Erratum

Background:Although a number of environmental and policy interventions to promote physical activity are being widely used, there is sparse systematic information on the most effective approaches to guide population-wide interventions.Methods:We reviewed studies that addressed the following environmental and policy strategies to promote physical activity: community-scale urban design and land use policies and practices to increase physical activity; street-scale urban design and land use policies to increase physical activity; and transportation and travel policies and practices. These systematic reviews were based on the methods of the independent Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Exposure variables were classified according to the types of infrastructures/policies present in each study. Measures of physical activity behavior were used to assess effectiveness.Results:Two interventions were effective in promoting physical activity (community-scale and street-scale urban design and land use policies and practices). Additional information about applicability, other effects, and barriers to implementation are provided for these interventions. Evidence is insufficient to assess transportation policy and practices to promote physical activity.Conclusions:Because community- and street-scale urban design and land-use policies and practices met the Community Guide criteria for being effective physical activity interventions, implementing these policies and practices at the community-level should be a priority of public health practitioners and community decision makers.

Download Full-text

Building a 'dementia-friendly' neighbourhood: an examination of the economic costs of implementing 'dementia-friendly' urban design and land use strategies in Whitby, Ontario

10.32920/ryerson.14668185 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Samantha Biglieri

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Land Use ◽

Social Interaction ◽

Urban Design ◽

Psychological Wellbeing ◽

Base Case ◽

Economic Costs ◽

Financial Return ◽

Moderate Dementia ◽

Pro Forma

Cases of dementia in Ontario will grow from 181,000 to 46,000 by 2036. This accelerating crisis has sparked research on how to design neighbourhoods for those persons with mild to moderate dementia, and how to empower them through built environment changes to remain in their community for as long as possible. There are numerous benefits for persons with dementia who continue access to their neighbourhood including: physical activity, sense of dignity, social interaction, autonomy, and psychological wellbeing. This MRP examines 17 Recommendations (urban design and land use strategies) identified as 'dementia-friendly', within dementia design and planning literature. Each is then examined against the planning frameworks for Whitby, Ontario, and assessed for its economic impact on a base case subdivision using pro forma analysis. The effect on the financial return for a developer was minimal, demonstrating that establishing these recommendations as policy is viable, through regulation and incentives.

Download Full-text

Priority of Activity-Friendly Community Issues Among Key Decision Makers in Hawaii

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.6.3.386 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 386-390 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Jay E. Maddock ◽

Bill Reger-Nash ◽

Katie Heinrich ◽

Kevin M. Leyden ◽

Thomas K. Bias

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Land Use ◽

Urban Design ◽

Affordable Housing ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Housing Environment ◽

Community Issues ◽

Environment Sustainability ◽

Future Work ◽

The U.S

Background:The U.S. Community Guide to Preventive Services strongly recommends changes in urban design, land use and accessibility to increase physical activity. To achieve these goals, policy change is often needed. This study assessed attitudes of decision makers in Hawaii to determine if physical activity related issues are among their priorities.Methods:State and county officials (n = 179) were mailed surveys. Respondents listed the three most important problems (open-ended) in Hawaii and rated the importance of 23 specified problems, of which six directly related to physical activity.Results:The survey was completed by 126 (70.4%) respondents. The most frequently mentioned categories for the open-ended questions were affordable housing, environment/sustainability, sprawl/traffic/population growth, and healthcare. Among the closed-ended physical activity related items, increasing traffic was ranked highest (43.9%) and fourth overall. Less than 12% of decision makers rated other physical activity issues as important.Conclusions:Future work is needed to increase the visibility and importance of physical activity related issues among policymakers.

Download Full-text

Building a 'dementia-friendly' neighbourhood: an examination of the economic costs of implementing 'dementia-friendly' urban design and land use strategies in Whitby, Ontario

10.32920/ryerson.14668185.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Samantha Biglieri

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Land Use ◽

Social Interaction ◽

Urban Design ◽

Psychological Wellbeing ◽

Base Case ◽

Economic Costs ◽

Financial Return ◽

Moderate Dementia ◽

Pro Forma

Cases of dementia in Ontario will grow from 181,000 to 46,000 by 2036. This accelerating crisis has sparked research on how to design neighbourhoods for those persons with mild to moderate dementia, and how to empower them through built environment changes to remain in their community for as long as possible. There are numerous benefits for persons with dementia who continue access to their neighbourhood including: physical activity, sense of dignity, social interaction, autonomy, and psychological wellbeing. This MRP examines 17 Recommendations (urban design and land use strategies) identified as 'dementia-friendly', within dementia design and planning literature. Each is then examined against the planning frameworks for Whitby, Ontario, and assessed for its economic impact on a base case subdivision using pro forma analysis. The effect on the financial return for a developer was minimal, demonstrating that establishing these recommendations as policy is viable, through regulation and incentives.

Download Full-text