scholarly journals Strengthening the Collection and Use of Disaggregated Data to Understand and Monitor the Risk and Burden of COVID-19 Among Racialized Populations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine Etowa ◽  
Ilene Hyman ◽  
Charles Dabone ◽  
Ikenna Mbagwu ◽  
Bishwajit Ghose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Critical Research ◽  
Data Disaggregation ◽  
Collecte De Données ◽  
Déterminants De La Santé ◽  
Disaggregated Data ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThere is growing evidence that the risk and burden of COVID-19 infections are not equally distributed across population subgroups and that racialized communities are experiencing disproportionately higher morbidity and mortality rates. However, due to the absence of large-scale race-based data, it is impossible to measure the extent to which immigrant and racialized communities are experiencing the pandemic and the impact of measures taken (or not) to mitigate these impacts, especially at a local level. To address this issue, the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership partnered with the Collaborative Critical Research for Equity and Transformation in Health lab at the University of Ottawa and the Canadians of African Descent Health Organization to implement a project to build local organizational capacities to understand, monitor, and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigrant and racialized populations. This research note describes the working framework used for this project, proposed indicators for measuring the determinants of health among immigrant and racialized populations, and the data gaps we encountered. Recommendations are made to policymakers, and community and health stakeholders at all levels on how to collect and use data to address COVID-19 health inequities, including data collection strategies aimed at community engagement in the collection of disaggregated data, improving methods for collecting and analyzing data on immigrants and racialized groups and policies to enable and enhance data disaggregation.RésuméDes plus en plus d’études montrent que le risque et le fardeau des infections à la COVID-19 ne sont pas également répartis dans la population et que les communautés racialisées connaissent des taux de morbidité et de mortalité disproportionnellement plus élevés. Cependant, en raison de l’absence de données ventilés selon le statut ethnique, il est impossible de mesurer comment les communautés immigrantes et racialisées vivent la pandémie et quel est l’impact des mesures prises (ou non) pour atténuer ces effets, surtout à un niveau local. Pour résoudre ce problème, le Partenariat local pour l’immigration d’Ottawa (PLIO) s’est associé au Laboratoire de recherche critique collaborative pour l’équité et la transformation en santé (CO-CREATH) de l’Université d’Ottawa et l’Organisation de la santé des Canadiens d’ascendance africaine (CADHO) aux fins de mettre en œuvre un projet visant à renforcer les capacités organisationnelles locales pour comprendre, surveiller et atténuer l’impact de la pandémie de la COVID-19 sur les populations immigrantes et racialisées. Cette note de recherche décrit le cadre de travail utilisé pour ce projet, les indicateurs proposés pour mesurer les déterminants de la santé chez les populations immigrantes et racialisées, et les lacunes que nous avons identifiés dans les données existants. Des recommandations sont faites aux décideurs politiques et aux acteurs communautaires et de la santé à tous les niveaux sur comment collecter et utiliser les données pour remédier aux inégalités en matière de santé liées à la COVID-19. Ces recommandations font référence aux stratégies de collecte de données visant à impliquer les communautés, à l’amélioration des méthodes de collecte et d’analyse des données sur les immigrants et les groupes racialisés, et aux politiques nécessaires pour permettre et améliorer la désagrégation des données selon le statut ethnique.

scholarly journals Impact study of NOOR 1 project on the Moroccan territorial economic development

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Amale Laaroussi ◽  
Abdelghrani Bouayad ◽  
Zakaria Lissaneddine ◽  
Lalla Amina Alaoui
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Economic Impact ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Concentrated Solar Power ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Impact

Morocco is one of the countries investing more and more in Renewable Energy (RE) technologies to meet the growing demand for energy and ensure the security of supply in this sector. The number of solar projects planned and implemented, as well as solar thermal projects in the form of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) installations is steadily increasing. Many of these installations are designed as large utility systems. In order to provide strong evidence on local, regional and even national impacts, this article examines the impacts of large-scale renewable energy projects on territorial development, based on a case study of the NOOR 1 (Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)) project in Ouarzazate, Morocco. The data collected during this study, conducted through semi-structured interviews with experts, stakeholders, local community representatives and combined with an analysis of documents provided by the NOOR 1 project managers, investors and consulting firms specialized in the field of Renewable Energy, provide detailed evidence on the type and magnitude of impacts on the economic development of the Moroccan southern region where the NOOR 1 plant is located. The data collected is analyzed using NVIVO software. The study results in a consolidated list of many impacts with varying levels of significance for different stakeholder groups, including farmers, youth, women, community representatives and small and medium firms owners. It should be noted that the importance of analyzing the economic impact of large infrastructure projects is widely recognized, but so far, there is little published in the academic and professional literature on the potential impacts of these projects at the local level. Even less information is available on the local impacts of large-scale project implementation in Morocco. While many macroeconomic studies have fed the recent surge in investment in RE projects with the promise of multiple social, economic, environmental, and even geopolitical benefits at the macro level, public debates and discussions have raised considerable doubts. The question of whether these promises would also leave their marks at the local level has also arisen. Despite these uncertainties, very few academics and practitioners have conducted research to empirically develop a good understanding of the impact of RE projects at the local level. To fill this research gap, the economic impact analysis of NOOR 1 provides a detailed empirical overview, which allows a better understanding of the effects that the infrastructure developments of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants can have on the economic environment in which they are located.

A review of assessment indicators used by Healthy Municipalities and Communities Program in Latin America and the Caribbean region

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 714-729
Author(s):  
Raul Chaparro ◽  
Santiago Melendi ◽  
Marilina Santero ◽  
Mariana Seijo ◽  
Natalia Elorriaga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Promotion Policies ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Evaluation And Monitoring ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The Healthy Municipalities and Communities Strategy (HMCS) was developed by the Pan American Health Organization in 1990. Evaluation and monitoring are fundamental components of health promotion policies. The aim of this study is to explore the indicators used in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries to assess the performance of HMCS. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, BVSDE and Google Advanced Search for documents published between January 2000 and April 2016. We included only documents with assessment indicators of the strategy. All articles were independently assessed for eligibility by pairs of reviewers. We classified the indicators with a supporting framework proposed by O’Neill and Simard (Choosing indicators to evaluate Healthy Cities projects: a political task? Health Promot Int 2006, 21, 145–152.). Local level indicators figured far more prominently among countries and were distributed both in projects and specific activities. Regarding the evolution of the HMCS, indicators were reported in the five levels of analysis (local projects and activities, provincial, national and international networks). Empowerment was represented through the presence of active community organizations and different methods of community participation (forums, open hearing and participation maps). Public policies (such as for tobacco cessation) and bylaws adherence and changes in school’s curricula regarding healthy eating were frequently mentioned. However, this review demonstrated that impact indicators related to lifestyle changes or built environment are not clearly defined and there is a lack of indicators to measure progress in achieving change in long-term outcomes in LAC. We highlight the importance of designing validated indicators for measuring the impact of health promotion policies in partnership with each country involved.

scholarly journals Multilevel Governance and Sustainable Development: the Case of Biodiversity in the Amazon Rainforest

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
João Paulo Cândia Veiga ◽  
Fausto Makishi ◽  
Murilo Alves Zacareli ◽  
Thiago Augusto Hiromitsu Terada
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
Production Chain ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

This article is aimed at summarizing the results of the fieldwork research conducted by a group of researchers from the University of São Paulo within local communities in the municipalities of Salvaterra, Bragança and Breves, which are located in the state of Pará in the Northern part of Brazil. The object of analysis is the production chain of oleaginous seeds obtained through the extraction activity that are used as inputs in the processing food and cosmetics industries.This article seeks to answer the following questions: what role do non-state actors play in sustainable development and biodiversity regulation at the local level?Which are the social and environmental impacts? In order to answer it, this research focuses on the impact of the extractive activity on income generation, local development and local environmental externalities caused by market incentives. The main hypothesis is that it is possible to go beyond the trade-off between welfare gains and the preservation of the environment, and thus contribute to the rational use of Common-Pool Resources (CPRs).The motivation of this article is intimately related to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 and the sustainable use of biodiversity. It is argued that the whole process is subjected to a multilevel context in which actors and arenas interact with each other through ‘authoritative mechanisms’. Both quantitative and qualitative data have been collected through surveys conducted among local families.

scholarly journals DISTRIBUTION OF IMPACT INDUCED PRESSURES AT THE FACE OF UNIFORMLY SLOPED SEA DIKES: PRELIMINARY 2D EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (33) ◽  
pp. 74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitris Stagonas ◽  
Gerald Muller ◽  
Karunya Ramachandran ◽  
Stefan Schimmels ◽  
Alec Dane
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Tactile Sensor ◽  
Breaking Waves ◽  
Horizontal Distribution ◽  
Breaking Wave ◽  
The Face ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sea Dikes ◽  
Sea Dike

Although existing knowledge on the vertical distribution of impact pressures on sea-dikes is well established only very little is known with respect to their horizontal distribution. A collaboration developed between the University of Southampton, Uk and FZK, Hannover looks in more detail at the distribution of pressures induced by waves breaking on the face of a sea-dike. For this, 2D large scale experiments with waves breaking on a 1:3 sea dike were conducted but instead of pressure transducers a tactile pressure sensor was used to map the impact pressures. Such sensors were initially used with breaking waves in the University of Southampton and their use for large scale experiments was attempted here for the first time. In the current paper the calibration and application of the tactile sensor for experiments involving up to 1m high and 8sec long waves are initially described. Preliminary results illustrating the simultaneous distribution of impact induced pressures over an area of 426.7x487.7mm are then presented. Based on these pressure maps the vertical and horizontal location of maximum breaking wave induced pressures is also deduced.

Converting to a Synchronous Virtual Nursing Research Conference Amidst a Pandemic: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-124
Author(s):  
Lilian J. Canamo ◽  
Jessica P. Bejar ◽  
Judy E. Davidson
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organization ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
University Of California ◽  
World Health ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Research Conference ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The University

University of California San Diego Health was set to launch its 13th annual Nursing and Inquiry Innovation Conference event in June 2020. However, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic placed a barrier to large gatherings throughout the world. Because the World Health Organization designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, the University committed to continuing the large-scale conference, converting to a virtual event. This article reviews the methodologies behind the delivery of the virtual event and implications for user engagement and learning on the blended electronic platform.

scholarly journals Big science and human development: what is the connection?

2018 ◽  
Vol 114 (11/12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Gastrow ◽  
Thelma Oppelt
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Human Development ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Big Science ◽  
Causal Pathways ◽  
Local Engagement ◽  
The Impact

The rationale for public expenditure and political support for large-scale science infrastructure is commonly underpinned by a universalist logic of big science’s benefits. Literature assessing the impact of big science focuses on its contributions towards new fundamental insights about the universe; the development of skills, capabilities, networks, and innovation; and the development of globally transformative technology platforms that in turn make significant impacts on global human development. However, research into the local development impact of big science infrastructure is scarce. In this paper we reflect on the development impact of a big science project at the local level, drawing on the case study of the Square Kilometre Array telescope in South Africa’s Karoo region. We find that the universalist logic that appears to apply at the global and national levels does not necessarily apply at the local level, where big science has resulted in human development benefits, but also substantial economic and social costs. On this basis we recommend that big science infrastructures, particularly in marginalised areas of developing countries, require a localised development proposition that takes into account local social complexities on the basis of extensive local engagement. Significance: A synthetic review is presented of the different causal pathways through which big science may impact on human development. Analytical distinctions are developed between the human development impacts of big science at the global, national, and local scales. Considerations are put forward for a developmental agenda for big science facilities, particularly in developing countries.

scholarly journals Online Work Readiness Programme: Ready, Set, Go!

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-134
Author(s):  
Belinda Janeke
Keyword(s):  
Student Affairs ◽  
Career Guidance ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Career Services ◽  
Work Readiness ◽  
Job Interview ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

There has always been pressure on higher education institutions to enhance the employability of graduates and to instil knowledge, skills, and attributes that will be beneficial to future employers. The impact of Covid‑19 on a global, national, and local level is placing even more pressure on the topic of employability. Graduates are uncertain about job availability and there is a need for career guidance. After a national and local shutdown of university campuses in 2015 and 2016 due to #FeesMustFall, Career Services staff at the University of the Free State designed and created online work readiness programmes in order for students to continue with work preparations, no matter what the circumstances. In 2018, the first topics on CV‑writing and job interview skills were rolled out online and made available to all registered students; each semester, two additional topics were added. By the time Covid‑19 led to a national lockdown in South Africa in March 2020, the transition to online work readiness programmes was fairly easy. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of the online work readiness programmes offered on the Blackboard platform from April to June 2020 during the Covid‑19 pandemic and national lockdown. This article will provide an analysis of a questionnaire conducted with willing participants who have engaged and worked through the online work readiness programmes from April to June 2020, to investigate the impact on graduates’ readiness for the world of work. Through the survey, students shared their learning experiences and the influence it has had on their career planning. It is believed that the findings of this research study will create a deeper understanding of how career services, as a particular functional area in student affairs, can reposition itself during uncertain times to remain responsive to the needs of students.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and its possible impact on the UN system

2020 ◽  
pp. 444-447
Author(s):  
Yaryna Zhukorska
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Security Council ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
The United States ◽  
World Health ◽  
Collective Security ◽  
National Interests ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact

In the article, the author analyzes the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the activities of the UN system. Draws attention tothe ineffectiveness of the UN itself, WHO, as well as the activities of the Security Council and the General Assembly during this period.Draws a parallel with the Spanish flu of the early twentieth century and explores its impact on the development of international orga -nizations.The coronavirus pandemic has shown that the priority for any state is primarily national interests, not common ones. The existenceof international law and international mechanisms has simply been forgotten in the context of protecting national interests. Internationalorganizations such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization have proved ineffective and inflexible and tooslow to deal effectively with today’s threats.In fact, during the pandemic, the UN failed to reach a consensus on joint action in a critical international situation. The Secretary-General has openly stated that he expects the problem to be resolved and concrete measures to be taken by the G-20.As for WHO, its actions have been somewhat slow, but it has responded to information from Member States.According to the WHO, the main reason for such a rapid spread of the virus was the reluctance of states to heed the recommendationsof the WHO.There is currently no alternative to health cooperation other than WHO. Despite the shortcomings in its operation, which haveemerged in the face of such a large-scale and rapid threat, it is appropriate to improve decision-making in such situations, as well as toprovide additional leverage over Member States. Collective security must come first here, not the sovereign interests of an individualstate, be it China, the United States or Germany.The main problem for both the UN and WHO has been the imperfect decision-making mechanism. On the issue with the UN –the right of veto in the Security Council, WHO – the recommendatory nature of the decisions. Considers the possibility of grantingsupranational powers to the UN in key areas where the issue of collective security must clearly prevail over national interests. Jointaction must be the only right solution for the international community in combating today’s threats. And the national interest in suchcases must come after collective security.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Effects of Lockdown on Staff and Students at Universities Using Natural Language Processing Techniques: Case Study of Spain and Colombia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Fernando Jojoa Acosta ◽  
Begonya Garcia-Zapirain ◽  
Marino J. Gonzalez ◽  
Bernardo Perez-Villa ◽  
Elena Urizar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language Processing ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Intelligence Models ◽  
Artificial Intelligence Models ◽  
Processing Techniques ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Support Students

The review of previous works shows this study is the first attempt to analyse the lockdown effect using Natural Language Processing Techniques, particularly sentiment analysis methods applied at large scale. On the other hand, it is also the first of its kind to analyse the impact of COVID 19 on the university community jointly on staff and students and with a multi-country perspective. The main overall findings of this work show that the most often related words were family, anxiety, house and life. On another front, it has also been shown that staff have a slightly less negative perception of the consequences of COVID in their daily life. We have used artificial intelligence models like swivel embedding and the Multilayer Perceptron, as classification algorithms. The performance reached in terms of accuracy metric are 88.8% and 88.5%, for student and staff respectively. The main conclusion of our study is that higher education institutions and policymakers around the world may benefit from these findings while formulating policy recommendations and strategies to support students during this and any future pandemics.

scholarly journals ‘Whole Earth?’ Using an Exhibition to Raise Sustainability Awareness at a UK University

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-175
Author(s):  
Stephen Scoffham ◽  
Adriana Consorte-McCrea
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Complex Dynamics ◽  
Emotional Awareness ◽  
Visual Images ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Whole Earth

Despite mounting evidence of global environmental stress, many educationalists appear to be discounting warnings of ecological collapse from scientists, futurists and community leaders. One way of promoting sustainability awareness may be to combine cognitive reasoning with emotional awareness. This article considers the complex dynamics relating to attitudinal and behavioural institutional change by exploring the impact of a large-scale exhibition called ‘Whole Earth?’ on the staff and students at a UK university over a 15-month period. The exhibition contained a wide range of powerful visual images and drew on a famous protest song to frame its wider message. Although there were a variety of responses, the exhibition had the overall effect of raising the profile of sustainability across the university. Could initiatives of this kind, which are open-ended in character and which harness the arts to engender an emotional response, offer a model which could be used more widely?

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