scholarly journals Food access, mobility, and transportation: a survey and key informant interviews of users of non-profit food hubs in the City of Vancouver before and during the COVID-19 crisis

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Rajasooriar ◽  
Tammara Soma
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Food Access ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Food System ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Provincial Government ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Food Hubs ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
The City

Abstract Background In the City of Vancouver, Canada, non-profit food hubs such as food banks, neighbourhood houses, community centres, and soup kitchens serve communities that face food insecurity. Food that is available yet inaccessible cannot ensure urban food security. This study seeks to highlight food access challenges, especially in terms of mobility and transportation, faced by users of non-profit food hubs in the City of Vancouver before and during the COVID-19 crisis. Methods This study involved an online survey (n = 84) and semi-structured follow-up key informant interviews (n = 10) with individuals at least 19 years old who accessed food at a non-profit food hub located in the City of Vancouver more than once before and during the COVID-19 crisis. Results 88.5% of survey respondents found food obtained from non-profit food hubs to be either very or somewhat important to their household’s overall diet. In their journey to access food at non-profit food hubs in the City of Vancouver, many survey respondents face barriers such as transportation distance/time, transportation inconveniences/reliability/accessibility, transportation costs, line-ups at non-profit food hubs, and schedules of non-profit food hubs. Comments from interview participants corroborate these barriers. Conclusions Drawing from the findings, this study recommends that non-profit food hubs maintain a food delivery option and that the local transportation authority provides convenient and reliable paratransit service. Furthermore, this study recommends that the provincial government considers subsidizing transit passes for low-income households, that the provincial and/or federal governments consider bolstering existing government assistance programs, and that the federal government considers implementing a universal basic income. This study emphasizes how the current two-tier food system perpetuates stigma and harms the well-being of marginalized populations in the City of Vancouver in their journey to obtain food.

Eating NAFTA

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyshia Gálvez
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food System ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The North ◽  
The World

In the two decades since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect, Mexico has seen an epidemic of diet-related illness. While globalization has been associated with an increase in chronic disease around the world, in Mexico, the speed and scope of the rise has been called a public health emergency. The shift in Mexican foodways is happening at a moment when the country’s ancestral cuisine is now more popular and appreciated around the world than ever. What does it mean for their health and well-being when many Mexicans eat fewer tortillas and more instant noodles, while global elites demand tacos made with handmade corn tortillas? This book examines the transformation of the Mexican food system since NAFTA and how it has made it harder for people to eat as they once did. The book contextualizes NAFTA within Mexico’s approach to economic development since the Revolution, noticing the role envisioned for rural and low-income people in the path to modernization. Examination of anti-poverty and public health policies in Mexico reveal how it has become easier for people to consume processed foods and beverages, even when to do so can be harmful to health. The book critiques Mexico’s strategy for addressing the public health crisis generated by rising rates of chronic disease for blaming the dietary habits of those whose lives have been upended by the economic and political shifts of NAFTA.

scholarly journals Shaping Physical, Economic, and Policy Components of the Food Environment to Create Sustainable Healthy Diets

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 74S-86S
Author(s):  
Adam Drewnowski ◽  
Eva C. Monterrosa ◽  
Saskia de Pee ◽  
Edward A. Frongillo ◽  
Stefanie Vandevijvere
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Food System ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Equitable Access ◽  
Nutrition Labels ◽  
Healthy Diets ◽  
Physical Spaces

Background: Sustainable healthy diets are those dietary patterns that promote all dimensions of individuals’ health and well-being; have low environmental pressure and impact; are accessible, affordable, safe, and equitable; and are culturally acceptable. The food environment, defined as the interface between the wider food system and consumer’s food acquisition and consumption, is critical for ensuring equitable access to foods that are healthy, safe, affordable, and appealing. Discussion: Current food environments are creating inequities, and sustainable healthy foods are generally more accessible for those of higher socioeconomic status. The physical, economic, and policy components of the food environment can all be acted on to promote sustainable healthy diets. Physical spaces can be modified to improve relative availability (ie, proximity) of food outlets that carry nutritious foods in low-income communities; to address economic access certain actions may improve affordability, such as fortification, preventing food loss through supply chain improvements; and commodity specific vouchers for fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Other policy actions that address accessibility to sustainable healthy foods are comprehensive marketing restrictions and easy-to-understand front-of-pack nutrition labels. While shaping food environments will require concerted action from all stakeholders, governments and private sector bear significant responsibility for ensuring equitable access to sustainable healthy diets.

scholarly journals Psychological distress during COVID-19 pandemic in low-income and middle-income countries: a cross-sectional study of older persons in Thailand

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e047650
Author(s):  
Wiraporn Pothisiri ◽  
Paolo Miguel Manalang Vicerra
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Ageing Society ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 situation in Thailand was controlled with various social measures. Much of the information covered in the media and in studies focused on the public health and economic aspects of the pandemic. This study aimed to explore the psychological well-being of older people, which is important especially in an ageing society categorised as low income or middle income due to the limits of economic and healthcare resources.SettingThe impact of COVID-19 on older persons in Thailand, an online survey, taken across nine provinces within the five regions of the country.ParticipantsInformation was collected from 1230 adults aged at least 60 years old.If an older person was illiterate, unable to access the internet or had a disability preventing them from responding to the survey, an intermediary residing in the community conducted the survey interview.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe analysis focused on the worries of older adults and the factors associated with psychological distress experienced during the pandemic using logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe majority of people aged at least 60 years old experienced psychological distress during COVID-19. Employment loss (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.38), inadequate income (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.44) and debt incursion (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.57 to 4.80) were detrimental to psychological well-being. The negative changes in the perception of their health status (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.99) and decreased life satisfaction (OR 1.49, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.87) also weighed on older Thais. The protective factors for psychological well-being were residing in rural areas (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.61) and being married (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.01).ConclusionObserving the concerns of the older population is important for introducing policies that can alleviate their precarious financial and health statuses.

Street pastors as substitutes for trust in the context of plural policing

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 168-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Swann ◽  
Alison Green ◽  
Nick Johns ◽  
Luke Sloan
Keyword(s):  
Community Involvement ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The City

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the work of the Street Pastors, a Christian organisation offering support to people in the night time economy (NTE), through the perceptions of students. The role played by this organisation is becoming more important as a shift from policing “by”, “through” and “beyond” to policing from “below” occurs (Jones and Lister, 2015). While the Street Pastors would not regard themselves as “police agents” there is undoubtedly a close connection albeit with geographical variation (Johns et al., 2009b). An evaluation of their activities and of public attitudes particularly around issues of trust is therefore important. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey using the university’s student “portal” invited students to participate. A small incentive was offered, in the form of a prize draw for £50 worth of shopping vouchers. The survey took place during the first part of the Spring term during 2012 (January and February). The study analyses the 361 responses in reference to their knowledge of the Street Pastors, whether they had any “interactions” with them and whether they were regular users of the NTE. Findings – Overwhelmingly respondents were either positive or completely ambivalent about the Street Pastors. The responses to the attitude statements indicated that the Street Pastors are seen as “independent” of police officers. The links between Street Pastors and crime reduction are not clear, however, respondents agreed that the Street Pastors did contribute to safety in the city. Research limitations/implications – There are more than 20,000 students in the city and the findings can therefore be seen as tentative and indicative rather than generalisable to the entire student population. With the increasing emphasis on community involvement in “policing”, the findings from the research does suggest that the street pastor’s voluntary patrols are beneficial in terms of enhancing perceptions of safety. Practical implications – Street Pastors do have an important role in the policing of the NTE, from handing out water and flip flops to comforting those who are in distress. Within the broader “police family” their role can then make a positive contribution to the practical challenges associated with a volatile environment. Social implications – The NTE is associated with considerable public health and safety issues and the contribution of a voluntary group to easing some of these problems is significant. Whilst their presence is not entirely unproblematic, particularly in raising questions of accountability, their activities could be argued to contribute to the well-being of revellers. Originality/value – Research on policing “below” the level of the state is street pastors is an under-explored area. Street pastors have attracted very little attention despite their being a large organisation that are a feature of NTEs throughout the UK.

Effects of social media motivations on women’s psychological well-being in Pakistan

First Monday ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iffat Ali Aksar ◽  
Mahmoud Danaee ◽  
Huma Maqsood ◽  
Amira Firdaus
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Psychological Well Being

Social media use has been increasing apace regardless of geographical and economic boundaries. In particular, its penetration has occurred more rapidly in developing and low-income countries with abounding health and psychological disadvantages. Given the understanding that women are more prone to psychological disorders than men, the current research is an effort to examine social media motives and subsequent effects on the psychological well-being of women social media users in Pakistan. The study is based on an online survey conducted to ascertain as to what extent social media use contributes to women’s psychological well-being or otherwise. The survey recorded responses of 240 women selected through purposive sampling technique. SEM-PLS analysis of the collected data revealed that social media usage plays a meaningful role in women’s psychological health. However, results exposed that Pakistani women, under the traditional patriarchal social pressure, not only have to observe cultural norms in online practices but are also forced to adhere to socially constructed gender roles in online spaces. The mixed results suggest conducting extensive research for a deeper insight into the role of social media in psychological well-being of women in other low-income countries.

scholarly journals Agri-town: Combining Urban Agriculture and Affordable Housing for Food, Farm and Fortune

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Lung Wai Cham
Keyword(s):  
Urban Agriculture ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food System ◽  
Urban Poverty ◽  
Housing Shortages ◽  
Building Typology ◽  
And Migration ◽  
The City ◽  
Global Population

As global population and migration to cities continue to increase, urban poverty and shortages of affordable housing have become significant issues in Toronto, making it necessary to develop a model to mitigate these issues. This book focuses on incorporating urban agriculture with affordable housing, and proposes a building typology that combines the two. The idea is to provide accommodation along with space for low-income households to grow their own food. It is expected that by making these elemental needs accessible and affordable, the problem of food security will be offset, improvements will be made to the food system, and housing shortages will be alleviated within the city of Toronto.

O Ilê Axé Nagô Oxaguiã: um Terreiro de Candomblé e Jurema no sertão (Semiárido) da Região Nordeste do Brasil.

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldo Barboza de Oliveira Junior
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Well Being ◽  
African Culture ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
De Se ◽  
The City ◽  
Traditional Communities

Sinopse:Desde 2010 o Ilê Axé Nagô Ôxáguiã encontra-se em atividade na cidade de Caicó, Rio Grande do Norte, trazendo consigo segmento de Candomblé da nação Nagô e o segmento da Jurema.No ano de 2016, o Ilê Axé Nagô Ôxáguiã, através de seu representante, Pai Aderbal, passa a integrar o Conselho do Desenvolvimento Sustentável do Território da Cidadania do Seridó, compondo a Câmara de Comunidades Tradicionais; que agrega representantes de comunidades quilombolas, Ordem do Rosário, Casas de Candomblé.O Candomblé de Pai Aderbal está sendo visto como instituição de referência para a academia (alguns projetos acontecem em parceria com a UFRN), para a Secretaria de Saúde e Assistência Social. Houve o reconhecimento deste terreiro como local de referência de bem-estar para pessoas de baixa renda (em maior número). Na atualidade, o terreiro avança no sentido de se tornar legal juridicamente. É o primeiro passo em sua afirmação política e social enquanto instituição que agrega valores da cultura africana e ameríndia na região do Seridó.sinopsis:Since 2010, Ilê Axé Nagô Ôxáguiã is active in the city of Caicó, Rio Grande do Norte, bringing with it segment of Candomblé of Nagô nation and the segment of Jurema.In 2016, Ilê Axé Nagô Ôxáguiã, through its representative, Father Aderbal, becomes part of the Sustainable Development Council of the Seridó Citizenship Territory, composing the Chamber of Traditional Communities; Which includes representatives of quilombola communities, Ordem do Rosário, Casas de Candomblé.The Candomblé of Pai Aderbal is being seen as a reference institution for the academy (some projects happen in partnership with UFRN), for the Secretariat of Health and Social Assistance. There was recognition of this terreiro as a place of reference of well-being for people of low income (in greater number). At present, the terreiro advances in the sense of becoming juridically legal. It is the first step in its political and social affirmation as an institution that adds values of the African culture in the region of Seridó.Palabras-chave:Candomblé, Jurema, Caicó.KeyWords: Candomblé, Jurema, Caicó.Ficha técnica:Autora:Geraldo Barboza de Oliveira JuniorFotografias: Acervo do Autor: Geraldo Barboza de Oliveira JuniorDireção, Edição de Imagem e Texto: Geraldo Barboza de Oliveira JuniorFicha técnica:Autora:Geraldo Barboza de Oliveira JuniorFotografía:Geraldo Barboza de Oliveira JuniorDirección:Geraldo Barboza de Oliveira Junior

scholarly journals Food Desertification: Situating Choice and Class Relations within an Urban Political Economy of Declining Food Access

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Bedore
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Consumer Choice ◽  
Food Access ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Desert ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Urban Political Economy

While food deserts create whole sets of tangible consequences for people living within them, the problem has yet to be the subject of much normative, in-depth evaluation as an urban political economy of food access. This paper provides a critical analysis of a specific food desert and its responses, drawing on a case study of the low-income, spatially segregated North End of the small city of Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The main thrust of the paper is that the food desert remains a useful yet underexplored phenomenon through which to reveal the complexities and tensions surrounding the treatment of “choice” in a classed society. Understood as an urban political economy of declining food access, the food desert phenomenon reveals capital’s complex role in the promotion or violation of dignity through the urban geographies of acquiring food for oneself, family, or household. Through the data presented here, the article also argues for a collective pause among critical scholars to radicalize, rather than reject, the role of consumer choice in a more just food system, and for further normative engagement with urban landscapes of retail consolidation.

scholarly journals Empowering Through Education: Understanding Financial Well-Being Among Low-Income Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 732-732
Author(s):  
Sara Powers ◽  
Sonya Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Goal Setting ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Financial Education ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Financial Situation ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Financial Exploitation ◽  
Education Workshop ◽  
Service Employment

Abstract Recognizing the need for and importance of financial capability education among low-income older adults, the non-profit agency, Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People (ESOP), implemented an 11-part financial education workshop series with a sample of older adults enrolled in the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). Over the course of 10-months, participants attended workshops that covered an array of topics (e.g., budgeting and goal setting, avoiding financial exploitation) and completed a variety of measures aimed at understanding their financial situation and well-being (e.g., CFPB Financial Well-Being Scale, Financial Shocks, Material Hardship, Financial Skill). Results indicated that financial well-being scores significantly increased from the beginning of the workshop series (M=54.49, SD=7.23) to the end (M=58.10, SD=8.10); t(48) = 3.66, p=.001. Discussion will offer insights into the subjective financial experiences of low-income older adults who were actively trying to seek and gain permanent employment to improve their financial situation.

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