Urban Centers Research Articles

Tinjauan Sistem Pendaftaran Rawat Jalan di Puskesmas Kelurahan Klender Tahun 2023

Puskesmas is a functional health organization as well as a center for community health development. The Klender urban health center currently uses an online registration system and offline registration. This study aims to determine the online and offline outpatient registration system at the Klender Village Community Health Center in 2023. This research is a qualitative research. In this study, researchers directly observed the process of outpatient registration. Retrieval of research data is done by observation and interviews with registration officers. The results of the study found that online registration uses the Jaksehat application, patients do not need to come to the health center to register, patients come to the health center to validate queue numbers to the polyclinic only. Calling patients who register online is prioritized with a system of calling queue numbers 1-5, 11-15 and so on. Offline registration is done by having patients come directly to the puskesmas and queue to register. For calling patients, register offline after patients register online with queue numbers 6-10, 16-15, etc. The problems found in registration were the separate queues for patients who registered online and offline and there was a mismatch in calling patients according to the serial number of the queue. The conclusion in this study is that online registration of outpatients uses the Jaksehat application and offline registration is carried out using the system used by the puskesmas. It is expected that the puskesmas will separate the queues of patients who have registered online with patients who have registered offline.

Exploring in the Ancient Urban Center of Samatata: Initial Documentation of Archaeological Discoveries in the Lalmai Hill Range, Cumilla, Bangladesh

The study aimed to investigate the Lalmai Hill range in Cumilla, Bangladesh, which was the capital center of ancient Samatata, to uncover new archaeological sites. Over the years a total of 50 archaeological sites have been identified on the hills' flat tops and slopes through multiple phases of exploration conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India's Eastern Circle, the Department of Archaeology and Museums of Pakistan, and the Department of Archaeology under the cultural ministry of the Bangladesh Government. The archaeological sites discovered provide a captivating glimpse into the 7th to 8th century AD. This era is characterized by significant cultural and societal transformations, making it a compelling and pivotal period to explore. While most of these sites were discovered in the northern and middle parts of the Hill range, this study specifically focused on the southern part. Through several field surveys, a new archaeological site was discovered in the south zone of the Hill range. The findings revealed ancient bricks, wall structures, and potshards, indicating the presence of past human activities at the site. These findings provide insights into the historical and cultural significance of the region. Further exploration and excavation of this site and other potential areas within the Lalmai Hill range are warranted to enrich our understanding of the past culture and unearth other hidden treasures

A Study of the Saudi Arabian Emergency Medical Services' performance in both rural and urban locations is influenced by organisational factors

Background: This study explores into the investigation of the impact of organisational elements on the performance of Saudi Arabian EMS in various contexts, including rural & urban areas. The current research aims to learn more about the organisational variables that may explain why EMS performance differs in urban or rural areas from the perspectives of frontline personnel. Method: Researchers in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh region carried out the study. Participants were required to have worked for the Saudi Red Crescent EMS for at least 5 years and be currently engaged in one of the following roles: technician, paramedic, or EMS station manager. The first participants who responded to the call for participation were interviewed using semi-structured interviews from October 2021 to July 2022. The process proceeded until all data is acquire. We will analyse the data using analysis methodology. Results: Forty people from the Saudi Red Crescent EMS are a part of the final sample (20 from rural areas and 20 from urban centres). The data analysis is reveal important organisational characteristics that caused EMS staff to face obstacles & hurdles. There were also some similarities. Conclusion: Results showed that EMS performance is negatively affected in both urban & rural locations.

Analysis of the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of tuberculosis among students in a large province of China, 2008–2018

This study examines tuberculosis (TB) incidence among students in Jilin Province, China, focusing on spatial, temporal, and demographic dynamics in areas of social inequality. Variation in incidence rate of TB was analyzed using the joinpoint regression method. Spatial analyses techniques included the global and local Moran indices and Getis-Ord Gi* analysis. Demographic changes in new cases were analyzed descriptively, and the Geodetector method measured the influence of risk factors on student TB incidence. The analysis revealed a declining trend in TB cases, particularly among male students. TB incidence showed geographical heterogeneity, with lower rates in underdeveloped rural areas compared to urban regions. Significant spatial correlations were observed, with high-high clusters forming in central Jilin Province. Hotspots of student TB transmission were primarily concentrated in the southwestern and central regions from 2008 to 2018. Socio-economic factors exhibited nonlinear enhancement effects on incidence rates, with a dominant bifactor effect. High-risk zones were predominantly located in urban centers, with university and high school students showing higher incidences than other educational stages. The study revealed economic determinants as being especially important in affecting TB incidence among students, with these factors having nonlinear interacting effects on student TB incidence.

Developing community-based physical activity interventions and recreational programming for children in rural and smaller urban centres: a qualitative exploration of service provider and parent experiences

BackgroundChildren’s physical inactivity is a persisting international public health concern. While there is a large body of literature examining physical activity interventions for children, the unique physical activity context of low-density communities in rural areas and smaller urban centres remains largely underexplored. With an influx of families migrating to rural communities and small towns, evaluations of health promotion efforts that support physical activity are needed to ensure they are meeting the needs of the growing populations in these settings. The aim of this community-based research was to explore service providers’ and parents’ perspectives on physical activity opportunities available in their community and recommendations toward the development and implementation of efficacious physical activity programming for children in rural communities and smaller urban centres.MethodsThree in-person community forums with recreation service providers (n = 37 participants) and 1 online community forum with the parents of school-aged children (n = 9 participants) were hosted. An online survey and Mentimeter activity were conducted prior to the community forums to gather participants’ views on the barriers and facilitators to physical activities and suggestions for activity-promoting programs. The service provider and parent discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed following a deductive approach guided by Hseih and Shannon’s (2005) procedure for direct content analysis. A code list developed from the responses to the pre-forum survey and Mentimeter activity was used to guide the analysis and category development.ResultsSeven distinct categories related to the existing physical activity opportunities and recommendations for programs in rural communities and smaller urban centres were identified during the analysis: (1) Recovery from Pandemic-Related Measures, (2) Knowledge and Access to Programs, (3) Availability, (4) Personnel Support, (5) Quality of Programs and Facilities, (6) Expenses and Subsidies, and (7) Inclusivity and Preferences.ConclusionTo improve the health and well-being of children who reside in low-density areas, the results of this study highlight service provider and parent recommendations when developing and implementing community-based physical activity programs and interventions in rural and smaller urban settings, including skill development programs, non-competitive activity options, maximizing existing spaces for activities, and financial support.

Treatment Outcomes for Asian Americans Diagnosed with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder.

We implemented a pilot study to investigate symptoms and functional outcomes of Asian Americans treated in urban community mental health centers for a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Furthermore, we investigated whether these outcomes differed between East and Southeast Asians. We collected quantitative data from 75 participants recruited using a nonprobability sampling strategy from six urban community mental health centers. We used the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (Kay et al. in Schizophrenia Bulletin 13(2):261-276, 1987) and the Strauss and Carpenter Outcome Scale (Strauss and Carpenter in Archives of General Psychiatry 27(6):739-746, 1972) to measure their symptoms and functional outcomes. To compare the outcomes between East and Southeast Asians, we used a multivariable logistic regression model, which adjusted for the estimated effects of age, sex assigned at birth, and age at onset of illness for each outcome examined. The data shows that the treatment outcomes for this group are poor. Only a small number of participants experienced symptomatic remission (30.67%), role restoration (34.67%), and clinical recovery (21.33%). The majority of those who did not experience clinical recovery had difficulties sustaining symptomatic remission and restoring role functioning (54.67%). However, more participants achieved social restoration (68.00%). The results did not vary by national origin groups and sex assigned at birth. However, the participant's age, the age at which the illness began, or both determined whether the treatment outcomes were favorable. Findings underscore the need for interventions that improve symptom control to increase the likelihood of other favorable outcomes.

Biodiversity as a Tool in the Assessment of the Conservation Status of Coastal Habitats: A Case Study from Calabria (Southern Italy)

The Mediterranean coasts are threatened by human activities that alter habitats structure and functionality, modifying vegetation and causing the loss of typical species. The definition of the conservation status of coastal habitats is essential to preserve these fragile environments through planned policies. This study aims to assess the conservation status of the habitats of community interest (sensu EEC Directive 43/92) through the analysis of biodiversity and correlating it with urbanisation. A total of 73 vegetation relevés were carried out, so allowing 13 revealing different habitats to be identified. The total plant species diversity per habitat was measured by means of the H-index, also used to assess naturalness (N), differently considering native, alien, and disturbance species. To correlate the N index with distance from urban centres, a statistical analysis was performed. The analysis showed the highest values of H+ were found in habitats 2240, 2110, 2260, and 2230, while lowest values were observed in habitats 2270* and 2240. The habitats 2270* and 2240, the closest to urban centres, have a lower naturalness score than habitats 1420, 2120, 2250*, and 2270*, where higher naturalness scores have been found and therefore lower levels of disturbance. The criteria and methods discussed in this study can be used in coastal management in order to identify the most sensitive habitats and implement an effective conservation strategy.

Evaluating the impact of urban traffic patterns on air pollution emissions in Dublin: a regression model using google project air view data and traffic data

Air pollution is a significant and pressing environmental and public health concern in urban areas, primarily driven by road transport. By gaining a deeper understanding of how traffic dynamics influence air pollution, policymakers and experts can design targeted interventions to tackle these critical issues. In order to analyse this relationship, a series of regression algorithms were developed utilizing the Google Project Air View (GPAV) and Dublin City’s SCATS data, taking into account various spatiotemporal characteristics such as distance and weather. The analysis showed that Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) mostly outperformed Support Vector Regression (SVR) for air quality prediction, emphasizing its suitability and the importance of considering spatial variability in modelling. The model describes the data best for particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions, with R-squared (R2) values ranging from 0.40 to 0.55 at specific distances from the centre of the study area based on the GPR model. The visualization of pollutant concentrations in the study area also revealed an association with the distance between intersections. While the anticipated direct correlation between vehicular traffic and air pollution was not as pronounced, it underscores the complexity of urban emissions and the multitude of factors influencing air quality. This revelation highlights the need for a multifaceted approach to policymaking, ensuring that interventions address a broader spectrum of emission sources beyond just traffic. This study advances the current knowledge on the dynamic relationship between urban traffic and air pollution, and its findings could provide theoretical support for traffic planning and traffic control applicable to urban centres globally.

Spatial evolution and influencing factors of water-town settlements in Southern China: evidence from 942 villages in Zhongshan City

ABSTRACT Zhongshan, a city characterized by its profound historical heritage and distinctive rural civilization, has been consistently influenced by traditional agricultural practices throughout its history. This research conducts an in-depth exploration of Zhongshan’s unique rural spaces, systematically examining the evolutionary trends and determinants of Zhongshan’s water-town settlements across different historical epochs through the application of multidimensional spatial analysis techniques. The results indicate that these settlements exhibited cohesive spatial distribution characteristics across five historical periods. Notably, there was a significant clustering effect during the Ming and Qing dynasties, while Before the Qing dynasty, the spatial distribution of the settlements presented a pattern with multiple core areas coexisting. After the Qing dynasty, the spatial layout of these principal core areas stabilized and gradually diffused to surrounding areas, forming a balanced and continuous distribution pattern. Throughout the study period, the spatial pattern of the water-town settlements exhibited characteristics of five primary core areas and several secondary core areas. Concurrently, the centroid of the water-town settlements consistently shifted southeastward. When examining the intensity of influence on spatial evolution, the study found that socio-economic (q = 0.345) and accessibility factors (q = 0.356) exert a greater impact on the spatial distribution of rural settlements than do natural environmental factors (q = 0.136). However, the interaction between natural environmental factors and socio-economic and accessibility factors provides greater explanatory power than the interactions within natural factors alone. This suggests that in a specific socio-economic context, the impact of the natural environment on water-town settlements is enhanced. Furthermore, multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrates that the rural population, regional economic status, proximity to urban centers, and the distribution of water bodies positively influence the spatial evolution of water-town settlements.

Non-linear relationship between built environment and active travel: A hybrid model considering spatial heterogeneity

Exploring the mechanisms between the built environment and active travel is crucial for promoting green transportation and fostering the sustainable development of cities. Existing literature focuses on the correlation between the built environment and active travel in urban centers, with limited studies on suburban environments, ignoring the implications of spatial heterogeneity. This paper conducts a comprehensive spatio-temporal analysis of suburban residents’ active travel behavior and explores the nonlinear relationship between suburban built environment and active travel. A novel hybrid modeling framework that combines eXtreme Gradient Boosting and Multi-scale Geographic Weighted Regression is introduced to forecast suburban active travel demand with the consideration of the nonlinearity and spatial heterogeneity in parameter estimates. Shapley additive explanation is used to elucidate the non-linear relationship between built environment variables and active travel. The results indicate that the proposed hybrid model performs the best with high predictive power and interpretability. The density of tourist attractions, transportation facilities, and household properties emerges as the three most influential factors affecting residents’ active travel behavior. Social-economic attributes contribute 15.70% to the prediction, while three categories of built environment variables (accessibility, transportation facilities, and land use) contribute 7.31%, 5.13%, and 71.87%, respectively. The hybrid model appears to be effective in identifying the nonlinear relationship and threshold effects between built environment variables and active travel. Besides, the model provides actionable insights into designing sustainable and efficient suburban environments, supporting targeted planning and policy-making efforts.

Lower Microscopy Sensitivity with Decreasing Malaria Prevalence in the Urban Amazon Region, Brazil, 2018-2021.

Malaria is increasingly diagnosed in urban centers across the Amazon Basin. In this study, we combined repeated prevalence surveys over a 4-year period of a household-based random sample of 2,774 persons with parasite genotyping to investigate the epidemiology of malaria in Mâncio Lima, the main urban transmission hotspot in Amazonian Brazil. We found that most malarial infections were asymptomatic and undetected by point-of-care microscopy. Our findings indicate that as malaria transmission decreases, the detection threshold of microscopy rises, resulting in more missed infections despite similar parasite densities estimated by molecular methods. We identified genetically highly diverse populations of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum in the region; occasional shared lineages between urban and rural residents suggest cross-boundary propagation. The prevalence of low-density and asymptomatic infections poses a significant challenge for routine surveillance and the effectiveness of malaria control and elimination strategies in urbanized areas with readily accessible laboratory facilities.

A clinical comparative study on carbamylated haemoglobin as a surrogate marker to differentiate acute kidney injury from chronic kidney disease.

Carbamylated haemoglobin is the result of reaction of isocyanate with N-terminal valine residues of the α and β chains of haemoglobin. Carbamylated haemoglobin concentration is dependent on the degree and duration of uraemia and thus may potentially serve as a marker to differentiate acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). A hospital-based prospective clinical comparative study was conducted in an urban tertiary medical care centre. Carbamylated haemoglobin was estimated in a total of 60 patients, 30 each of chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury. The comparison of the carbamylated haemoglobin levels among the CKD and AKI groups was done using Mann-Whitney test. The mean value of carbamylated haemoglobin among the CKD group was 240.71 ± 75.64 μgVH/g, whereas among the AKI group, it was 67.15 ± 17.05 μgVH/g. These values are statistically significant with P < 0.001. Carbamylated haemoglobin values were elevated in relation to renal dysfunction, and it significantly correlated with chronicity of kidney disease. Mean CarHb among the CKD group was significantly high in comparison to the AKI group with statistical significance, with a P value of <0.001. It was significantly attributed in this study that carbamylated haemoglobin >100 μgVH/g is diagnostic of CKD and a value <100 μgVH/g is diagnostic of AKI. Thus, in this study, it can be concluded that carbamylated haemoglobin is a useful marker to differentiate AKI from CKD.

“I need as much support as I can get”: A qualitative study of young adult perspectives on family involvement in treatment for opioid use disorder

BackgroundOpioid use disorder (OUD) among young adults (YAs) continues to persist as a national health crisis. Best practice recommendations for YA OUD treatment highlight the importance of medication for OUD (MOUD) and family involvement across the treatment services continuum for better treatment retention and outcomes. Yet, concerned significant others (CSOs) such as family members, romantic partners, and family-of-choice members are not routinely involved in OUD and MOUD treatment for YAs. MethodWe used convenience sampling to recruit 25 YAs (ages 21 to 36) in treatment for OUD from two urban treatment centers. We discussed with YAs the identities of their CSOs and the dynamics of those relationships, their perspectives on CSO involvement in their OUD treatment, and the beliefs and attitudes they hold about family involvement in treatment and recovery. Thematic content analysis was deductive-dominant based on a semi-structured qualitative interview guide. Group consensus coding was followed by matrix analysis. ResultsWe identified five main themes: (1) YA and CSO relationships were supportive, evolving, and complex. (2) CSO support motivated treatment engagement and participation. (3) Only a small proportion of CSOs participated in treatment activities despite actively supporting treatment in other ways. (4) YAs experienced their CSOs as supportive of their treatment and recovery goals, including MOUD. (5) YAs believed family involvement is essential to treatment and many were unsatisfied with current family involvement in their care. ConclusionsIn this qualitative study of OUD treatment experiences among YAs, we learned that many YAs have CSOs who are invested in their treatment and recovery and yet are not routinely involved in treatment. Moreover, YAs often expressed family involvement is essential to OUD treatment, and many expressed a desire for greater family involvement in their own treatment. Clinical recommendations for relationship-oriented treatment are presented.

Whole Blood Program: Implementation in a Rural Trauma Center

BACKGROUND: The balanced transfusion of blood components plays a leading role in traumatic hemostatic resuscitation. Yet, previous whole blood studies have only focused on urban trauma center settings. OBJECTIVE: To compare component vs whole blood therapy on wastage rates and mortality in the rural setting. METHODS: This study was a nonrandomized, retrospective, observational, single-center study on a cold-stored whole blood program implementation for adult massive transfusions from 2020 to 2022 at a Level II trauma center. Trauma registry data determined the facility’s whole blood needs and facilitated sustainable blood supplies. Whole blood use protocols were established, and utilization and laboratory compliance for incompatible ABO antibody hemolysis was monitored and reviewed monthly at stakeholder and trauma services meetings. RESULTS: From 2018 to 2019, the facility initiated component therapy massive transfusions every 9 days (n = 41). Therefore, four units of low-titer, O-positive whole blood delivered fortnightly was determined to provide patient coverage and minimize wastage. Across the study time frame (2020–2022), there were n = 68 hemodynamically unstable patients, consisting of those receiving whole blood, n = 37, and patients receiving component therapy, n = 31. Mortality rates were significantly lower (p = .030) in the whole blood population (n = 3, 8%) compared to those solely receiving component therapy (n = 9, 29%). Wastage rates were constantly evaluated; in 2021, 43.4% was not utilized, and in 2022, this was reduced to 38.7%. Anecdotally, nurses appreciated the ease of administration and documentation of transfusing whole blood, as it negated ratio compliance. CONCLUSION: This evidence-based whole blood program provides vital care to severely injured trauma patients in a vast, rural region.

The Growth and Development of a Research Division in the Plastic Surgery Department of a Large Urban Academic Medical Center.

Research is a critical component of academic medicine that may or may not be prioritized in centers with high clinical volumes. The benefits of research expansion go beyond notoriety and industry partnerships, expanding into resident training and preparation of the next generation of physician-scientists. Improving a division or department's research portfolio requires a commitment to reorganizing structure, personnel, resources, and a dedication to innovative funding models. To improve research productivity and quality, our group placed several initiatives into motion beginning in August 2017 that we have outlined and evaluated in the present study. Some of these initiatives included restructuring leadership, resourcing both bench and clinical outcomes research, providing initial funding directly from clinical profits and rewarding research fiscally. Reviews of hiring records, publications, grant allocations, and interviews with key personnel were used to generate a road map of initiatives. Average impact factor was calculated by averaging journal impact factors for all publications from the department each year, excluding any publications with greater than 5 times the raw average, and creating a corrected average that more accurately represented the work. Student t tests were used to compare mean number of publications and impact factors from 2010 to 2017 to those from 2018 to 2022. Prior to restructuring (2010-2017), the department published an average of 9 articles annually, which increased to an average of 42 articles since that time (P < 0.01). Average impact increased from 0 in 2010 to 4.02 in 2022, with the number of publications in top 10 plastic surgery journals following a similar trajectory with 1 publication in 2010 and 31 in 2023. Following an initial $1 million investment to create an institutionally directed fund in 2018, the department leveraged its research to earn $3 million in endowments, $1.25 million in industry partnerships, $3.23 million in Department of Defense funding, and $1.65 million from a multi-institutional National Institutes of Health grant. Deliberate prioritization of research initiatives as noted above has led to remarkable growth in academic output.

Magnetic Gradiometry Survey at the Urban Centre of Türkmen‐Karahöyük (Turkey)

ABSTRACTThe understanding of urban centres in the ancient Near East, one of the main regions for investigating the development of cities, has been transformed in recent years through investigations using archaeological geophysical prospection tools. This paper presents results of our recent magnetic gradiometry survey at the large urban site of Türkmen‐Karahöyük (Konya Plain, Turkey) conducted using a SENSYS Magneto MXPDA cart‐based system. Results of the survey have successfully identified and characterized numerous areas of ancient settlement, industrial activity and burials across the massive site, offering new insights into the history of occupation at Türkmen‐Karahöyük. Our findings are thereby helping to shape future investigations at the site and, more broadly, demonstrate the opportunities and challenges presented by cart‐based geophysical survey instruments for archaeological investigations of mounded urban sites with extensive lower towns.

Assessing Residential Satisfaction Among The Residents In Ogbomoso Urban Centre, Nigeria

The importance of residents’ satisfaction with housing cannot be over-emphasised as it contributes to the quality of residents’ life. This study assess residential satisfaction among residents in Ogbomoso Urban Centre. Multistage sampling techniques and simple random sampling were applied, with the aid of questionnaire administration among 430 residents in twenty political wards but only 378 copies were properly filled, returned, and analysed. The population of the study area was collected from the National Population Commission to determine the population trend and the number of copies of the questionnaires to be administered in each of the political wards. Residential satisfaction was obtained through factors that contribute to the residents’ satisfaction and satisfaction level. At the beginning of the analysis, a factor analysis was applied to reduce the data set and to group various variables as factors. This is to present the magnitudes of residential satisfaction among the residents. Descriptive analysis with the use of frequency and percentage, cross-tabulation, regression analysis, mean index, residents’ relative satisfaction index, and relative importance satisfaction index were explored to assess residential satisfaction among the residents. The results revealed that the residents are not satisfied with the house and neighbourhoods. Their current demographic status has constrained them to continue staying within their residential neighbourhoods. The authors believe that, there is a need for a realistic and vigorous approach towards the provision of better housing and environment that enhance better living. This will invariably improve residents’ quality of life and reduce the socio-spatial divergence among various social groups.

Ageing in place in a rural town in Aotearoa New Zealand: A Deweyan transactional perspective

Rural communities are ageing more rapidly than urban centres due to changing demographics and preference for ageing in familiar communities. Concurrently, ageing in place policies have progressively reinforced community living as the best option for most people. For ageing in place to be successful, understanding the relationship between the community environment and the functional ability of older adults is crucial. Yet, little is known about the relationship between older adults and their environment during their everyday experiences in diverse rural communities. This article reports on the findings from walking interviews with 15 older adults as they negotiated their physical environment in a rural community in New Zealand. Dewey's transactional perspective and theory of inquiry were utilised to view the everyday transactions these older adults were undertaking while being out and about doing what they value. A Deweyan perspective enabled a deep understanding of how participants negotiated and renegotiated their environment as they encountered indeterminate situations. The three main categories identified from the data: negotiating changing capabilities in a changing environment; negotiating the environment safely; and negotiating access within the environment, captured the holistic nature of the participants' everyday transactions and their continually changing relationship with their environment. The observations and discussions during the walks uncovered problem-solving and active citizenship as these older adults undertook their own ‘commonsense’ investigations of their environment. The findings highlight the valuable contribution rurally living older adults are making as active citizens during their everyday transactions. Understanding the resourcefulness these experienced older stakeholders bring to their rural communities is the first step in active collaboration at the local level. Mobile research methods are a useful means of capturing real-time experiential data in an inclusive and creative way.

P021 PROPORTION AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF HYPERTENSION PATIENTS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN COLOMBIA, 2019-2023

Background and Objectives: A substantial underreporting of hypertension data in Colombia has been documented, with a lack of recent updates. Access to updated data is crucial for planning effective public health interventions in our country. We aimed to determine both the proportion and the geographic distribution of patients with hypertension in Colombia, along with their associated demographic and regional factors Methods: We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional, observational study. Data on the frequency and geographic distribution of individuals diagnosed with hypertension from 2019 to 2023 were collected, along with sociodemographic characteristics like age, gender, and socioeconomic status. These data were extracted from the SISPRO platform based on diagnoses coded according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10). Results: During the study period, we identified a hypertension prevalence of 12.86% (6,719,193 individuals) across Colombia. Regionally, Bogotá D.C. and Antioquia reported the highest proportion of hypertension—19.21% (1,290,882 people) and 16.15% (1,085,420 people), respectively. Conversely, the lowest rates were found in Vaupés (0.01%, corresponding to 960 people) and Guainía (0.02%, corresponding to 1,592 people). The prevalence was significantly higher in females (60,80%) compared to males (39,20%). Additionally, the highest prevalence was found among individuals aged 55 to 74, accounting for 69,67% of cases. The highest frequency of diagnosis was noted in the contributory regime (68.95%), with the lowest in displaced persons, irrespective of their insurance status (0.33%). Conclusions: The prevalence of hypertension is notably higher in Colombia's major urban centers, while significantly lower in remote regions and among vulnerable populations, suggesting significant underreporting. This underreporting likely results in untreated conditions and increased future health complications. It is imperative to develop strategies to enhance the recording and diagnosis of hypertension in Colombia, particularly in remote and vulnerable groups.

Planners as Gatekeepers: Spatial Justice Through the lens of Planning Theory in Helsinki

Abstract Planning practice is a device of controlling land use and ideally corresponds to societal demands. It can contribute to spatial justice through its two roles, substantive and procedural. Planning theory, on the other hand, studies both roles of planning practice focusing on the interplay of power. Helsinki witnesses a rapid and dynamic urban growth with the Finnish capital city plan adopting bold ideas aiming to create pedestrian friendly urban centers further from the inner city. Among other objectives, the city plan employs anti-segregation policy in certain areas. Ethnic retail has been emerging in Helsinki at several locations not only fulfilling socio-economic needs of immigrants but also enhancing public street life and creating urban hubs. In particular, ethnic retail is clustered at two strip malls located in two neighborhoods under urban renewal. Two competitions were organized to guide the land-use based on the objectives of the city plan. This article studies how urban planning policy and planners have steered the urban renewal outcome. The findings show that the planners can serve as gatekeepers allowing specific outcomes in favor of certain actors. The article contributes to literature analyzing planning practice through the theory lens.