Urban Metropolis Research Articles

THE ROLE OF SPECIAL EVENTS IN TOURISM

Event tourism is a particular form of tourism which, in order to attract visitors, requires the holding of special events. It is considered a subcategory of general tourism and differs from it by its characteristics, having a component of uniqueness (exclusivity), a component of fixed duration (depending on the duration of the event), a component of geographical concentration (the specific location of the event), but also a permanent and temporary economic impact (large influx of visitors). In this paper, the impact of three special events is analysed, each event in a different location, more precisely we analysed a mountain location (Băile Tușnad, Harghita County), a seaside location (Costinești, Constanta County) and an urban metropolis (Cluj-Napoca), all in Romania, in parallel we analysed an event outside the country (music festival in Belgium). The presentation and analysis of the figures from these four different locations leads us to conclusions and comparative interpretations. The study ends with the presentation of the conclusions and some suggestions in this direction of tourism, in our opinion to paint a real picture of this phenomenon, a successful tourism that requires a concentrated effort of all the actors involved, more precisely, the decision makers, entrepreneurs and tourists. The impact of special events on a local community is captured by figures that answer the two research questions: "Is there a relationship between a special event and the number of tourists?"; "Does a special event perceived as an economic accelerator also have negative aspects?"

‘People-in-environments’ taking the classroom to the community: evaluation of a collaborative problem-based community learning model for social work students

ABSTRACT This paper reports on an innovative community-based ‘People-in-Environments’ learning model designed to support social work students in their development of ‘Readiness for Practice’ in an English urban metropolis. This experiential model challenges students to think differently about the meaning of communities, community resources, and their own assumptions, whilst enhancing critical thinking, self-awareness, reflexivity, and the integration of anti-oppressive values. A central element involves engaging students in embodied, problem-based, confluent learning by critically responding to scenarios using real-life circumstances and visiting diverse community locations. Drawing on qualitative questionnaires, focus groups, and anecdotal data from selected student cohorts 2018–2023, six learning themes are presented: Enhanced Knowledge, Deeper Learning; Examining the Familiar Unfamiliar; What Does Community Mean; Person-In-Environment, Self-In-Environment; A Different Kind of Empathy, and Group Work Challenges. Students’ narratives emphasize the significance of embodied, emplaced learning in unfamiliar settings. Reflexively analyzing thoughts, emotions, and materiality enhanced understanding and skill development. This model facilitates nuanced appreciation of what community means, both the intersections of geographical locales with identities and attachments, and the importance of understanding community attributes, strengths, risks, and resources. The paper concludes with suggestions for creative expansion through community mapping in placements and integrative learning in social work curricula.

A modified PSO based hybrid deep learning approach to predict AQI of urban metropolis

Environment and human health are seriously threatened by air pollution. The effects of air pollution are more severe in metropolitan areas due to the presence of harmful pollutants. The goal of this work is to forecast the Air Quality Index (AQI), of 15 metropolitan cities in India and analyze various air pollutants that are mostly responsible for higher levels of air pollution in a particular city. Firstly, air quality data from 15 metropolitan cities were gathered and preprocessed appropriately. The prediction models were then trained using the preprocessed dataset. Modified Particle Swarm Optimization (MPSO)-based two hybrid deep learning models: Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) along with Bi-directional Recurrent Neural Network (BiRNN) and LSTM along with Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) are proposed and the experimental analysis demonstrated that the proposed MPSO-LSTM-BiRNN and MPSO-LSTM-GRU models outperformed the other models' performance in terms of Mean Square Error (MSE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) values. MPSO-LSTM-BiRNN model provides MSE, RMSE, MAE, and MAPE of 0.000184, 0.0135, 0.0088, and 27.69 % respectively whereas, the MPSO-LSTM-GRU model gives MSE, RMSE, MAE, and MAPE of 0.000188, 0.0137, 0.0091 and 26.16 % respectively.

Tokophobia experience and willingness to seek professional care among antenatal women in an urban metropolis of Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Tokophobia experience and willingness to seek professional care among antenatal women in an urban metropolis of Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Baseline Econometric Model and Solar Energy Requirement for Potential Hydrogen Demand in Tarlac, Philippines

This study aims to build a baseline econometric model for the possible development of green hydrogen production in Tarlac. Scenario analysis will consider hydrogen produced from renewable solar energy as an alternative energy carrier in the fuel mix for electricity generation in Tarlac to achieve sustainable economic growth and improve energy security while minimizing carbon emissions and improving resource efficiency. Tarlac is the chosen area to be considered in this study because this is where New Clark City is being established. New Clark City is a 9450-hectare disaster-resilient, environment-friendly, integrated urban development metropolis. It is important to build the baseline econometric model before proceeding with scenario generation. The parameters used are determined from available historical data through statistical procedures. The basic assumption is that the relationships between the independent and dependent variables that existed in the past will continue to be true in the future. The energy demand data and the continuous predictors were used to build a baseline econometric model for potential hydrogen demand in Tarlac, Philippines. Model equations were obtained using stepwise regression analysis. These model equations were used to forecast the energy demand up to 2032. These forecasted energy demands will be used in scenario generation to integrate green hydrogen production. Preliminary assessments of green hydrogen scenarios that are based on the assumption of renewable energy surplus generated from solar power plants in Tarlac are discussed. The forecasted demand will be used to assess the scenario generation in integrating green hydrogen in New Clark City. The proposed energy management strategy of storing surplus renewable energy, such as green hydrogen, for the power sector has the potential to impact various stakeholders, including industries and the government, significantly. This strategy aligns with transitioning to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, contributing to national and international environmental targets. Adopting green hydrogen storage can contribute to energy security by diversifying the sources of power generation.

What determines how governance indicators shape policy processes? Evidence from three environmental issues in India

AbstractGovernance indicators influence and shape policy processes. The need for exploring how governance indicators lead to efficient policy responses is a long‐drawn debate in the field of policy studies. While existing literature is mostly from developed world, there is a dearth of empirical evidence from developing countries like India. As cities continue to remain the fulcrum of economic growth despite the much‐argued development model practised across India, it remains to be seen how governance indicators determine policy processes in cities. Adapting United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific's (UNESCAP's) module on eight governance indicators we studied the policy process of three diverse climate change‐linked environmental issues ‐ air pollution, dengue, and extreme heat, from three urban Indian metropolis ‐ Delhi, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad, respectively. We used a semi‐structured questionnaire to interview 33 stakeholders. We coded interview findings and formulated a color‐coded matrix to highlight the importance of governance indicators by environmental issues. Transparency, accountability and participation played an important role in shaping policy processes. The importance of other governance indicators varied due to diversity in administrative structures across three cities. Our study's findings highlight a complex relationship between governance indicators and policy processes linked to the environmental issues. Our study shows that the relevance of governance indicators in shaping policies around environmental issues is determined by the nature of the environmental issue and the structure of governance. In addition, our study adds four new indicators, governance structures, capacity building, informality, and gender‐inclusivity, which influence policy processes.

Isotopic Evidence for Socio-economic Dynamics Within the Capital of the Kingdom of Alwa, Sudan

Between the sixth and fifteenth c. CE, a vast expanse of central and southern Sudan belonged to the kingdom of Alwa, ruled from the urban metropolis of Soba. Renewed investigation of the city unearthed a small cemetery in the northern part of the site. The heterogeneity of burial practices raised some questions as to the cultural and religious affinities of the deceased and suggested potential multiculturalism of the local urban population. We applied isotopic analyses to investigate the origins of the people buried at Cemetery OS and their concomitant ways of life. Non-concordance of 87Sr/86Sr and δ18O values with local hydro-geological background speaks to the mixing of water sources as a result of residential mobility. The concordance of human and faunal strontium and oxygen results, combined with elevated δ13C values corresponding to almost exclusive reliance on C4 produce, points to the possibility of seasonal movement of people with their herds between the Nile valley and the adjacent grasslands. Despite the turn of the medieval Nubian economy towards settled agriculture, by revealing the granular specificities of human adaptation in challenging ecosystems, our results produce the first insight into the enduring diversification of economic production, even in urbanized settings, and persisting participation of local peoples in agro-pastoral symbiosis.

Safety-centric urban engagement plan

Research objective: The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of a Safety-Centric Urban Engagement Plan (SCUEP) that intends to improve the safety of city centres by actively involving the community. This study investigates the impact of heightened social engagement in public areas on the safety and overall welfare of individuals residing in urban metropolis centres.
 Methodology: The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data analysis of crime rates and qualitative assessments of community perceptions before and after the implementation of SCUEP. It also includes case studies from various municipalities that have adopted similar engagement plans.
 Main findings: The results show a direct correlation between heightened social participation and reduced crime rates in city centers. Improved lighting, well-maintained public spaces, and community events correlate with increased public use of city centers and a consequent reduction in crime.
 Application of the study: The findings offer practical insights for urban planners, legislators, and law enforcement authorities. The significance of engaging local populations in safety measures is emphasised, indicating that successful urban involvement can result in enduring safety solutions in city centres.
 Originality/Novelty of the study: The study brings a novel perspective by linking urban design and social engagement with urban safety. It introduces SCUEP as an innovative framework that integrates community-led activities, urban planning, and law enforcement strategies to foster safe and inclusive city centers.

Community perceptions of community health worker effectiveness: Contributions to health behaviour change in an urban health district in South Africa.

Community health worker (CHW) programmes contribute towards strengthening adherence support, improving maternal and child health outcomes and providing support for social services. They play a valuable role in health behaviour change in vulnerable communities. Large-scale, comprehensive CHW programmes at health district level are part of a South African (SA) strategy to re-engineer primary healthcare and take health directly into communities and households, contributing to universal health coverage. These CHW programmes across health districts were introduced in SA in 2010 - 11. Their overall purpose is to improve access to healthcare and encourage healthy behaviour in vulnerable communities, through community and family engagements, leading to less disease and better population health. Communities therefore need to accept and support these initiatives. There is, however, inadequate local evidence on community perceptions of the effectiveness of such programmes. A cross-sectional descriptive study to determine community perceptions of the role and contributions of the CHW programme was conducted in the Ekurhuleni health district, an urban metropolis in SA. Members from 417 households supported by CHWs were interviewed in May 2019 by retired nurses used as fieldworkers. Frequencies and descriptive analyses were used to report on the main study outcomes of community acceptance and satisfaction. Nearly all the study households were poor and had at least one vulnerable member, either a child under 5, an elderly person, a pregnant woman or someone with a chronic condition. CHWs had supported these households for 2 years or longer. More than 90% of households were extremely satisfied with their CHW; they found it easy to talk to them within the privacy of their homes and to follow the health education and advice given by the CHWs. The community members highly rated care for chronic conditions (82%), indicated that children were healthier (41%) and had safer pregnancies (6%). As important stakeholders in CHW programmes, exploring community acceptance, appreciation and support is critical in understanding the drivers of programme performance. Community acceptance of the CHWs in the Ekurhuleni health district was high. The perspective of the community was that the CHWs were quite effective. This was demonstrated when they reported changes in household behaviour with regard to improved access to care through early screening, referrals and improved management of chronic and other conditions.

An analysis and prediction of carbon emissions in the sphere of consumer lifestyles in Beijing.

In alignment with China's "dual carbon" goals and its quest to build an ecological civilization, this study scrutinizes the carbon emissions derived from consumer lifestyles, with a particular focus on Beijing, a high-consumption urban metropolis. Utilizing the expanded STIRPAT model and ridge regression, factors such as permanent population, per capita consumption expenditure, energy intensity, energy structure, and consumption structure are examined to evaluate their impact on lifestyle-associated carbon emissions. A scenario analysis is also conducted to project future carbon emissions in Beijing. From 2010 to 2020, there was an overall upward trend in lifestyle-associated carbon emissions, up to a maximum of 87.8260 million tons. Indirect consumption-related carbon emissions, particularly those associated with residential and transportation-related consumption, constituted the primary sources. The most influential factors on carbon emissions were found to be the consumption structure. Notably, adopting a low-carbon consumption mindset and an optimized consumption structure could foster significant carbon reduction. Projections suggest that by 2035, carbon emissions due to residents' consumption could decline by 39.72% under a low-carbon consumption scenario and by 48.74% under a coordinated development scenario. Future efforts should prioritize promoting green, low-carbon living, refining consumption structure and practices, curbing excessive housing consumption, improving energy structure, and raising technological and energy efficiency standards.

Perceived Gaps in Academic Training and Expectations From Refresher Training in Primary Care Nurses at an Urban Metropolis in Northern India: A Qualitative Study

Perceived Gaps in Academic Training and Expectations From Refresher Training in Primary Care Nurses at an Urban Metropolis in Northern India: A Qualitative Study

Shrinking labour geographies: Transport access for paid work in later ages

Background and objectivesIn developing countries, a substantial share of the older population is employed (WHO, 2007), which is anticipated to triple between 2020 and 2050, bolstered by the rise of bridge employment in later life. Bridge jobs are part-time, informal work arrangements that serve as a transitional phase between full-time employment and retirement. While transport access for older adults is a primary policy concern in the age-friendly cities framework, their experiences of encountering and negotiating labour geographies, particularly transport systems to access bridge employment, are understudied. Research design and methodsThis paper used a qualitative and interpretative approach to analyse how older adults engage in nonlinear work patterns and commute to workspaces. We use a combination of visual mapping, observations, and in-depth interviews with older adults in Bengaluru, an urban metropolis in southern India. ResultsOlder workers engage in regular mobility routines to access informal bridge jobs. Our results suggest that the precarity of their bridge jobs permeates into their mobilities. Class, gender, and spatialities create additional layers of barriers to their already constrained transport resources. Economically disadvantaged older individuals encountered shrinking labour geographies due to unaffordable public transportation and first-and-last-mile journeys. For reasons of safety, older women were forced to depend on shared and public transport options, which were often unreliable. Lastly, older workers residing in geographically marginalised areas find more difficulty in organising transport to bridge jobs. Discussion and implicationsBridge jobs in informal arrangements are important means of livelihood for older persons in countries like India. Apart from the already precarious working conditions, the weak systemic transport support induces strain on the working conditions of older workers. From the purview of labour geography, adding to the natural limits of ageing, induced limits such as ageism and precarity at workplaces and non-age-friendly transport infrastructure create situations of vulnerable employment among older adults in the cities of the Global South.

Health, stress, and urbanism in the Hellenistic–Roman metropolis of Nea Paphos, Cyprus: A comparative analysis

AbstractWe explore health and stress in the urban metropolis Nea Paphos (Cyprus) and its surrounding territory during the Hellenistic (312–58 BC) and Roman (58 BC to 395 AD) periods, through a bioarchaeological study. Data were acquired from macroscopic analyses of human remains from two necropoleis in Paphos district: the Eastern Necropolis of Nea Paphos (minimum number of individuals = 165) and the necropolis of Ktima‐Upper City (minimum number of individuals = 207). Data have been acquired from adult/nonadult and male/female individuals through analysis of specific health indicators. These are porotic hyperostosis (PH), cribra orbitalia (CO), and linear enamel hypoplasia. Overall, health indicators were recorded in low to moderate frequencies in both sites. Ktima‐Upper City showed higher frequency of linear enamel hypoplasia (31.8%) compared with Nea Paphos (9.4%), while PH and CO were more prevalent within Eastern Necropolis (CO: 31.3% vs 8% and PH: 29.2% vs 13.9%) suggesting that people living in the capital were more exposed to factors causing CO and PH, during childhood. Intrasite analysis showed differences between the two sexes and the occurrence of health stressors. These factors are likely linked with social, cultural, and dietary differences, subsequently reflecting a larger and more heterogeneous population within and between the two sites. The findings suggest that there are differences between urban Nea Paphos and Ktima‐Upper City. These differences are not major yet indicating some division between the two groups. This study is one of the first to investigate urbanism and health in ancient Cyprus, with focus on the Hellenistic–Roman periods. The comparison of the two sites provides new insights into the health of Hellenistic–Roman Cypriot populations, enabling future investigation and comparison between urban–rural regional and neighboring sites.

Study of Mobility Patterns in Metropolitan Region of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

The current model of Brazilian cities dependent on individual transport and the low coverage of collective systems in metropolitan regions has generated problems that make it difficult for the population to move and increase pollutant emissions into the atmosphere. This article aims to analyze mobility patterns and relate them to infrastructures and the urbanization process of the Metropolitan Region of Campinas (RMC). For methodological purposes, consultations were carried out on legislation, integrated urban development plans, master plans, metropolis statute and bibliographic review of scientific works on the themes, as well as a survey of the results of the Origin Destination Research, carried out in the region in 2011 and the use of geotechnologies (GIS). After document analysis and the calculation of indicators, it was identified that the pattern of urban-spatial organization in the region presents a strong socioeconomic polarization that directly affects mobility patterns and the absence of integration of public transport systems.

Lived experiences of prostate cancer patients in an urban metropolis in North Central, Nigeria.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is currently the second most prevalent cancer in the world and the most common type of cancer among Nigerian men. This study explored the lived experiences of patients with PCa at the General Hospital in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. A mixed-method design was adopted. Purposive and consecutive sampling techniques were employed to recruit 50 and 10 participants for the quantitative and qualitative aspects respectively. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic content analysis while quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. All participants were above the age of 50 years, 72% earned about $100 monthly while 68% were diagnosed in less than five years. Majority of the participants utilized adaptive coping styles and also found the strategies moderately helpful while living with the effects of radical prostatectomy. Participants also found the high cost of treatment severely challenging. Government and other stakeholders may need to subsidize the cost of PCa management thereby encouraging early accessibility to care, improved adherence to treatment and also reduce the economic burden of the disease on patients and their families.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in hemoglobinopathies is modified by age and race

Prior literature has established a positive association between sickle cell disease and risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2. Data from a cross-sectional study evaluating COVID-19 testing devices (n = 10,567) was used to examine the association between underlying health conditions and SARS-CoV-2 infection in an urban metropolis in the southern United States. Firth's logistic regression was used to fit the model predicting SARS-CoV-2 positivity using vaccine status and different medical conditions commonly associated with COVID-19. Another model using the same method was built using SARS-CoV-2 positivity as the outcome and hemoglobinopathy presence, age (<16 Years vs. ≥16 Years), race/ethnicity and comorbidities, including hemoglobinopathy, as the factors. Our first model showed a significant association between hemoglobinopathy and SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR: 2.28, 95 % CI: (1.17,4.35), P = 0.016). However, in the second model, this association was not maintained (OR: 1.35, 95 % CI: (0.72,2.50), P = 0.344). We conclude that the association between SARS-CoV-2 positivity and presence of hemoglobinopathies like sickle cell disease is confounded by race, age, and comorbidity status. Our results illuminate previous findings by identifying underlying clinical/demographic factors that confound the reported association between hemoglobinopathies and SARS-CoV-2. These findings demonstrate how social determinants of health may influence disease manifestations more than genetics alone.

Urban Forest and Recreational Facilities along Treated Malir River

Nature is the best teacher and reconnects the mechanically lost man with originality. Considering the fundamental role of nature in the nurture of mankind, this study aims to emphasise the need for green spaces within the urban metropolis for improved lifestyles and a sustainable environment. The conditions of the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG) necessitate a cleaner environment, clean air, water and sanitation. The quantitative research proposes jogging track, artificial forest implementation and recreational facilities along with the treated Malir river water sections. For this research, a questionnaire-based analysis is conducted. This study proposes a notion of urban forest recreation for the citizens, dwellers and monetary contribution for maintaining such facilities based on the quantitative analysis of the collected data. As a result, the analytics of the survey reveals that people would welcome the use of such options for recreation. According to the data received, the respondents ponder that these green places could enhance their quality of life with a preference for sharing green space with their family and friends and also increase some soothing hobbies in urban areas. Most respondents prefer urban forestry supporting water sports, boating and fishing areas in Karachi. The feasibility of the proposed model is ensured with critical analysis and assessment of public income for Tax, preferences of green places assessment, use of recreational areas, and willingness to pay for entry in the green area.

A cross-sectional survey to assess the drug disposal practices of unused and expired medicines among lay public visiting a tertiary care hospital in an urban metropolis

Objectives: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to evaluate the knowledge, awareness and practice among the lay public regarding storage and disposal of unused and expired medicines. Materials and Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional, single-centre and questionnaire-based survey. After obtaining Institutional Ethics Committee approval, the study was conducted using a pre-validated structured questionnaire distributed among the lay public visiting a tertiary care hospital located in an urban metropolitan city. Results: Four hundred of 720 individuals visiting the tertiary care hospital participated in the survey. The results revealed that 75% had never referred to any sources to get the correct information about the proper and safe disposal of medicines and had no knowledge regarding the same. About 12.75% of study participants reported that they were educated regarding the disposal of medicines by their treating physicians (RR: 0.71 [95% CI: 0.51–0.99]) when compared with the other sources of information (18%) with statistically significant contribution made by the physicians (p&lt;0.05). About 67% of the public stored their medicines at room temperature. Majority (83.75%) of the study participants reported that they disposed unused and expired drugs in the dustbin. Only 42.5% of the public knew the detrimental effect of improper drug disposal on human health and our ecosystem. In addition, 80% (320/400) of the participants confirmed that, given the option, they would prefer to return the unused or expired drugs to the pharmacy shops from where the medicines were purchased. Conclusion: There is a need to educate drug consumers/general public about safe and proper disposal of unused/ expired medicines. Health-care professionals, governments and policymakers should offer training to educate the general public about Indian regulations for safe disposal of unused/expired medicines.

Occupational Stress Levels and Coping Strategies among Nurses Working in an Urban Metropolis in North Central Nigeria

Background: Stress is an important psychological concept that can affect health, well-being, and job performance in negative dimensions. Objective: This study investigates stress levels and coping strategies among nurses in selected hospitals in North Central Nigeria. Methods: The study employed a multistage sample technique method. The study design was descriptive and cross-sectional, using a quantitative strategy. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive and inferential study statistics. Results: Finding shows that the minimum age of the participants was 21–30 years, 87% were female, while 41.1% had 1-5 years of working experience. The study revealed that the highest signs and symptoms of stress experienced by the participants included aches and pain (57.5%) and anxiousness (52.5%). The participants experienced moderate stress. The findings revealed that years of experience (r= 0.631, p= 0.000) were observed to be significantly associated with signs and symptoms of stress. The results showed that age (r= -0.243, p= 0.045), religion (r= 0.165, p= 0.032), and experience of memory problems (r= 0.227, p= 0.003) were observed to show significant association with coping strategies. Conclusion: Hence, a conducive work environment should be maintained to promote effective nursing care, while periodic stress assessments and management should be implemented by hospital administrators to aid positive coping strategies among nurses.

A Comparison of Fuzzy C-Means and K-Means Clustering for Extraction of City Colours

Abstract: The colour palette of each urban metropolis reflects its cultural identity and its unique flair. For urban development and urban renewal projects, incorporating a city’s existing colour palette into a construction plan would ensure that the completed project would be in harmony with the existing colour schemes of a neighbourhood. An earlier investigation implemented Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) colour extraction to identify five dominant colours from the images of each of the twelve major cosmopolitan cities that are situated on six continents. These cities were Cairo, Cape Town, Singapore, Tokyo, Perth, Sydney, London, Madrid, Mexico City, New York City, Buenos Aires, and Lima. This current research is a follow-on investigation of the previous city colour extraction study. It applies K-Means clustering to acquire five dominant colours for each of these 12 cities. The goal of this current research is to determine if the type of clustering method implemented would impact the results of the extracted colours. This is accomplished by comparing the city colours obtained by executing the K-Means clustering technique on these 12 cities and comparing these colours with those that were obtained from the previous FCM study