped with geographic information technology utilization and spatial analysis skills. Third, it is necessary to provide various participation opportunities in connection with the local community so that pre-service teachers can solve real-world problems as spatial citizens. Fourth, it is necessary to find ways to continue utilizing the community mapping results of this project. Fifth, it is necessary to develop a measurement tool to facilitate the identification of spatial citizenship competences. Despite the implications and limitations of this study, this study is meaningful in that it sought to explore the possibility of utilizing a community mapping project to foster spatial citizenship in elementary pre-service teachers.

Pelatihan Pembuatan Sabun Cuci Piring Dari Bahan Ramah Lingkungan Untuk Meningkatkan Kreativitas Ibu Pkk Desa Janti

Janti Village is one of the villages in Mojoagung subdistrict with a population of around 3,570 people. The Janti village community has a variety of potential, especially in the agricultural and crafts sectors. Janti Village has an obstacle, namely the lack of education to the community regarding regional productivity to produce new products that can be developed into products of high quality and high selling value. Apart from that, people also do not grasp business opportunities and only work according to their abilities, such as working on rice fields and gardens. Method used The implementation method used in this service is a design or framework used to provide information or community mapping (social mapping) directly. This allows for fluid interaction between the community and activity implementers. The results of the service training in making dish soap to increase the creativity of PKK women in Janti Village, can be concluded with the development of entrepreneurship with dish soap products which are used as provisions for PKK women in Janti Village, Mojoagung subdistrict, Jombang regency by directly transmitting the making of dish soap. alternately and how to operate it from the process of ordering the raw materials for dishwashing soap to the homogeneous process that will be packaged. The process of making dishwashing soap really helps PKK women in providing new innovations regarding products that have high economic value Keywords: Soap, Dishwashing, Environmentally Friendly.

A case study on community mapping for odor management in citizen science

A case study on community mapping for odor management in citizen science

A mixed methods PAR study investigating social capital as a resource for Black and other racially minoritised communities in the UK: A study protocol.

Understanding how different Black and other racially minoritised communities thrive is an emerging priority area in mental health promotion. Literature demonstrates health benefits of social capital (social resources embedded within social networks). However, its effects are not always positive, particularly for certain subpopulations who are already disadvantaged.The CONtributions of social NEtworks to Community Thriving (CONNECT) study will use Participatory Action Research (PAR) to investigate social capital as a resource that benefits (or hinders) racially minoritised communities and their mental health. The CONNECT study was designed within a partnership with community organisations and responds to local policy in two South-East London Boroughs, thereby providing potential channels for the action component of PAR. Taking an anti-racism lens, we acknowledge the underpinning role of racism in creating health inequities. We apply an intersectional framework to be considerate of overlapping forms of oppression such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation as an essential part of developing effective strategies to tackle health inequities. Key components of this mixed methods PAR study include (1) involving racialised minority community members as peer researchers in the team (2) collecting and analysing primary qualitative data via interviews, photovoice, and community mapping workshops, (3) developing relevant research questions guided by peer researchers and collaborating organisations and analysing secondary quantitative data accordingly, (4) integrating qualitative and quantitative phases, and (5) working closely with community and policy partners to act on our findings and use our research for social change.The PAR approach will allow us to engage community (voluntary sector and government) and academic partners in decision making and help address imbalances in power and resource allocation. Knowledge generated through this collaborative approach will contribute to existing community initiatives, policies, and council strategies. This will ensure the views and experiences of racially minoritised communities drive the changes we are collaboratively committed to achieving.

Physical activity promotion in the community pharmacy: An opportunity for an expanded role?

BackgroundPhysical inactivity is a major risk factor for the development of chronic diseases, and it is increasingly prevalent in the Portuguese population. Pharmacists’ role in promoting physical activity (PA) is still not well established, although health promotion is foreseen by law in Portugal. Competing tasks and location where the pharmacy is embedded can hinder this promotion in their daily practice. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify the main barriers and facilitators of physical activity promotion (PAP) in Portuguese community pharmacies and explore possible pathways for future implementation of physical activity promotion. MethodsIn-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively enrolled community pharmacists. Participant recruitment was aligned with data saturation. Data analysis comprised a mixed model of a deductive theme mapping strategy using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) for the behaviour of promoting physical activity and an inductive approach for any other relevant themes and which might influence PA promotion. ResultsData saturation was reached at eleven interviews. Barriers and facilitators for the behaviour of promoting PA were identified from 11 out of the 14 TDF domains. Following an inductive approach, other emerging codes were clustered in additional seven major themes. Highlighted barriers focused on domains #1 – Knowledge, #10 – Memory, Attention and Decision Processes and #13 – Environmental Context and Resources. Community mapping, establishment of remuneration models and the use of digital technologies were suggested as additional potential contributors to scale up PAP. ConclusionCommunity pharmacists are well placed inside their communities to serve as a focal point for signposting, engagement with other healthcare professionals and community resources and activities organized by the pharmacy itself. Pharmacists should be supported in being knowledgeable, aware, and available when promoting PA in their daily counseling.

Spatial dynamic analysis and thematic mapping of vulnerable communities to urban floods

Natural disasters, particularly floods, have increasingly impacted urban areas globally. Previous research has not adequately analyzed the vulnerability to floods of populations based on race and ethnicity. This study aims to examine demographic changes over the past two decades in five southern US cities and determine whether minority and non-minority populations have moved closer to or farther from flood-prone areas. Using a spatial clustering approach, the study identifies geographical clusters of the white and minority populations within the 100-year floodplain. In general, the white people are moving away from floodplain areas in Birmingham and Jackson. Except for Charleston, the highest populations clustered in floodplains were minority communities (the African American and Hispanic). In Birmingham, both the White and the African American populations in floodplains have decreased due to the federal and local governments' relocating populations through acquisition projects. The African American in Jackson, Birmingham, and New Orleans were particularly vulnerable to flooding. Houston and New Orleans had also significant increases in the Hispanic and Asian populations within floodplains. The findings can help federal and local governments and communities understand spatial and temporal pattern dynamics between minorities and the White, which assists for effective decision making and equitable solutions to vulnerable communities.