Mobile Survey Research Articles

Digital, Social Micro-Interventions to Promote Physical Activity Among Midlife Adults With Elevated Cardiovascular Risk: An Ambulatory Feasibility Study With Momentary Randomization.

Although regular physical activity (PA) mitigates the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) during midlife, existing PA interventions are minimally effective. Harnessing social influences in daily life shows promise: digital micro-interventions could effectively engage these influences on PA and require testing. This feasibility study employed ecological momentary assessment with embedded micro-randomization to activate two types of social influences (i.e., comparison, support; NCT04711512). Midlife adults (N = 30, MAge = 51, MBMI = 31.5kg/m2, 43% racial/ethnic minority) with ≥1 CVD risk conditions completed four mobile surveys per day for 7 days while wearing PA monitors. After 3 days of observation, participants were randomized at each survey to receive 1 of 3 comparison micro-interventions (days 4-5) or 1 of 3 support micro-interventions (days 6-7). Outcomes were indicators of feasibility (e.g., completion rate), acceptability (e.g., narrative feedback), and potential micro-intervention effects (on motivation and steps within-person). Feasibility and acceptability targets were met (e.g., 93% completion); ratings of micro-intervention helpfulness varied by intervention type and predicted PA motivation and behavior within-person (srs=0.16, 0.27). Participants liked the approach and were open to ongoing micro-intervention exposure. Within-person, PA motivation and behavior increased from baseline in response to specific micro-interventions (srs=0.23, 0.13), though responses were variable. Experimental manipulation of social influences in daily life is feasible and acceptable to midlife adults and shows potential effects on PA motivation and behavior. Findings support larger-scale testing of this approach to inform a digital, socially focused PA intervention for midlife adults.

DETECTING CHANGES IN COMFORT, PAIN, AND MOBILITY OVER CLINICAL MILESTONES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH LOWER LIMB LOSS

BACKGROUND: Functional mobility, comfort and the absence of pain are key goals of prosthetic treatment. Outcome measures (OMs) evaluate the impact of treatment and normative and minimal detectable change (MDC) values are key to interpreting these scores and measuring treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study seeks to 1) present practice-based normative values of four commonly used OMs at four prosthetic milestones and 2) explore the MDC of the measures over the treatment period. METHODOLOGY: A chart review was conducted of OMs collected with individuals with lower limb loss between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2023. This included data for individuals with unilateral transtibial (TT), transfemoral (TF) and rotationplasty (RP) amputations and bilateral transtibial amputation (BTT). OMs included the Socket Comfort Score (SCS), Pain Scale (PS), 2 Minute Walk Test (2MWT), and Prosthetic Limb Users Survey of Mobility (PLUS-M). Data were collected at four milestone time points: (1) Baseline and (2) Discharge from Rehabilitation for those in initial prosthetic rehabilitation, and (3) Initial Evaluation and (4) Definitive Delivery for those receiving a replacement socket. Normative values and MDC values were calculated. FINDINGS: Data from 30 individuals undergoing in-patient rehabilitation and 74 individuals receiving a replacement socket were included. Practice-based normative data were different for each level of amputation and milestone and had the following ranges: SCS: 5.7 – 9.1, PS: 0.8 – 3.7, 2MWT: 68.4 – 146.3 m and PLUS-M: 38.9 – 57.3. MDC values also varied based on time in treatment (Rehabilitation: SCS = 2.5, PS = 1.6, 2MWT = 32.6, PLUS-M = 8.8; Replacement Socket: SCS = 3.1, PS = 2.6, 2MWT = 38.9, PLUS-M = 4.0). All measures had a statistically significant change over the intervention, however, no average scores changed by greater than the MDC. CONCLUSIONS: The normative data and MDC scores demonstrate the PS & PLUS-M are useful measures of pain and mobility at all points within treatment. The 2MWT is indicated for individuals in rehabilitation, while the SCS is indicated for those receiving a replacement socket, as both effectively measure treatment goals that are particularly important for each phase of rehabilitation. This provides clinicians with practice-based evidence that enables them to interpret OM scores, a critical part of the decision-making process along the treatment journey. Layman's Abstract When someone receives a prosthesis, the key goals are to promote mobility and comfort and to reduce pain. Outcome measures are questionnaires or performance-based tests that measure the impact of prosthetic treatment. The scores are interpreted by comparing them to normal values and assessing changes over time against a predetermined threshold for what constitutes a significant amount of change. This study analyzed outcome measure scores collected in clinical practice over a 9-year period, from 2015 - 2023. We included individuals with lower limb loss and presented normal values along with threshold change values taken from a clinical setting for four commonly used measures that assess comfort, pain, and mobility. The data included 30 individuals currently attending initial rehabilitation and 74 individuals who had prior experience using a prosthesis. All the normal values were different for each level of amputation and each milestone within rehabilitation. Suggestions are provided regarding which outcome measures are most useful for assessing changes at different points in time. By providing clinicians with evidence based on clinical practice, we can help them use outcome measures to inform decision-making throughout the rehabilitation journey. Article PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/43890/33243 How To Cite: Pousett B.M, Harasym C.C, Rapaport M.S, Richardson T, Spellen J, Moe D.W, et al. Detecting changes in comfort, pain, and mobility over clinical milestones for individuals with lower limb loss. Canadian Prosthetics & Orthotics Journal. 2024; Volume 7, Issue 1, No.7. https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v7i1.43890 Corresponding Author: Brittany Mae Pousett, CP(C), MSc.540 SE Marine Dr, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5X 2T4Tel: 604.321.1115E-Mail: brittany@pousett.caORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2272-7847

The effects of mass media messages, perceived susceptibility and self-rated health on public attitude towards COVID-19 in South Africa

ObjectivesSouth Africa was the worst affected country in Africa by the COVID-19 pandemic and it is important to interrogate the attitude of the populace towards the pandemic for future interventions. Therefore, this study examined effects of mass media messages, susceptibility to COVID-19 and self-rated health on the attitudes of South Africans towards the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData was from the National Income Dynamics Study – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) of 2021 which is a nationally representative panel survey of about 7,000 South African individuals in all the nine provinces. Analyses of data were through descriptive statistics, chi square test and logistic regression models.ResultsThe results showed that 61.28% of the resondents did not take COVID-19 test while 91.09% of them engaged in behavioral changes such as social distancing and wearing of face masks. In addition, 74.27% of the respondents had access to mass media information, 70.44% believed they have good physical health while 32.43% felt they were not susceptible to COVID-19. The chi-square results of attitude towards COVID-19 showed significant differences in access to mass media messages on COVID-19, race, and province of residence. Furthermore, respondents who had access to mass media information on COVID-19 (OR = 1.469; p = 0.001) and respondents who believed that they were susceptible to COVID-19 infection (OR = 1.443; p = 0.001) were significantly associated with increased likelihood of engagement in behavioral changes to avoid the COVID-19.ConclusionThese findings therefore emphasize the need for increased awareness and sensitization of the people about the susceptibility and adverse effects of diseases to ensure that they adopt the appropriate attitudes that will safeguard them from such diseases outbreak.

Mobile Phone Syndromic Surveillance for Respiratory Conditions in an Emergency (COVID-19) Context in Colombia: Representative Survey Design.

Syndromic surveillance for respiratory infections such as COVID-19 is a crucial part of the public health surveillance toolkit as it allows decision makers to detect and prepare for new waves of the disease in advance. However, it is labor-intensive, costly, and increases exposure to survey personnel. This study assesses the feasibility of conducting a mobile phone-based respiratory syndromic surveillance program in a middle-income country during a public health emergency, providing data to support the inclusion of this method in the standard infection control protocols at the population level. This study aims to assess the feasibility of a national active syndromic surveillance system for COVID-19 disease in Colombia. In total, 2 pilots of syndromic mobile phone surveys (MPSs) were deployed using interactive voice response technology in Colombia (367 complete surveys in March 2022 and 451 complete surveys in April and May 2022). Respondents aged 18 years and older were sampled using random digit dialing, and after obtaining consent, they were sent a 10-minute survey with modules on sociodemographic status, respiratory symptoms, past exposure to COVID-19 infection and vaccination status, preferences about COVID-19 vaccination, and information source for COVID-19. Pilot 1 used a nationally representative sample while pilot 2 used quota sampling to yield representative results at the regional level. In this work, we assessed the performance characteristics of the survey pilots and compared the demographic information collected with a nationally representative household survey. For both pilots, contact rates were between 1% and 2%, while participation rates were above 80%. The results revealed that younger, female, and higher educated participants were more likely to participate in the syndromic survey. Survey rates as well as demographics, COVID-19 vaccination status, and prevalence of respiratory symptoms are reported for both pilots. We found that respondents of the MPSs are more likely to be younger and female. In a COVID-19 pandemic setting, using an interactive voice response MPS to conduct syndromic surveillance may be a transformational, low-risk, and feasible method to detect outbreaks. This evaluation expects to provide a path forward to the inclusion of MPSs as a traditional surveillance method.

Perceptions of Women’s Safety in Transient Environments and the Potential Role of AI in Enhancing Safety: An Inclusive Mobility Study in India

Travel safety for women is a concern, particularly in India, where gender-based violence and harassment are significant issues. This study examines how the perception of safety influences women’s travel behaviour and assesses the potential of technology solutions to ensure their safety. Additionally, it explores how AI and machine learning techniques may be leveraged to enhance women’s travel safety. A comprehensive mobility survey was designed to uncover the complex relationship between travel behaviour, reasons for mode choice, built environment, feelings, future mobility, and technological solutions. The responses revealed that security and safety are the most critical factors affecting women’s travel mode choices, with 54% and 41%, respectively. Moreover, over 80% of women indicated a willingness to change their travel behaviour after experiencing fear, anxiety, or danger during their everyday journeys. Participants were 24% less willing to use ride-sharing services than ride-hailing services, which could affect the transition towards more sustainable transportation options. Furthermore, AI-based sentiment analysis revealed that 46% of the respondents exhibited signs of ‘anger’ regarding what could help women feel safer in transient environments. The practical implications of this study’s findings are discussed, highlighting the potential of AI to enhance travel safety and optimise future sustainable transport planning.

The challenges of mapping quiet urban areas from mobile sound surveys

Detailed spatial data on noise levels are needed to identify quiet areas. Yet noise maps derived from sound propagation models based on traffic flows or sensor networks are often incomplete. Surveys using mobile sound recording coupled with machine learning modelling have offered a possible solution, but so far have focused on averaged noise levels. We argue that quiet areas should ideally be consistently quiet, rather than simply quiet on average, yet mobile survey data usually lack the full temporal profile needed to quantify consistency in noise levels. Using data from our Southampton study area, we show that modification of the loss function used in machine learning modelling of mobile survey data can yield information on the likely range of noise levels at any location across an entire city. We use this approach not only to identify locations that are consistently quiet, but also to help understand which urban features may be associated with quiet, average and noisy events at any given location.

Enhancing autumn greenway walking experience: Exploring the combined effects of noise and thermal environment.

The evaluation of outdoor green spaces is influenced by diverse sensory perceptions. Traffic noise and thermal conditions significantly impact greenway-walking satisfaction; their optimization is vital for improving user experience and encouraging outdoor engagement. The study examines a typical Beijing greenway during autumn, focusing on strategies to enhance the walking experience under the combined effects of noise and thermal environments through mobile measurements and surveys. The results show that: 1) The interplay between noise and thermal factors varies depending on the walking state. Upon arrival, an increase in noise significantly worsens thermal comfort; higher sound levels intensify warm thermal sensations, though this effect is not consciously perceived. Upon departure, the effect of noise on thermal perception is not obvious. In both walking states, thermal sensation significantly affects subjective noise perception, yet the trends of influence differ. Subjective noise loudness increases as thermal comfort worsens, showing significant correlation only upon departure. 2) During autumn greenway walks, acoustic factors exert a greater impact on Overall Environmental Satisfaction (OES), with subjective noise loudness being more influential than noise level, followed by air temperature (Ta). Greater noise decreases OES, while OES increases initially with Ta and then decreases. The integrated effects of noise-thermal factors on OES show significant changes. 3) To enhance the autumn greenway-walking experience, the advised parameters are A-weighted Sound Level (ASL) ≤ 59.12 dBA and 15.17°C ≤ Ta ≤ 18.75°C. Finally, three design strategies are proposed: reducing subjective noise loudness, differentiating design based on walking status and balancing acoustic-thermal perceptual preferences.

The impact of distance learning on tourism and hospitality education during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Region VI, Western Visayas

This study investigates the impact of the shift from face-to-face to distance learning during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on tourism and hospitality education in colleges and universities in Region VI, Western Visayas. It compares the effects on academic performance and learning styles of students in different educational modes. The research employs a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative descriptive methods, using mobile and electronic online surveys with 292 participants from tourism and hospitality courses in Region VI. The study examines how students coped with the sudden use of technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), and their readiness for this abrupt shift. The pandemic led to psychological effects on students' academic performance as the educational system transitioned from traditional in-person learning to utilizing hardware, software, and learning resources to maintain effective education. The results indicate that academic motivation was "Average," study skills were "Moderately Low," and academic stress was "Average" across higher education institutions. A hybrid model of education and digital learning emerged, widening educational gaps due to the sudden shift in classroom activities. The pandemic reshaped national education delivery, affecting millions of private and public education students due to institutional closures. Students relied on on-hand modules and online learning through flexible or blended learning approaches, significantly impacting tourism and hospitality education and different educational modalities.

Assessing the Response Results of an mHealth-Based Patient Experience Survey Among People Receiving HIV Care in Lusaka, Zambia: Cohort Study.

This pilot study evaluates the effectiveness of mobile talk-time incentives in maintaining participation in a longitudinal mobile health (mHealth) data collection program among people living with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia. While mHealth tools, such as mobile phone surveys, provide vital health feedback, optimal incentive strategies to ensure long-term engagement remain limited. This study explores how different incentive levels affect response rates in multiple survey rounds, providing insights into effective methods for encouraging ongoing participation, especially in the context of Zambia's prepaid mobile system and multi-SIM usage, a common practice in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to assess the response rate success across multiple invitations to participate in a care experience survey using a mobile phone short codes and unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) model among individuals in an HIV care setting in the Lusaka, Zambia. Participants were recruited from 2 study clinics-1 in a periurban setting and 1 in an urban setting. A total of 2 rounds of survey invitations were sent to study participants on a 3-month interval between November 1, 2018, and September 23, 2019. Overall, 3 incentive levels were randomly assigned by participant and survey round: (1) no incentive, (2) 2 Zambian Kwacha (ZMW; US $0.16), and (3) 5 ZMW (US $0.42). Survey response rates were analyzed using mixed-effects Poisson regression, adjusting for individual- and facility-level factors. Probability plots for survey completion were generated based on language, incentive level, and survey round. We projected the cost per additional response for different incentive levels. A total of 1006 participants were enrolled, with 72.3% (727/1006) from the urban HIV care facility and 62.4% (628/1006) requesting the survey in English. We sent a total of 1992 survey invitations for both rounds. Overall, survey completion across both surveys was 32.1% (637/1992), with significantly different survey completion between the first (40.5%, 95% CI 37.4-43.6%) and second (23.7%, 95% CI 21.1-26.4) invitations. Implementing a 5 ZMW (US $0.42) incentive significantly increased the adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) for survey completion compared with those that received no incentive (aPR 1.35, 95% CI 1.11-1.63). The cost per additional response was highest at 5 ZMW, equivalent to US $0.42 (72.8 ZMW [US $5.82] per 1% increase in response). We observed a sharp decline of almost 50% in survey completion success from the initial invitation to follow-up survey administered 3 months later. This substantial decrease suggests that longitudinal data collection potential for a care experience survey may be limited without additional sensitization and, potentially, added survey reminders. Implementing a moderate incentive increased response rates to our health care experience survey. Tailoring survey strategies to accommodate language preferences and providing moderate incentives can optimize response rates in Zambia. Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR202101847907585; https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=14613.

The Effect of Job Satisfaction on Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Effect of Positive Affect Moderated by COVID-19

This study examines the effect of job satisfaction on life satisfaction, focusing on the mediating effect of positive affect moderated by COVID-19. The participants were 287 wage-earning graduates under 35 years of age who had graduated from culinary arts programmes and participated in the 2017–2019 Graduates Occupational Mobility Survey conducted by the Korea Employment Information Service. Hypotheses were tested using Hayes’ MACRO process models 4 and 8. The results are summarised as follows. First, higher extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction among culinary graduates was associated with increased positive affect and life satisfaction. Second, positive affect partially mediated the relationship between job satisfaction and life satisfaction. Finally, the indirect effect of positive affect on the relationship between extrinsic job satisfaction and life satisfaction decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Therefore, the industry should develop systems and programmes to enhance both extrinsic job satisfaction (such as wages and working hours) and intrinsic job satisfaction (such as personal growth, development potential, and a sense of accomplishment) among young chefs. Furthermore, industries and government agencies should prepare sustainable measures to maintain job satisfaction, positive affect, and life satisfaction among employees during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Does Proximity to MRT Stations Affect Online Shopping Use? An Analysis Using Data from Japan and New York

The rapid growth of the e-commerce market in the retail sector has led to a greater demand for home delivery services in recent years. In order to develop policies to address the issues related to delivery demand, it is critical to understand the demand mechanism of online shopping. Furthermore, the relationship between proximity to mass rapid transit and shopping mode choice mechanisms has not been studied, although, in the field of urban design, accessibility to mass rapid transit is known to affect travel behaviors. We focus on the relationship between proximity to mass rapid transit stations and the shopping mode choice mechanism and estimate structural equation models, considering in-person and online shopping propensities as the latent variables. We use the two datasets. One is from a web-based survey of online shoppers in Japan. The other is the 2019 NYC Citywide Mobility Survey data. The results based on Japanese survey data indicate a clear difference in shopping mode choice mechanisms between MRT-dependent neighborhoods and non-MRT-dependent neighborhoods, while such a difference is limited in NYC. Furthermore, the study reveals how individual and household characteristics and accessibility indicators affect online shopping propensity based on the type of neighborhood and city/country.

The gender gap in earnings growth at the early stage of work careers in Korea

Previous research analyzing Western societies reported no gender gap in earnings growth after accounting for initial job allocation, attributing the widening gender gap in mid-career to the impact of family formation. This pattern is often referred to as the “last chapter” of gender inequality, but there is no consensus that this phenomenon is universal or place-specific. The applicability of these findings to non-Western contexts remains unclear. This study examines the gender gap in earnings growth in a non-Western advanced economy, South Korea, net of initial job assignment and factors related to family formation. The 2008–2010 Graduates Occupational Mobility Survey is used and the gender differences in job allocation and family formation are balanced with the application of the inverse probability of treatment weights. The results of individual-fixed effects models show that college-educated women in Korea face lower earnings growth and lower promotion prospects than their male counterparts. The magnitude and mechanisms of this female disadvantage vary across labor market sectors. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Smarter but more unequal transport? How socioeconomic and digital inequalities hinder adoption of mobility apps in the Global South

All over the world, cities are becoming “smarter.” The improved use of data generated by the transport system (e.g. smart cards data), combined with GPS trackers and citizens’ mobile data enabled the development of a new generation of smarter mobile apps (e.g., Waze) and several local real-time public transport services and trip planners. These technologies have the potential to reduce transport inequalities via two mechanisms. First, governments can develop more efficient and evidence-based public transport plans. Second, citizens have access to better, real-time information about public transport for trip planning and, thus, can make better—i.e., more efficient or cheaper—decisions regarding their everyday mobility. To assess whether citizens’ appropriation of smart mobility—as with their appropriation of any other digital service—depends strongly on having a certain set of socioeconomic and digital attributes, we analyzed both a mobility survey and a digital inequalities survey based on representative samples of adult Uruguayans living in the capital Montevideo. We find that while the use of mobility apps increased in the second half of the 2010s, the adoption of these tools was stratified by traditional digital inequalities, such as type of internet access and digital literacy, and by variables that predict inequalities in both digital and transport fields, such as age, gender and education. As a result, mobility continues to be stratified in favor of those who are more knowledgeable (i.e., tech-savvy) and have greater access to digital technology. Thus, “smart mobility” has failed to ameliorate—and may even exacerbate—transport inequality. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.

Micro-Urban Heatmapping: A Multi-Modal and Multi-Temporal Data Collection Framework

Monitoring microclimate variables within cities with high resolution and accuracy is crucial for enhancing urban resilience to climate change. Assessing intra-urban characteristics is essential for ensuring satisfactory living standards. This paper presents a comprehensive methodology for studying urban heat islands (UHIs) on a university campus, emphasizing the importance of multi-modal and multi-temporal data collection. The methodology integrates mobile surveys, stationary sensor networks, and drone-based thermal imaging, providing a detailed analysis of temperature variations within urban microenvironments. The preliminary findings confirm the presence of a UHI on the campus and identify several hotspots. This comprehensive approach enhances the accuracy and reliability of UHI assessments, offering a cost-effective, fine-resolution approach that facilitates more effective urban planning and heat mitigation strategies.

Determinants of rural households’ food security status in South Africa: lessons from covid-19 social relief grant recipients in NIDS-CRAM wave 5

The world experienced an unprecedented health shock (COVID-19) which caught everyone by surprise, and destabilized many sectors, especially the agri-food sector. This unpleasant situation caused upset in the food production and distribution chain, and continues to threaten the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 2 which underscores zero hunger in society. Many people in South Africa were disproportionately affected with severe consequences on their livelihood activities, food security status, health status, and general welfare conditions; and as a result, social relief intervention was put in place or expanded. This study examined the factors influencing rural households’ food security status among the recipients of social relief grants in rural areas of South Africa. The study used a secondary dataset from Wave 5 of National Income Dynamics Study - Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM). The research applied descriptive statistics to describe the respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, and pattern of income flow. Food Insecurity Access Scale was employed to investigate the respondents’ food security status, while multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the determinants of food security. The results showed that the majority of the respondents were black (99%), female-headed (54.15%), dwelling in flats (74.01%), with secondary education (88.6%), and heavily dependent on government grants (58.61%). Also, most households were food secure (71.69%) during the pandemic. Moreover, households headed by men were more food secure (62.84%) compared to the ones headed by the female counterparts (37.08). Multinomial regression estimates revealed that formal education (p<0.1), employment status (p<0.05), dwelling type (p<0.01), as well as household size (p<0.01) significantly determined rural households’ food security status. The study concluded that social relief grants significantly reduced the food insecurity situation among the rural households in South Africa, and recommended that the government should ensure the continuation of the social relief of distress grant to the vulnerable people who are mostly domiciled in the rural areas, especially women who are disproportionately affected by these health shocks. Key words: Covid-19, social grant, rural households, food security, South Africa

Providing healthcare under the threat of gang-violence: a survey of Haitian healthcare providers

In addition to having some of the worst health outcomes in the region, Haiti faces a political and economic crisis. The most recent humanitarian crisis includes an increase in homicides and kidnappings in the capital Port-au-Prince. This study is a cross-sectional, mixed methods online survey of health workers and medical students in Port-au-Prince from May 20 – September 15, 2023. It provides evidence of the kidnapping risk healthcare workers face and shares the perspective of a medical community operating in a challenging context to provide a continuity of care under the threat of violence. The survey of Haitian health workers and students show a significant risk of kidnapping with 44% of respondents reporting that they had a colleague kidnapped in the previous 2 years. 5 of the 249 respondents had been kidnapped and all were young, female health workers. 74% of health workers and students surveyed reported they plan to continue their profession abroad. Although teletraining was viewed as a positive opportunity to continue training cadres of medical professionals, health workers shared numerous limitations present for the expansion of telemedicine in the Haitian context. In addition to describing the experience of the Haitian healthcare professional during this crisis and documenting barriers to teletraining and telemedicine, this survey documents design considerations for mobile phone surveys with healthcare providers working in areas affected by conflict.

Adolescents’ behavioral changes and preventive practices against COVID-19 in South Africa: The influence of household characteristics

The South African government instituted a countermeasure against COVID-19 in March 2020, which had a significant impact on many individuals, particularly the youth. However, there is a limited understanding of how household characteristics influenced adolescents’ behavioral changes and their adoption of preventive measures during the pandemic. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the role of household characteristics and adolescents’ behavioral responses to COVID-19 in South Africa. Using the latest data from the South African National Income Dynamics-Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (Wave 5), which includes responses from 5581 (99.9%) youths aged 15 – 24, we analyzed changes in their behaviors and the preventive measures they adopted. The study controlled for various household, demographic, and socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents. We utilized cross-tabulations and an ordinal logistics regression model to determine the relationship between the covariates and the outcome of behavioral changes and preventive measures adopted. Our findings revealed that none of the respondents adopted all recommended precautionary measures for COVID-19, while 55.7% exhibited low behavioral changes, and only 2.7% exhibited higher behavioral changes throughout the pandemic. The results indicate that, at both the individual and household levels, factors such as gender, educational attainment, source of household income, and access to electricity increase the odds of behavioral changes against COVID-19 in South Africa. In addition, among household-level factors, adolescents without access to water were more likely to adopt one to three preventive measures compared to those with access to water (52.2% vs. 47.9%, p < 0.001). Therefore, to effectively prevent the spread of infection in South Africa, it is pertinent to address these household characteristics and encourage preventive measures tailored to these factors.

Opinions matter: Contrasting perceptions of major public transit projects in Montréal, Canada

Public opinion has been identified as one of the main drivers of political action in support of sustainable-transport transitions, making it essential to understand when aiming for effective transport policy. Drawing from both quantitative and qualitative data from the 2021 Montréal Mobility Survey, this paper analyzes public perceptions towards two transport projects—a light-rail transit (LRT) and a bus-rapid transit (BRT). Quantitative statements pertaining to five project impacts were compared between the two projects. Both projects had high levels of agreement (between 67% and 80%) regarding expected regional and environmental impacts, but agreement levels were lower for expected neighborhood, cultural, and residential displacement impacts (between 49% and 30%). To contextualize the quantitative findings, qualitative data were pulled from open-ended questions for both projects and analyzed using an applied-thematic-analysis approach. The qualitative responses focused primarily on negative perceptions, providing insight into potential factors contributing to the erosion of social acceptability. Our analysis of open-ended questions underscored contrasting perceptions between the two projects in terms of improvements in accessibility to destinations (minimal for the BRT vs noticeable for the LRT), governance (transparent for the BRT vs opaque for the LRT), consultation processes (adequate for the BRT vs insufficient for the LRT), and construction impacts (lengthy and disruptive for the BRT vs rapid for the LRT). These contrasting quantitative and qualitative results highlight the need for mixed methods when assessing public perceptions. Findings from this paper can be of benefit to practitioners and policy makers as they aim to ramp up efforts to expand public-transit systems.

Stressors and Subjective Cognition in Daily Life: Tests of Physical Activity and Age as Moderators.

Growing research indicates that daily stress is associated with poorer same-day cognitive performance, for example, memory and attention. However, it is unclear whether this relationship holds across diverse ages and engagement in physical activity (PA), or whether these factors might buffer the relationship between daily stress and subjective cognitive function. Ecological momentary assessment data were collected from adults aged 25 to 88 years across British Columbia, Canada. For 14 days, participants ( N = 204) wore a triaxial physical activity monitor, reported stressor occurrence in mobile surveys four times per day, and rated their subjective attention and memory at the end of each day. Multilevel models evaluated daily stressor occurrence as a predictor of subjective attention and memory, with same-day PA engagement and age as moderators. Subjective attention and memory were lower on days when a stressor had occurred, compared to stressor-free days. Neither PA nor age moderated the within-person associations of daily stressors with subjective cognition. The lack of stress-buffering effects for same-day PA and age raises questions about the contexts in which PA promotes cognitive functioning and about age-related processes underlying stress and cognition. Future work could examine the mechanisms that might explain the link between daily stress and cognition function, as well as the associations of different intensity and forms of physical activity on stress across age groups.

Improvement of the Evaluation of Seismic Risk in Fault Areas by Lidar-Derived Geophysical Data

This study aimed to improve the methods of assessing seismic risk in fault zones based on lidar data in geophysics. The research highlighted this by comparing the newly developed fault maps with the usual methods of fault mapping and how lidar technology developed high-resolution 3D mapping. We conducted mobile and terrestrial LIDAR surveys to produce DEMs and study the attributes of the fault zones. The technique involved mobile lidar systems with different specifications of emitted transmission rate: 45 000 m/s to 52, 100m/s pulse repetition: 190, 000 Hz–220, 000 Hz; and point density: 10223 points/m2 to 14567 points/m2. Terrestrial lidar surveys used scanner heights of 1. 500-1. 700m and obtained the horizontal and vertical sampling density, ranging from 240,456 to 315,678 points per square meter. We used LAStools, Arc GIS, and QISIS software to filter, classify, and visualize the data processing. e applied interpolation techniques such as IDW, Kriging, Spline, and Natural Neighbors to generate DEMs. Research outcomes identified 15 different fault segments with lengths varying from 10. 000-20. 000 km, along with maximum displacements of 0. 987-4. 567 m, and average slip rates of 3. 456-7. 890 mm/year. The most extended fault segment altogether was FS05, which was 20. 000 km with a maximum bidding distance of 4. 567 m and a 7. 890 mm/year slip rate. We discovered that the proposed method successfully filtered out noise points from lidar data, with the noise points varying between 0.111-0.266 million. We created DEMs with vertical rms errors ranging from 0.045-0.050 m. The study revealed that lidar technology offers accurate and dense geospatial data, essential for discriminating between fault zones. This approach dramatically improves seismic hazard analysis and the identification of the best ways to minimize risks. These are increasing lidar surveys in other seismically active regions, using multiple data sources for analysis, and deploying constant surveys in high-risk fault line regions to increase consistency in detecting surface changes and tectonic activity.