Relief Efforts Research Articles

Tsunami Runup Attenuation By Onshore Obstacles

In a time of climate emergency due to global warming, nature-based coastal defence systems are attractive solutions for flood mitigation and adaptation. Coastal forests such as mangroves have received a growing interest for their disaster mitigation effectiveness such as water flow energy dissipation, hence helping communities to become more resilient (Iimura & Tanaka, 2012). The role of coastal forests as a defence measure was highlighted in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, which claimed the lives of more than 200,000 people and displaced millions more across fourteen countries. Post-disaster damage observations indicated that forests, particularly mangroves, reduced the impact of the tsunami wave in some locations. As a result, significant international relief and reconstruction efforts focused on extensive forest replantation of coastlines (Satake, 2014). The role of coastal vegetation in reducing the severity of tsunami waves has been studied since. Several studies using physical modelling and computational approaches have provided insights into the wave attenuation provided by coastal vegetation, in terms of relationships between incident hydrodynamic conditions, forest configurations and wave height decay. However, there are still many gaps in knowledge, particularly in quantifying the efficacy of coastal forests in reducing inland hydrodynamic conditions (Tomiczek et al., 2020). It is therefore essential to improve the understanding on how wave heights, velocities and runup are influenced by the characteristics of the “obstacles”, e.g. the forest density, as well as the incident hydrodynamic conditions, e.g. the wave period. This study aims to address these questions conducting physical experiments using the novel pneumatic Tsunami Simulator (TS) developed by HR Wallingford together with UCL (Rossetto et al., 2011).

Rescue Relief Agency Management For Disaster Recovery

In the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster, the swift and coordinated deployment of rescue agencies is critical to minimizing casualties and maximizing the effectiveness of relief efforts. However, the current landscape of disaster response is often hampered by the absence of a centralized platform for communication and collaboration among various rescue agencies. This lack of a unified system often leads to duplication of efforts, inefficient resource allocation, and delays in providing aid to those in dire need. To address these challenges and enhance the efficiency of disaster response, we propose the development of a comprehensive mobile application that would enable rescue agencies to seamlessly register their information, share real-time location updates, and coordinate their operations effectively. This proposed mobile application would serve as a central hub for rescue agencies to register their information, including their location, contact details, areas of expertise, and available resources. This information could be entered manually or automated using GPS or other location tracking technologies. Once the database is populated, the application would provide a user-friendly interface that allows users to visualize the locations of registered rescue agencies on a map. Additionally, users could filter the results based on specific criteria, such as the type of disaster, the resources available, or the time since the last reported activity. Beyond displaying the locations of rescue agencies, the application would also facilitate communication and collaboration among these organizations. Rescue agencies could send alerts or requests for assistance directly through the application, enabling them to coordinate their efforts and optimize resource utilization. Moreover, the application could facilitate the sharing of critical resources such as medical equipment, transportation, and communication infrastructure, ensuring that these resources are deployed where they are most needed. Overall, the proposed mobile application has the potential to revolutionize disaster response by providing a centralized platform for communication, collaboration, and resource management among rescue agencies. By enabling real-time coordination and efficient resource allocation, this application could significantly enhance the effectiveness of disaster relief efforts, saving lives and minimizing the impact of natural and man-made disasters..

War and food insecurity in Ukraine

It is widely held that armed conflict is a central catalyst for food insecurity. However, existing studies tend to use aggregate measures of both conflict and food insecurity to analyze the long-term consequences of violence. We know far less about the immediate impacts of armed conflict on individual-level food insecurity. To address this gap, we collected two waves of probability surveys in Ukraine (Ns = 1081 and 811) at the start of the 2022 Russian invasion. We asked, specifically, whether Ukrainians’ exposure to military attacks was associated with the extent to which they reported food insecurity. The data indicate that one in three Ukrainians were food insecure at the time of the surveys. In turn, our analyses suggest that both direct attacks on the individual respondents, as well as indirect attacks (on their family members, acquaintances, and the municipalities in which they resided) relate to reported food insecurity. Notably, we found that the relationship between military attacks and food insecurity was only moderated by gender, but not age, education, or socioeconomic status. As the war in Ukraine continues, it is important to understand and document its consequences on civilians. Moreover, our findings likely have implications for policies tailoring wartime relief efforts – not only in Ukraine, but also in other countries experiencing large-scale military invasion.

Penanggulangan Tindak Pidana Pengeroyokan Antar Warga Desa Sirih Sekapur dan Desa Pulau Jelmu oleh Kepolisian Sektor Jujuhan

A mass attack is a series of demonstrations of crimes carried out jointly by a group that cause non-physical or real harm resulting in injury or befalling someone. In this study the author touches on the Elucidating Scientific strategy, which is a technique that is able to obtain top to bottom information on an event that focuses on cycles and collaborates directly with the item being researched to obtain a broad and precise picture and will. reach a decision, and use Purposive Testing techniques, namely deciding on rarely chosen tests that involve special considerations according to the exploration objectives. Judging from the in-depth investigation, we can conclude that the wrongful act of beatings is remembered as a violation of the community's request as stated in Article 170 of the Criminal Code, where the number of wrongful acts of beatings is due to individual problems between two young people in the city, thus leading to beatings including every inhabitant of the city. This study aims to find out in more depth the efforts to suppress criminal demonstrations of beatings between residents of Sirih Sekapur City and Jelmu Island City carried out by the Jujuhan Police, Cairo Bungo, the deterrence of which is traced in the handling of criminal demonstrations of beatings and efforts to suppress them. Obstacles in handling criminal demonstrations include beatings between residents. Sirih Sekapur City and Jelmu Island City by Jujuhan Police, Bungo Regency. The exploration technique used is exact juridical testing with a social legitimacy exploration approach and a case approach. The information gathering strategy uses interviews. The end of this examination was that the Jujuhan Police, in handling criminal demonstrations of beatings between city residents, carried out training such as sambang, guiding, supervising, monitoring gang training, and fostering good relations between residents by holding football matches. The obstacles faced by the Jujuhan Police in handling criminal demonstrations of beatings between residents were a pessimistic attitude towards the police, the ease of being initiated by the community, and the absence of police. Regarding efforts to overcome obstacles, the Jujuhan Regional Police adopted an interesting strategy, collaborated with the city government, and expanded relief efforts by collaborating with individuals from the police force.

The core competencies in disaster nursing of new graduate nurses in Guangdong, China: A cross-sectional study

AimThis study aimed to assess the level of core competencies in disaster nursing of New Graduate Nurses (NGNs) and explore its influencing factors. BackgroundIn recent years, the overall frequency of disasters around the world has been on the rise. As the emerging workforce in clinical settings, NGNs play an integral role in future disaster relief efforts. NGNs’ level and influencing impact of core competencies in disaster nursing need to be understood. DesignA cross-sectional design. MethodsFrom June to September 2023, the Core Competencies in Disaster Nursing Scale - General Professional Nurse (CCDNS-GPN), designed according to the CCDN V2.0, was used to collect data from NGNs of six nursing schools and 15 hospitals in Guangdong, China. Descriptive analysis was conducted to examine the scores of core competencies in disaster nursing. Furthermore, one-way analysis of variance and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to explore the influencing factors. ResultsA total of 607 NGNs participated in this study. The scores of CCDNS-GPN of NGNs were 90.23 (SD 15.09) (score ratio: 51.56%), indicating a low level of core competencies in disaster nursing. The highest competency was the recovery (score ratio: 55.00%), while the lowest competency was the communication (score ratio: 45.44%). The predictor for core competencies in disaster nursing of NGNs were male (β = 0.091, p < 0.05), below bachelor’s degree (β = −0.109, p < 0.05), had received disaster nursing education at school (β = 0.087, p < 0.05), had participated in a disaster rescue drill at school (β = 0.140, p < 0.05), had been to the ICU during internship (β = 0.135, p < 0.05) and had the intention to be a disaster specialized nurse (β = 0.114, p < 0.05). ConclusionsThe NGNs exhibited insufficient core competencies in disaster nursing in Guangdong, China. Nursing schools and clinical institutions should collaborate and play their respective roles to enhance nurses' core competencies in disaster nursing, ensuring they can timely, safely and efficiently participate in disaster medical relief efforts.

Social Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women's Health in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, women have experienced more job loss owing to an increase in household and caregiving responsibilities. Gender inequities coupled with pandemic-related stressors have resulted in poor health outcomes among women. Globally, women have reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress in response to the pandemic. Evidence suggests that social determinants of health have contributed to women's poor health outcomes. Materials and Methods: We used the Understanding America Study to describe the social impacts women have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic when compared with men and to explore the association between partnership status and social impacts in Los Angeles. We hypothesize that women experienced greater social impacts than men and that partnership status modified these social impacts. Results: In a sample of predominantly racial and ethnic minorities, we found that women experienced more social impacts related to housing insecurity compared with men. When exploring how partnership status modified these social impacts, we found that women without partners experienced more social impacts specific to financial hardships when compared with women who were in a partnership. Conclusions: It is likely that the COVID-19 relief efforts helped women mitigate social impacts but not housing or financial security. The overall goal is to inform policies so that better measures can be implemented to prepare for the next public health disaster or global health threat.

Strategic Management Practices on Poverty Alleviation Among Farmers in Kakamega County, Kenya

Improving the standard of living in underdeveloped regions is a pressing issue in the modern era of globalization. More than 80% of Kenyans get their living from farming or other non- urban sources in rural areas. More than half of Kenya's population is impoverished, meaning they cannot afford to meet their most basic demands. There have been various strategic management practices that have been employed to alleviate poverty in Mumias East Sub County, Kakamega County. As a result, this study examined the effects of strategic management methods on the reduction of poverty among small-scale farmers in Mumias East Sub County, Kenya. The study's findings on how to reduce poverty was useful to policymakers at both the county and federal levels. The study was based on, resource mobilization theory, knowledge-based theory, technology acceptance model 3, and random utility theory. This study, which aimed to adopt a descriptive study design, recruited 105 participants from among the 221 upper and middle managers in Mumias East Sub County, Kakamega County Government. In order to combine primary and secondary sources, surveys were deployed. The validity and reliability of the research tools are established by pilot testing. The questionnaire's construct and content validity were ensured through careful design and testing to ensure that it accurately captures the intended data. Using a Cronbach alpha cutoff of 0.7 was ensured reliability. Tables and graphs were used to display the data. In order to comprehend the structures and dynamics of the data, descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Labeling different groups and themes were used in a thematic analysis of qualitative data. The inferential statistics included Pearson's correlation, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. The goal of the research was to identify the connections between poverty relief efforts and resource mobilization, technological innovation, and strategic education. The activity was conducted in an ethical manner. The modern technology variable was found to have a positive significant influence on poverty alleviation effort amongst small-scale farmers in Mumias East Sub County, Kakamega County. The study concludes that mobilizing resources for poverty alleviation can lead to increased access to basic necessities such as food, clean water, and healthcare. This can improve the overall well-being and quality of life for individuals living in poverty. The study recommends that the County should invest in education and skills development, individuals can gain the necessary knowledge and tools to secure better job opportunities and increase their earning potential.

China and India in the Indian Ocean: A Study of Strategic Importance and its Influence on Geopolitical Dynamics and Security Policies

This article explores the strategic significance of the Indian Ocean for China and India, examining how their actions influence geopolitical dynamics and security policies. The Indian Ocean, a vital global trade route, has seen increased attention from both nations through their naval expansions, infrastructure investments, and diplomatic engagements. This has sparked debates about potential competition, strategic rivalries, and the implications for regional security. The study aims to understand the impact of China and India's activities in the Indian Ocean and their potential for cooperation or conflict. The research question focuses on how these actions affect regional security. The methodology employed is a qualitative research approach, incorporating a literature review, document analysis, case studies, and a comparative analysis of China and India's strategies in the Indian Ocean. The results highlight the Indian Ocean as a critical geopolitical arena undergoing significant transformations due to the actions of China and India. The rise of these two powers has the potential to either lead to conflict and instability or contribute to regional stability by providing public goods such as anti-piracy patrols and disaster relief efforts.

Humanitarian Logistics and Emergency Response in Humanitarian Organizations in Kenya.

Disasters were unpredictable and unavoidable, necessitating adequate disaster response plans. Humanitarian logistics, which gained prominence after the 2004 Asian tsunami, played an important part in crisis prevention. Despite weak links in relief chain management, issues remained. Humanitarian logistics had a huge impact on disaster relief efforts, as studies revealed a variety of challenges, including a lack of sufficient SCM software and poor facilities. Despite its importance, few studies have explored the impact of disaster assistance on humanitarian organizations, particularly in Kenya. The study sought to address this gap by evaluating the impact of humanitarian logistics on emergency response in Nairobi, Kenya. Humanitarian groups, policymakers, and NGOs profited from the research, which informed strategic planning and policy creation to strengthen disaster response operations. The Resource Dependency Theory (RDT) proposed that organizations rely on external resources for survival and growth. It underlined the importance of forming strategic alliances to secure resources. In humanitarian settings, logistics were critical in procuring and allocating resources for successful emergency response. The research methodology used a cross-sectional descriptive design to investigate the association between humanitarian logistics management techniques and emergency response in Kenyan humanitarian organizations. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to obtain data from 64 Nairobi-based firms. Data analysis required the use of both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, such as regression and correlation analysis. The study found a significant positive association (β = 0.732, p &lt; 0.001) between logistics management practices and emergency response, indicating that improving logistics leads to better response outcomes. The study recommended prioritizing logistical development and resource allocation to improve emergency response capabilities.

The characteristics and functionalities of citizen-led disaster response through social media: A case study of the #HenanFloodsRelief on Sina Weibo

Using the topic of #HenanFloodRelief on Sina Weibo during the 2021 Henan floods as a case study, this research adopts a combination of social network analysis, content analysis, and text analysis to explore the characteristics and roles of public participation in disaster response through social media. The findings show that under the #HenanFloodRelief topic, the public was mainly involved in emergency response by posting help and rescue information, updating disaster information, and providing contact details for resource coordination. They also expressed emotions to reflect post-disaster social psychology, providing an emotional basis for social mobilization. Public and organizational participation demonstrated different characteristics, exhibiting the advantages of spontaneity and firsthand information. In contrast, organizational participation reflected professionalism and played a more significant role in providing emotional comfort and mobilization. The research demonstrates the vital role of social media in enabling public participation in disaster response while pointing out the potential risks of the public utilizing information resources for online relief efforts, highlighting the need for further research into effective information verification methods. This study provides a Chinese case to examine public participation in disaster response and offers insights into this field of research.

Workplace Buoyancy and Servant Leadership as Catalysts for Sustainable Disaster Management: Mitigating Emotional Exhaustion in Disaster Response Teams

Amid global crises like natural disasters and climate change, the emotional well-being of disaster response workers (DRWs) is a key factor in sustainable public health and disaster management. The study highlights the issue of emotional exhaustion among DRWs, which can impact organizational effectiveness and the health and well-being of affected communities. The study examines the roles of servant leadership (SL) and workplace buoyancy (WB) in addressing these issues. Using data from 336 DRWs involved in the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake, JD-R Theory is employed to study how these factors interact in high-demand scenarios. Analysis with the Smart PLS 4 program reveals that SL and WB play key roles in reducing emotional exhaustion (EE). Notably, WB partially mediates the relationship between SL and EE. These insights are vital for creating sustainable public health and disaster management strategies in times of growing conflicts and climate crises. By extending the JD-R Theory to encompass these elements, the study provides valuable suggestions for policymakers and managers to enhance the resilience and well-being of DRWs. The study deepens our understanding of public health challenges in disaster settings and highlights the need for integrated, sustainable responses to support those on the front lines of disaster relief efforts.

Performance Measurement Integration And Performance Of Manufacturing Firms in Rwanda

Rwanda's manufacturing industry is essential to the country's economic growth and employment generation. Achieving sustainable development and global competitiveness necessitates the integration of performance assessment effectively. This entails measuring and optimizing organizational performance, especially in supply chains, using a variety of measures. Global market trends and resource limitations are two ongoing challenges that emphasize the necessity for reliable measuring methods. In order to give policymakers and business practitioners useful information, this study aims to assess the effect of performance measurement integration on manufacturing company performance in Rwanda, concentrating on important industries and geographical areas. Expectancy Theory and the Balanced Scorecard Framework (BSC), two important theoretical frameworks related to performance measurement integration in manufacturing businesses, are examined in the literature study. According to expectation theory, people are driven by their conviction that performance, effort, and results are all related. The BSC provides a strategy-based framework for decision-making at various organizational levels. It was created by Kaplan and Norton. The significance of integrating performance assessment in order to increase productivity, quality, customer happiness, and decision-making for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is underscored by empirical research. Performance in manufacturing is evaluated and optimized via the use of a variety of instruments and methods, including the BSC and KPIs. &#x0D; The study methodology utilized a quantitative analytic strategy with an explanatory approach to comprehend the relationship between manufacturing company performance and supply chain integration. The research philosophy was shaped by positivism, which prioritized quantitative approaches. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to gather data from 213 manufacturing companies; 94% of the respondents answered the questions. The integration of performance measurement has been found to have a favorable influence on the performance of manufacturing organizations through effective communication, information exchange, and strategic supplier relationships. These findings were supported by descriptive statistics. The findings showed a positive relationship between measurement integration and company performance, with integration accounting for 49.9% of the variance in performance. The results showed that efficient decision-making and information exchange among supply chain participants were influenced. Notably, framework agreements with key suppliers were frequently used in emergency situations. The functions of logistics companies, funders, governments, media, and security personnel in relief efforts were emphasized using qualitative analysis. Issues with inadequate coordination and information exchange were noted. Enhancing IT infrastructure, adopting emerging technologies, collaborating with many stakeholders, and establishing legal frameworks for production readiness are among the recommendations. The study emphasizes how crucial technology, collaboration, and integration are to maximizing the performance of industrial firms and disaster relief in Rwanda.

Protecting Civilians against Digital Threats during Armed Conflict: Final report of the ICRC's Global Advisory Board

In situations of armed conflict, access to digital technology can save lives. However, the digitalization of armed conflict also brings new threats for civilians. Over the past decade, digital technologies have been used in armed conflict to disrupt critical civilian infrastructure and services, to incite violence against civilian populations, and to undermine humanitarian relief efforts. Moreover, in ever-more interdependent digital and physical environments, civilians and civilian infrastructure are not only in the crosshairs of hostile operations but also increasingly drawn upon to support military operations, blurring the lines between what is military and what is civilian.

Eating in Budapest's Soup Kitchens. Versions and Aversions from the History of Public Catering (1860–1918)

AbstractThe growth in Budapest's population at the end of the 19th century was based on the influx of migrants from the countryside, mostly industrial workers. The examination of the social tensions generated by their arrival provides a good illustration of the changes in social policy, one element of which was the operation of soup kitchens. In the mid-19th century, the main driving force behind the founding of soup kitchens was individual religious charity, although by the end of the century, social solidarity and state involvement also contributed to the relief efforts. The present study examines the development of soup kitchens in Budapest based on the historical sources: official documents, and the contemporary press. Using the ethnographic findings of food culture research, it seeks to explain why official soup kitchens were not popular. From an ethnographic point of view, the process of lifestyle change among workers newly breaking away from peasant life and moving to Budapest and its metropolitan area has been little explored to date, and the same applies to the embourgeoisement of the peasantry. When interpreting the processes that accompany labor migration, parallels can be drawn between the eating habits of the workers' regions of origin, the value systems connected with work and food, and the common meals organized for agricultural workers when working away from home. Through a historical and ethnographic approach, the transitional, evolving features of urban foodways emerge in the context of soup kitchens in parallel with the change in lifestyle.

Pelatihan Pengenalan First Aid dan Bantuan Hidup Dasar untuk Para Kader di Desa Karangmulya, Kecamatan Bojongmangu

First Aid in Accidents was a temporary relief and treatment effort for accident victims before receiving more complete assistance from health workers. This cannot be done if the community as the front guard does not have the understanding and skills in initial treatment. First aid was important for accident victims to avoid death or disability. Knowledge of Basic Life Support (BLS) was very necessary to handle these cases. This activity aims to increased knowledge and skills in providing Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Cadres in Karangmulya village. The method used is training for cadres. The results of the t-test showed that the average pre-test knowledge of the training participants was 4.91 with a median of 4.5 for the pre-test, a standard deviation of 1.130 and an average post-test knowledge score of 6.67 with a standard deviation of 0.89 and a median of 7.00. It can be concluded that there was an increase in knowledge after training with an average difference of 2 scores. This data also shows that cadres are an asset as ordinary people are quick to receive information and learning for emergencies. It is hoped that this activity will be carried out periodically.

Hazard or Non-Hazard Flood: Post Analysis for Paddy Rice, Wetland, and Other Potential Non-Hazard Flood Extraction from the VIIRS Flood Products

VIIRS flood products have been widely used by the National Weather Service (NWS) for river flood monitoring, and by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the International Charter Program for rescue and relief efforts. However, some water bodies, like irrigated or flooded paddy rice fields, and water in seasonal wetlands, are detected as floodwater instead of permanent, seasonal, controlled, or normal water in the VIIRS flood products. Because these kinds of floodwater don’t cause any severe disasters, they should be delineated as non-hazard floods to differentiate from real hazardous floods, the latter of which generally pose a significant risk and damage to human life, property, and the environment. Hazardous floods are usually caused by intensive rainfall, rapid snowmelt, or ice jams, they appear accidentally and tend to be short-term events. Non-hazard floodwaters generally result from tides, wetlands, agricultural irrigation, and other human activities, and thus they appear regularly and often stand for a longer time. Therefore, non-hazard floodwaters are some kind of standing water and usually have much larger long-time flood frequency or probability than hazardous floods. Based on this feature, it’s possible to combine long-time flood frequency calculated as the ratio of total flooding days over total clear days, including both flooding and no-flooding days, from VIIRS flood products with some additional information, such as agriculture statistics and land cover and land use map, to identify non-hazard floodwater in paddy rice fields and wetland. In this study, non-hazard floodwater bodies are classified into four types: paddy rice fields, wetlands, riparian and coastal tidal flooding, and other non-hazard floods, including possible fishing ponds. In this study, we selected several examples, such as the 2023 California flood event and some large paddy rice fields in China, to demonstrate how to identify water in paddy rice fields. The Florida flood event due to Hurricane Ian in 2022 is used to demonstrate how to separate wetlands from real hazardous floods. In addition to non-hazard floodwaters in wetlands, some coastal tidal flooding in Florida is also detected. The non-hazard floodwaters extracted from the proposed methods are compared with change detection analysis and good agreement is found. The paddy rice fields obtained from this study are compared and evaluated with the rice distribution data from the USDA. The quantitative evaluation results from the confusion matrix calculation demonstrate that the accuracy is 99.96%, recall is 83.69%, precision is 61.57%, and the F1-score is 70.95%. The high accuracy indicates that the method developed in this study for paddy rice field extraction from the VIIRS flood products is feasible.

The Community Health Response Team: a culturally and linguistically tailored community response to COVID-19 addressing barriers to testing and vaccinations for refugee, immigrant and migrant communities in Atlanta, Georgia.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Atlanta and Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) established a Community Health Response Team in May 2020. The team members represented refugee, immigrant and migrant populations and had expertise in health care and public health. These 18 individuals were recruited from IRC Atlanta's Career Development program, had a variety of backgrounds and spoke 20 languages. They implemented a community-centered COVID-response intervention model of pairing education and outreach efforts with testing and vaccination clinics. Due to their team makeup, the Community Health Response Team conducted tailored outreach and education that was culturally and linguistically congruent with their target communities. They administered over 16,000 COVID-19 tests at mobile community sites within the first 6 months. Once COVID-19 vaccinations were available, the Community Health Response Team coordinated a total of 834 vaccination events in communities with a high number of refugees and in partnership with refugee- and immigrant-trusted community-based organizations, resulting in 31,888 vaccinations. Hiring staff from refugee, immigrant and migrant populations created a sustainable staffing model. Also, embedding culturally specific strategies in their model of pairing education and outreach led to long-term relationships and greater trust with community members. This approach of engaging and empowering community members to create tailored public health responses should serve as guidance for future public health campaigns.

The Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Autistic Children and Their Families.

We used data from the National Survey of Children's Health to (1) examine differences in economic hardship and safety net program use after the implementation of federal relief efforts, and (2) assess whether the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated autism-based disparities in hardship and program use. We examined five dimensions of economic hardship (poverty, food insecurity, medical hardship, medical costs, and foregone work) and four safety net programs (cash assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and free or reduced-cost meals). First, we calculated adjusted prevalence and odds ratios to compare pre-COVID (2018-2019) and during COVID (2021) outcomes by autism status. Next, we calculated the adjusted odds of each outcome among autistic children compared to those of children with and without other special healthcare needs at both time points. COVID-19 exacerbated autism-based disparities in food insecurity, SNAP, and public health insurance, but alleviated inequities in medical hardship, foregone work, and cash assistance. Autistic children did not experience declines in food insecurity or increases in SNAP like other children; medical hardship and foregone work decreased more for autistic children; and the magnitude of autism-based differences in public coverage significantly increased during the pandemic. Federal relief efforts likely improved economic outcomes of children; however, these effects varied according to type of hardship and by disability group. Efforts to promote economic well-being among autistic populations should be tailored to the financial challenges most salient to low-income autistic children, like food insecurity.

Is there a case for gridshell structures in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts?

This article focuses on the core concerns of shelter and settlement, and more specifically focuses on large-span shelters in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) efforts. Furthermore, this article introduces the audience to novel large-span structures called gridshells. This paper presents a parametric, computational study that quantifies the efficacy of bracing orientation and arrangement on the load carrying capacity of gridshells. The varied parameters include the grid density (“16 by 16” to “30 by 30”) and the bracing scheme (unbraced, continuous fully-braced, discontinuous fully-braced, continuous half-braced, and discontinuous half-braced). Four load cases were analyzed, namely a symmetric distributed load, an asymmetric distributed load, a centered point load, and an off-centered point load. The results of the study provide designers with trends and basic design options upon which they can base further analysis depending on the requirements of the final structure.

Joint User Association and Power Control in UAV Network: A Graph Theoretic Approach

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have recently been widely employed as effective wireless platforms for aiding users in various situations, particularly in hard-to-reach scenarios like post-disaster relief efforts. This study employs multiple UAVs to cover users in overlapping locations, necessitating the optimization of UAV-user association to maximize the spectral and energy efficiency of the UAV network. Hence, a connected bipartite graph is formed between UAVs and users using graph theory to accomplish this goal. Then, a maximum weighted matching-based maximum flow (MwMaxFlow) optimization approach is proposed to achieve the maximum data rate given users’ demands and the UAVs’ maximum capacities. Additionally, power control is applied using the M-matrix theory to optimize users’ transmit powers and improve their energy efficiency. The proposed strategy is evaluated and compared with other benchmark schemes through numerical simulations. The simulation outcomes indicate that the proposed approach balances spectral efficiency and energy consumption, rendering it suitable for various UAV wireless applications, including emergency response, surveillance, and post-disaster management.