scholarly journals Getting out while staying in: Policy and environmental predictors of park visits during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Stuart Curtis ◽  
Alessandro Rigolon ◽  
Dorothy L Schmalz ◽  
Barbara Brown
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
After School ◽  
Environmental Predictors ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Park Use ◽  
Weekly Sample ◽  
Metropolitan Counties ◽  
Health And Well Being

The spread of COVID-19 altered use of public spaces, such as parks, with potential effects on human health and well-being. Little is known about park use during the pandemic, how local features (e.g, park availability) influence use, and whether park visits accelerate COVID-19 spread. Using weekly panel data for 620 U.S. counties, we show park visits decreased by 10% beginning March 15, and by 17-35% through May 9, 2020. Net of weekly sample trends, park visits decreased by 2.3% when stay-at-home orders were in effect, yet increased by 8.3% after school closures and 4.1% after business closures. Park visits decreased less during the pandemic in metropolitan counties or where park availability was high. Higher park visits were weakly associated with COVID-19 case growth rate but not incidence. Thus, parks may serve as alternatives for recreation when schools and businesses close, especially where parks are available, with no-to-little influence on COVID-19 spread.

scholarly journals Policy and Environmental Predictors of Park Visits During the First Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Getting Out While Staying in

2021 ◽  
pp. 001391652110311
Author(s):  
David S. Curtis ◽  
Alessandro Rigolon ◽  
Dorothy L. Schmalz ◽  
Barbara B. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Environmental Predictors ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Park Use ◽  
Location Data ◽  
At Home ◽  
Recreation And Leisure

The COVID-19 pandemic may have altered visitation patterns to parks, with potential effects on human health. Little is known about park use early in the pandemic, how park availability influenced use, and whether park visits accelerated COVID-19 spread. Using weekly cell phone location data for 620 U.S. counties, we show park visits decreased by an average 26% between March 15 and May 9, 2020. Net of weekly trends, park visits were 2.2% lower when stay-at-home orders were in effect, yet increased by 8.4% with school closures and 4.4% with business closures. Park visits decreased less during the pandemic in counties where park availability was high. Levels of park visits were not associated with COVID-19 growth rate or incidence in the following weeks. Thus, parks served as recreation and leisure outlets when schools and businesses closed, especially where parks were more available, with no evidence of park use increasing COVID-19 spread.

scholarly journals The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health and Well-Being of Children and Youth in Nova Scotia: Youth and Parent Perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary A. T. Caldwell ◽  
Camille L. Hancock Friesen ◽  
Sara F. L. Kirk
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Anxious Youth ◽  
Health And Well Being

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic led to school closures, cancellations of major events, and loss of in-person social interactions for children and youth. These restrictions undoubtedly impacted the lives of children and youth. This study describes the well-being of children and youth in Nova Scotia during the COVID-19 pandemic and their thoughts and feelings about the return to school, from the perspectives of both youth and parents.Methods: A province-wide survey was conducted in August 2020 with parents of school-age children and youth and youth to measure youth well-being since the pandemic began.Results: Parents of children and youth in grades pre-primary to 12 (n = 699; 53% girls) and youth in grades 3–12 (n = 279; 69% girls) completed the online survey. Perceptions of parents about children's emotions during the pandemic were: bored, safe, lonely, happy, and anxious. Youth reported feeling bored, relaxed, depressed, safe, and worried. Sixty-three percent of youth and 72% of parents reported that they/their child felt they were missing important life events. Parents reported that being with parents, being physically active and being with friends made their child feel positive. Youth reported that being with friends, pets and watching TV made them feel good during this time. Seventy-six percent of parents and 62% of youth reported they/their child were getting more screen time than before the pandemic. With schools closed, participants most frequently shared that they missed friends and social interactions, in-person learning, and extra-curricular activities. Youth and parents expressed worries about COVID-19 outbreaks and related restrictions when schools re-opened to in-person learning.Conclusion: The well-being of children and youth in Nova Scotia was greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and related school closures in 2020. It is essential that pandemic recovery plans prioritize the health and well-being of children and youth.

scholarly journals Impact of school closures on the health and well-being of primary school children in Wales UK: a routine data linkage study using the HAPPEN Survey (2018–2020)

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e051574
Author(s):  
Michaela James ◽  
Emily Marchant ◽  
Margaret Anne Defeyter ◽  
Jayne Woodside ◽  
Sinead Brophy
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
At Home

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the relationship between initial school closures and children’s health by comparing health and well-being outcomes collected during school closures (April–June 2020) via HAPPEN (the Health and Attainment of Pupils in a Primary Education Network) with data from the same period in 2019 and 2018 via the HAPPEN Survey.SettingThe study was conducted online with 161 primary schools across Wales involved in the ‘HAPPEN At Home’ Survey.ParticipantsData were collected via the ‘HAPPEN At Home’ Survey capturing the typical health behaviours of children aged 8–11 years from 1333 participants across Wales. These data were compared with data in 2018 and 2019 also collected between April and June, from HAPPEN (2019 (n=1150) and 2018 (n=475)).Primary and secondary outcome measuresPrimary outcomes included validated measures of physical activity, screen time, diet and dental health, as well as well-being, competency and autonomy. Free school meal (FSM) status was used as a proxy for socioeconomic deprivation. Analyses were repeated stratifying by FSM.ResultsComparing responses between April–June in 2020 (n=1068), 2019 (n=1150) and 2018 (n=475), there were improvements in physical activity levels, sleep time, happiness and general well-being for children during school closures compared with previous years. However, children on FSM ate fewer fruits and vegetables (21% less at five or more portions of fruits and vegetables (95% CI: 5.7% to 37%)) and had lower self-assessed school competence compared with 2019. Compared with those not on FSM, they also spent less time doing physical activity (13.03%, 95% CI: 3.3% to 21.7%) and consumed more takeaways (16.3%, 95% CI: 2% to 30%) during school closures.ConclusionsThis study suggests that schools are important in reducing inequalities in physical health. The physical health (eg, physical activity and diet) of children eligible for FSM may be affected by prolonged school closures.

scholarly journals The Usage and Perception of Pedestrian and Cycling Streets on Residents’ Well-being in Kalamaria, Greece

Land ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Panagopoulos ◽  
Stilianos Tampakis ◽  
Paraskevi Karanikola ◽  
Aikaterini Karipidou-Kanari ◽  
Apostolos Kantartzis
Keyword(s):  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Planning Framework ◽  
Satisfaction Rates ◽  
Health And Well Being

Pedestrian zones are public spaces intended for the continued and safe mobility of pedestrians and people with disabilities, and they provide multiple benefits to urban areas. They counterbalance the densely built-up areas, decrease atmospheric pollution, increase available green or social space, increase walking and cycling rates, and facilitate active play for children. Done properly, pedestrianization may also increase local business sales. Greece boasts open public spaces and the pedestrianization of common roads. The economic crisis that Greece has been experiencing since 2008 has led people to give up their vehicles and use the pedestrian streets more frequently. The purpose of this paper was to investigate residents’ perceptions and satisfaction rates concerning the pedestrian streets of Kalamaria, Greece, and evaluate their importance for residents’ well-being. Following a random sampling method, 400 residents were interviewed. A two-step cluster analysis was conducted. The survey showed that the urban residents visited pedestrian zones in Kalamaria at least once a week, and the visits lasted 46–60 min. The improvement of urban landscape aesthetics and people’s health and well-being were evaluated as important functions of pedestrian zones. The results also indicate that residents were not satisfied with their quality of life and the existing green infrastructures of the pedestrian streets, even though they have a positive disposition toward the construction or transformation of pedestrian streets. The residents expressed their unwillingness to pay more public taxes for the construction and maintenance of pedestrian and cycling streets. The safety and convenience of the mobility of residents were the most important advantages of the pedestrian streets. Meanwhile, overspill parking and difficulties with finding parking spaces were the main disadvantages for the residents. Local authorities can use the results of the present survey to manage the city’s green infrastructure and use this information in the urban planning framework.

Potential psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on children: A scoping review of pandemics & epidemics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlyn A Merrill ◽  
Trevyna William ◽  
Kayla M. Joyce ◽  
Leslie E Roos ◽  
Jennifer Protudjer
Keyword(s):  
Data Extraction ◽  
Child Outcomes ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
School Closures ◽  
International Fund ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health And Well Being

Context: Physical distancing and health measures, such as school closures and work-at-home mandates, implemented to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, will likely have far-reaching impacts on children’s psychosocial health and well-being. Objective: We aimed to examine extant literature on pandemics to identify the expected impact of COVID-19 on children’s psychosocial health and secondary outcomes, including nutritional, financial and child safety outcomes. Data Sources: Articles were searched within the Medline, Global Health, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases on June 11th, 2020. Gray literature was also examined from the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Fund (UNICEF) until July 24th, 2020. Study Selection: A total of 8332 articles were screened for eligibility by two independent reviewers. Of these, 7,919 and 413 articles were from academic databases and additional sources, respectively. Data Extraction: Results on child outcomes were extracted and collated. Results: Seventy-three articles met inclusion criteria. Children have faced significant challenges with 12% of total articles indicating loneliness/depression, 21% anxiety, 7% grief, 10% stress-related disorders, 25% child abuse, 8% family conflict, and 12% stigma during pandemics/epidemics. Furthermore, 25% of articles indicated economic challenges, 23% negative academic impacts, 33% improper nutrition, and 21% reduced opportunities for play/increased screen time. These challenges were exacerbated among children who were female, having a disability, or being a migrant/displaced child. Conclusion: Pandemics and epidemics have had diverse and widespread negative consequences for children. Findings can inform the development and implementation of resources during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect child health and well-being.

scholarly journals Time for action. Implementing the New Urban Agenda in public spaces for health and wellbeing

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 193-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregor H. Mews ◽  
Milica Muminovic ◽  
Paul Tranter
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
City Development ◽  
Collective Wisdom ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Modern Cities ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
New Urban Agenda

Urban Agendas are important guiding tools that frame thinking and point to major directions and changes needed. The dominant planning and city development practices in the 20th century resulted in the proliferation of modern cities that brought numerous problems that urban planners and designers are still dealing with. Do we have the capacity and appropriate tools to change the cities of tomorrow to make them more liveable places?The challenges may seem overwhelming. However, there are advantages in strategies that combine acting locally and synergising with other places. Using insights from the Urban Synergies Group this paper represents a summary of initial pathways that may effectively implement the NUA (New Urban Agenda) – a collective vision for sustainable and healthy cities. To address the main issues of the NUA we discuss five key themes. First, we consider the level of commitment to achieve healthier cities for all during the 9th World Urban Forum (WUF 9). Second, we narrow our focus to examine child health and well-being. Third, we introduce an exemplary collaboration that harnesses collective wisdom through empowerment of participants. Fourth, we provide the rationale for the focus on public space. Within the fifth point we summarise tangible actions within the nexus of child health and public space that help to implement the NUA on the ground.

Self-Reported Experiences of Racial Discrimination Among African Americans in Upstate New York

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 481-500
Author(s):  
Amina P. Alio ◽  
Cindi A. Lewis ◽  
Heather Elder ◽  
Wade Norwood ◽  
Kingdom Mufhandu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Racial Discrimination ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
The United States ◽  
Upstate New York ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Health And Well Being

Racial discrimination in the United States continues to adversely affect health outcomes to the detriment of African Americans. To assess the experiences of residents of a metropolitan community with high rates of racial health disparities in upstate New York, we conducted a survey to measure the primary reasons for discrimination and their experiences with daily and lifetime discrimination, reactions to these experiences, and coping mechanisms. Of the 739 individuals who completed the survey in 2012, 71.5% self-reported as Black or African American. This article focuses on the experiences of Blacks or African Americans, among whom 76.2% reported having experienced racial discrimination at some point in their life. Respondents with higher levels of education and higher income were more likely to report experiencing racial discrimination at work, while for those with a high school education or less it was on the street or public spaces. The burden of these experiences affected individuals by making life more difficult and interfering with a productive life. In light of the known impact of racial discrimination on individual and population health and well-being, it is crucial that efforts to address social and health disparities take into account the high rates of experiences of racism.

The Shari’ah Compliance Spa for Wellness and Tourism Context in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 2978-2986
Author(s):  
Nor Dalila Marican Et.al
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Marketing Strategy ◽  
Islamic Law ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Hospital Services ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Protection Of Life ◽  
Initial Framework

Spa, Tourism and Wellness are a relatively new trend that has registered an impressive growth rate. The spa market has turned into the fastest growing leisure sector which provide facilities as venue to improve a person’s health and well-being. In Malaysia, Shari’ah compliance spa has increasingly becoming an important marketing strategy which attract customers in the context of wellness industry. This is parallel with the growing demand for products and services that comply with Islamic law with consideration trend nowadays. Thus, there are specific criteria for the spa sector to be complied for a Shari’ah compliance. The Shari’ah compliance elements practiced by Islamic Spa Practices (ISP) include the usages of Halal Products; Gender Segregations in Treatments and Procedures, as well as Physical Construct Elements. The five vital elements of Maqasid Shar’iyyah which were Protection of Religion (Al-Diin); Protection of Life (Al-Hayah); Protection of Mind (Al-‘Aql); Protection of Dignity (Al-Muru’ah); and Protection of Wealth (Al-Mal) considered in delivering the Shari’ah Compliance Spa. To date, there is no much framework that elaborates the Shari’ah compliance spa that includes the ISP practices and Maqasid Shar’iyyah elements. However, an initial framework of Sha’riah compliance spa is developed based on the Muslim-friendly hospital services

scholarly journals TeenCovidLife: a resource to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents in Scotland

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 277
Author(s):  
Charlotte F Huggins ◽  
Chloe Fawns-Ritchie ◽  
Drew M Altschul ◽  
Archie Campbell ◽  
Clifford Nangle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Generation Scotland ◽  
Longitudinal Observational Studies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Health Guidance

TeenCovidLife is part of Generation Scotland’s CovidLife projects, a set of longitudinal observational studies designed to assess the psychosocial and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. TeenCovidLife focused on how adolescents in Scotland were coping during the pandemic. As of September 2021, Generation Scotland had conducted three TeenCovidLife surveys. Participants from previous surveys were invited to participate in the next, meaning the age ranges shifted over time. TeenCovidLife Survey 1 consists of data from 5,543 young people age 12 to 17, collected from 22 May to 5 July 2020, during the first school closures period in Scotland. TeenCovidLife Survey 2 consists of data from 2,245 young people aged 12 to 18, collected from 18 August to 14 October 2020, when the initial lockdown measures were beginning to ease, and schools reopened in Scotland. TeenCovidLife Survey 3 consists of data from 597 young people age 12 to 19, collected from 12 May to 27 June 2021, a year after the first survey, after the schools returned following the second lockdown in 2021. A total of 316 participants took part in all three surveys. TeenCovidLife collected data on general health and well-being, as well as topics specific to COVID-19, such as adherence to COVID-19 health guidance, feelings about school closures, and the impact of exam cancellations. Limited work has examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people. TeenCovidLife provides relevant and timely data to assess the impact of the pandemic on young people in Scotland. The dataset is available under authorised access from Generation Scotland; see the Generation Scotland website for more information.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document