scholarly journals Locked down by inequality: Older people and the COVID-19 pandemic

Urban Studies ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 004209802110410
Author(s):  
Tine Buffel ◽  
Sophie Yarker ◽  
Chris Phillipson ◽  
Luciana Lang ◽  
Camilla Lewis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Social Infrastructure ◽  
Community Recovery ◽  
Strong Embedding ◽  
Spatial Inequalities ◽  
Urban Neighbourhoods ◽  
The Individual

This paper develops the argument that post-COVID-19 recovery strategies need to focus on building back fairer cities and communities, and that this requires a strong embedding of ‘ age-friendly’ principles to support marginalised groups of older people, especially those living in deprived urban neighbourhoods, trapped in poor quality housing. It shows that older people living in such areas are likely to experience a ‘double lockdown’ as a result of restrictions imposed by social distancing combined with the intensification of social and spatial inequalities. This argument is presented as follows: first, the paper examines the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on older people, highlighting how the pandemic is both creating new and reinforcing existing inequalities in ageing along the lines of gender, class, ethnicity, race, ability and sexuality. Second, the paper explores the role of spatial inequalities in the context of COVID-19, highlighting how the pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on deprived urban areas already affected by cuts to public services, the loss of social infrastructure and pressures on the voluntary sector. Finally, the paper examines how interrelated social inequalities at both the individual and spatial level are affecting the lives of older people living in deprived urban neighbourhoods during the pandemic. The paper concludes by developing six principles for ‘age-friendly’ community recovery planning aimed at maintaining and improving the quality of life and wellbeing of older residents in the post-pandemic city.

scholarly journals Covid-19 and inequality: developing an age-friendly strategy for recovery in low income communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 271-279
Author(s):  
Tine Buffel ◽  
Patty Doran ◽  
Mhorag Goff ◽  
Luciana Lang ◽  
Camilla Lewis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Infrastructure ◽  
Community Based Interventions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Urban Neighbourhoods ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to explore the social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on issues facing older people living in urban areas characterised by multiple deprivation. Design/methodology/approach The paper first reviews the role of place and neighbourhood in later life; second, it examines the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and the impact of COVID-19; and, third, it outlines the basis for an “age-friendly” recovery strategy. Findings The paper argues that COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact on low-income communities, which have already been affected by cuts to public services, the loss of social infrastructure and pressures on the voluntary sector. It highlights the need for community-based interventions to be developed as an essential part of future policies designed to tackle the effects of COVID-19. Originality/value The paper contributes to debates about developing COVID-19 recovery strategies in the context of growing inequalities affecting urban neighbourhoods.

scholarly journals Residential Segregation and Living Conditions. An Analysis of Social Inequalities in Catalonia from Four Spatial Perspectives

Urban Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Joan Checa ◽  
Oriol Nel·lo
Keyword(s):  
Residential Segregation ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Living Conditions ◽  
Access To Education ◽  
Spatial Inequalities ◽  
Rural Settings ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Key Indicators

Spatial inequalities in living conditions have traditionally been attributed to geographical location, the opposition between urban and rural settings or the size of settlements. Accordingly, the geographical literature has used these oppositions to explain not only differences in access to education, work and services but also diversity of lifestyles, beliefs and even political attitudes. In recent decades, however, urban areas have extended their scope, urbanization has become more dispersed, territories have become more interdependent and spatial hierarchies have tended to weaken. At the same time, social inequalities have become more marked, as manifested spatially by residential segregation. This article puts forward the thesis that residential segregation constitutes a considerably better explanatory factor currently for the elucidation of social inequalities and differences in living conditions in regional spaces than geographical location, the urban/rural divide or the size of settlements. A set of key indicators in the population of residents in Catalonia (level of education, socio-economic position, risk of poverty, self-perceived health and life satisfaction) are therefore analyzed from various spatial perspectives to explore this argument and evaluate each indicator’s explanatory potential. The main results seem to confirm the hypothesis that the most striking spatial inequalities are associated with residential segregation.

scholarly journals Mask Use Depends on the Individual, Situation, and Location—Even Without COVID-19 Transmission: An Observational Study in Shanghai

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander S. English ◽  
Xiaoyuan Li
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Norms ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Public Places ◽  
The World ◽  
Public Areas ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Enforcement Policies

COVID-19 has drastically altered people’s mask-wearing behaviors around the world. What is unknown is how long these mask behaviors will last post-COVID-19? To investigate how individual, situational, and locational factors influence mask use in the absence of community spread of COVID-19, we conducted an observational study in public areas in the megacity of Shanghai, China. Researchers coded people’s mask use in various suburban and urban districts and outdoor and indoor locations with and without mask requirements. Firstly, even without any local transmissions in more than 40days, 62% of the sample (N=1,282) still wore masks in public places. The data showed that people in more urban areas wore masks more often and that people wore masks in places where it was mandated. Women also wore masks more than men, and older people complied more with mask enforcement policies. We found that more densely populated districts and areas with more inflow of non-locals also predicted more mask use. We argue that the pandemic has long-lasting effects on human behavior like mask usage and reflects individuals’ continual conformity to new social norms.

Digital Entrepreneurship for Rural Youth: Entrepreneurial Process

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-76
Author(s):  
Wawan Dhewanto ◽  
Salma Azzahra ◽  
Vania NR Rhommadhonni ◽  
Fera Yunita
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Rural Youth ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Entrepreneurial Process ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
United Nation ◽  
Digital Entrepreneurship

The young generation has a very important role as the nation's next generation, so it needs special attention to make them strong and independent figures. The young age phase is also a determining gate for the future after completing education (United Nation, 2013). Unfortunately, in Indonesia the number of young unemployed reaches 22.48% (Central Bureau of Statistics, 2018). Under these conditions, one of the efforts that can be done to reduce the unemployment rate is through an entrepreneurial program (Fatoki, 2014). This is a challenge for all parties because Rahmatiah et al (2019) states that currently the young generation of Indonesia is still difficult to become entrepreneurs. Moreover, competition in the 4.0 industrial revolution era is getting tougher. For entrepreneurs in rural areas, the challenges faced are greater than those who live in urban areas (Azzahra & Dhewanto, 2017), however by utilizing digital technology and becoming digital entrepreneurs, rural residents are able to compete, minimize social inequalities and accelerate economic growth (Ratten, 2018 ). Only a few young people have the talent and interest to run a business (Ceptureanu & Ceptueanu, 2015). Therefore an in-depth study of the interests and entrepreneurial processes for rural youth to become a digital entrepreneur is needed. This research was conducted in order to have young digital entrepreneurs who came from rural areas to be able to compete in this 4.0 industry era. Thus, the research questions in this study are: (1). Why does rural youth want to be a digital entrepreneur? How is the entrepreneurial process of rural youth to become digital entrepreneurs? Keywords: Digital Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Process, Rural Youth

scholarly journals Cost-Effectiveness of an Exercise Programme that Provided Group or Individual Training to Reduce the Fall Risk in Healthy Community-Dwelling People Aged 65–80: A Secondary Data Analysis

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 714
Author(s):  
Isaac Aranda-Reneo ◽  
Laura Albornos-Muñoz ◽  
Manuel Rich-Ruiz ◽  
María Ángeles Cidoncha-Moreno ◽  
Ángeles Pastor-López ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Evaluation ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Older People ◽  
Incremental Cost ◽  
Fall Risk ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Effective Measure ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Individual Training

Research has demonstrated that some exercise programs are effective for reducing fall rates in community-dwelling older people; however, the literature is limited in providing clear recommendations of individual or group training as a result of economic evaluation. The objective of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of the Otago Exercise Program (OEP) for reducing the fall risk in healthy, non-institutionalized older people. An economic evaluation of a multicenter, blinded, randomized, non-inferiority clinical trial was performed on 498 patients aged over 65 in primary care. Participants were randomly allocated to the treatment or control arms, and group or individual training. The program was delivered in primary healthcare settings and comprised five initial sessions, ongoing encouragement and support to exercise at home, and a reinforcement session after six months. Our hypothesis was that the patients who received the intervention would achieve better health outcomes and therefore need lower healthcare resources during the follow-up, thus, lower healthcare costs. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, which used the timed up and go test results as an effective measure for preventing falls. The secondary outcomes included differently validated tools that assessed the fall risk. The cost per patient was USD 51.28 lower for the group than the individual sessions in the control group, and the fall risk was 10% lower when exercises had a group delivery. The OEP program delivered in a group manner was superior to the individual method. We observed slight differences in the incremental cost estimations when using different tools to assess the risk of fall, but all of them indicated the dominance of the intervention group. The OEP group sessions were more cost-effective than the individual sessions, and the fall risk was 10% lower.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Inequalities: Individual and Area Socioeconomic Factors (Aragón, Spain)

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6607
Author(s):  
Isabel Aguilar-Palacio ◽  
Lina Maldonado ◽  
Sara Malo ◽  
Raquel Sánchez-Recio ◽  
Iván Marcos-Campos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Retrospective Cohort ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Deprivation Level ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Multilevel Analyses ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Second Wave

It is essential to understand the impact of social inequalities on the risk of COVID-19 infection in order to mitigate the social consequences of the pandemic. With this aim, the objective of our study was to analyze the effect of socioeconomic inequalities, both at the individual and area of residence levels, on the probability of COVID-19 confirmed infection, and its variations across three pandemic waves. We conducted a retrospective cohort study and included data from all individuals tested for COVID-19 during the three waves of the pandemic, from March to December 2020 (357,989 individuals) in Aragón (Spain). We studied the effect of inequalities on the risk of having a COVID-19 confirmed diagnosis after being tested using multilevel analyses with two levels of aggregation: individuals and basic healthcare area of residence (deprivation level and type of zone). Inequalities in the risk of COVID-19 confirmed infection were observed at both the individual and area level. There was a predominance of low-paid employees living in deprived areas. Workers with low salaries, unemployed and people on minimum integration income or who no longer receive the unemployment allowance, had a higher probability of COVID-19 infection than workers with salaries ≥ €18,000 per year. Inequalities were greater in women and in the second wave. The deprivation level of areas of residence influenced the risk of COVID-19 infection, especially in the second wave. It is necessary to develop individual and area coordinated measures by areas in the control, diagnosis and treatment of the epidemic, in order to avoid an increase in the already existing inequalities.

scholarly journals Cities, the Urban Green Environment, and Individual Subjective Well-Being: The Case of Milan, Italy

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgio Tavano Blessi ◽  
Enzo Grossi ◽  
Giovanni Pieretti ◽  
Guido Ferilli ◽  
Alessandra Landi
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Spatial Proximity ◽  
Independent Effect ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Residential Proximity ◽  
Urban Green ◽  
Urban Green Areas ◽  
Green Areas ◽  
The Individual

This paper evaluates the independent effect of the spatial proximity of green urban areas upon the individual subjective well-being of the Milan population (Italy). The methodology is based on a survey undertaken in 2010 using a sample of 1,000 of Milan citizens. Univariate and multivariate analyses and GIS localization have been employed in order to rank the major individual well-being determinants and the relationship between citizens and urban green areas. Results show that the residential proximity of citizens to urban green areas seems to have little bearing on individual subjective well-being.

scholarly journals Cognitive–behavioural therapy with older people

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ceri Evans
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Age Group ◽  
The Core ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
The Individual

Cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for a number of psychiatric disorders in adults of all ages. With the proportion of the population aged 65 or over increasing steadily, it is important to be aware of how the CBT needs of this age group can be best met. This article provides an overview of CBT and the historical context of using it with older people. Although an understanding of the individual, irrespective of age, is at the core of CBT, potential modifications to the procedure and content aimed at optimising its effectiveness for older people are discussed.

The economic recession and subjective well-being in older adults in the Republic of Ireland

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Duffy ◽  
K. Mullin ◽  
S. O’Dwyer ◽  
M. Wrigley ◽  
B. D. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Future Health

ObjectiveSubjective well-being in older people is strongly associated with emotional, physical and mental health. This study investigates subjective well-being in older adults in Ireland before and after the economic recession that commenced in 2008.MethodsCross-sectional data from the biennial European Social Survey (2002–2012) were analysed for two separate groups of older adults: one sampled before the recession and one after. Stratification and linear regression modelling were used to analyse the association between subjective well-being, the recession and multiple potential confounders and effect modifiers.ResultsData were analysed on 2013 individuals. Overall, subjective well-being among older adults was 1.30 points lower after the recession compared with before the recession (s.e. 0.16; 95% confidence interval 1.00–1.61; p<0.001) [pre-recession: 16.1, out of a possible 20 (s.d. 3.24); post-recession:14.8 (s.d. 3.72)]. Among these older adults, the pre- and post-recession difference was especially marked in women, those with poor health and those living in urban areas.ConclusionsSubjective well-being was significantly lower in older adults after the recession compared with before the recession, especially in women with poor health in urban areas. Policy-makers need proactively to protect these vulnerable cohorts in future health and social policy. Future research could usefully focus on older people on fixed incomes whose diminished ability to alter their economic situation might make them more vulnerable to reduced subjective well-being during a recession.

scholarly journals Urban–Rural Disparities in the Magnitude and Determinants of Stunting among Children under Five in Tanzania: Based on Tanzania Demographic and Health Surveys 1991–2016

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5184
Author(s):  
Wenjun Zhu ◽  
Si Zhu ◽  
Bruno F. Sunguya ◽  
Jiayan Huang
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Health Surveys ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Child Stunting ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
The Individual

Our study aims to examine the disparity of under-5 child stunting prevalence between urban and rural areas of Tanzania in the past three decades, and to explore factors affecting the rural–urban disparity. Secondary analyses of Tanzania Demographic and Health Surveys (TDHS) data drawn from 1991–1992, 1996, 1999, 2004–2005, 2009–2010, and 2015–2016 surveys were conducted. Under-5 child stunting prevalence was calculated separately for rural and urban children and its decline trends were examined by chi-square tests. Descriptive analyses were used to present the individual-level, household-level, and societal-level characteristics of children, while multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to examine determinants of stunting in rural and urban areas, respectively. Additive interaction effects were estimated between residence and other covariates. The results showed that total stunting prevalence was declining in Tanzania, but urban–rural disparity has widened since the decline was slower in the rural area. No interaction effect existed between residence and other determinants, and the urban–rural disparity was mainly caused by the discrepancy of the individual-level and household-level factors between rural and urban households. As various types of determinants exist, multisector nutritional intervention strategies are required to address the child stunting problem. Meanwhile, the intervention should focus on targeting vulnerable children, rather than implementing different policies in rural and urban areas.

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