Social context and the health consequences of disasters

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH ◽  
Craig Hadley, PhD ◽  
Sasha Rudenstine, BA

Disasters have been and will continue to be relatively common events in the human experience, and they make important contributions to variations in population health. There is a need, therefore, for conceptual models that identify the social and ecological factors influencing post-disaster consequences on population health. This article presents one such conceptual model which links the health consequences of natural, technological, and human-made disasters to a set of nested socioecological factors. Specifically, we attempt to link post-disaster consequences to aspects of the global and local environment and to highlight the roles played by social and ecological factors, including the social infrastructure, cultural beliefs, demography, and underlying historical and geographical circumstances. Examples from existing population-based health and disaster research are used to illustrate and amplify connections drawn from the model. From an applied standpoint, the model suggests that the role of multiple contextual determinants in shaping population health is likely to be complex. Practitioners interested in mitigating the consequences of disasters should pursue strategies that improve the underlying determinants of health, as well as practicable population- based interventions that could be implemented rapidly.

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 160-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn A Pfaff ◽  
Lisa Dolovich ◽  
Michelle Howard ◽  
Deborah Sattler ◽  
Merrick Zwarenstein ◽  
...  

Summary Designing and implementing population-based systems of care that address the social determinants of health, take action on multiple levels, and are guided by evidence-based principles is a pressing priority, and an international challenge. Aging persons are a priority demographic whose health needs span physical, psychosocial and existential care domains, increase in the last year of life, are often poorly coordinated and therefore remain unmet. Compassionate communities (CCs) are an example of a public health approach that fully addresses the holistic healthcare needs of those who are aging and nearing end of life. The sharing of resources, tools, and innovations among implementers of CCs is occurring globally. Although this can increase impact, it also generates complexity that can complicate robust evaluation. When initiating population health level projects, it is important to clearly define and organize concepts and processes that are proposed to influence the health outcomes. The Health Impact Change Model (HICM) was developed to unpack the complexities associated with the implementation and evaluation of a Canadian CC intervention. The HICM offers utility for citizens, leaders and decision-makers who are engaged in the implementation of population health level strategies or other social approaches to care, such as compassionate cities and age or dementia-friendly communities. The HICM’s concepts can be adapted to address a community’s healthcare context, needs, and goals for change. We share examples of how the model’s major concepts have been applied in the development, evaluation and spread of a complex CC approach.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Godi Katito ◽  
Emma Davies

PurposeDespite the health benefits of physical activity (PA), participation rates Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) adults in the United Kingdom (UK) are low in comparison to the general population. This study aimed to explore the social-ecological factors related to PA participation among BAME immigrants.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were carried out with 12 purposively selected adults from the BAME populace residing in one postcode district of a city in southern England.FindingsThe three main themes that developed from this study demonstrated that the barriers to PA participation among BAME were perceived to exist at intrapersonal, and environmental (social and physical) levels.Research limitations/implicationsUnderstanding these unique social-ecological factors may assist in intervention development.Originality/valueProminent barriers included intrapersonal factors such as deportation fear and cultural beliefs; and environmental factors such as the cost of accessing PA facilities. Length of residency appeared to be related to increased PA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 5581
Author(s):  
Hayeon Yhee ◽  
Sungpyo Kim ◽  
Sanghyeok Kang

Social infrastructure is provided to improve the quality of life of residents. There are two approaches to social infrastructure planning: (1) a population-based approach and (2) an access-based approach. A plan for the social infrastructure facilities in South Korea has been developed based on the population or number of households in a region. Recently, the South Korean government presented a guideline in which accessibility is included in the criteria. This study proposes a comprehensive evaluation method for the accessibility of social infrastructure and for identifying residential areas with poor access. To obtain the travel time between the residence and the social infrastructure facility, we employed a navigation application programming interface that provides a travel time that reflects the resistances in an actual situation. The accessibility index (AI) is defined as a population-weighted average travel time. We also identified residential areas with poor access to social infrastructure by creating accessibility maps. This study includes social infrastructure facilities, such as parks, libraries, elementary schools, childcare centers, kindergartens, and sports facilities. The method proposed in this study was applied to Namdong-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City, South Korea, to evaluate its applicability. The proposed method has advantages in that (1) the AI is easy to understand because it represents an intuitive index for the overall accessibility in minutes of a region, and (2) accessibility maps effectively identify residential areas with poor access.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 1063-1078
Author(s):  
T.N. Skorobogatova ◽  
I.Yu. Marakhovskaya

Subject. This article discusses the role of social infrastructure in the national economy and analyzes the relationship between the notions of Infrastructure, Service Industry and Non-Productive Sphere. Objectives. The article aims to outline a methodology for development of the social infrastructure of Russia's regions. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of statistical and comparative analyses. The Republic of Crimea and Rostov Oblast's social infrastructure development was considered as a case study. Results. The article finds that the level of social infrastructure is determined by a number of internal and external factors. By analyzing and assessing such factors, it is possible to develop promising areas for the social sphere advancement. Conclusions. Assessment and analysis of internal factors largely determined by the region's characteristics, as well as a comprehensive consideration of the impact of external factors will help ensure the competitiveness of the region's economy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 154 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-155
Author(s):  
Michael Archer

1. Yearly records of worker Vespula germanica (Fabricius) taken in suction traps at Silwood Park (28 years) and at Rothamsted Research (39 years) are examined. 2. Using the autocorrelation function (ACF), a significant negative 1-year lag followed by a lesser non-significant positive 2-year lag was found in all, or parts of, each data set, indicating an underlying population dynamic of a 2-year cycle with a damped waveform. 3. The minimum number of years before the 2-year cycle with damped waveform was shown varied between 17 and 26, or was not found in some data sets. 4. Ecological factors delaying or preventing the occurrence of the 2-year cycle are considered.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Татьяна Андреевна Водчиц

В предложенной статье поднята на рассмотрение общераспространённая проблематика напряженного состояния социальной инфраструктуры города на примере Москвы. Также берется к рассмотрению тот факт, что растущая инфраструктура – одна из глобальных проблем мегаполиса. Выявлены основные причины формирования дисбаланса городской среды. Предложен ряд способов возможного решения данной задачи.In the proposed article, the widespread problems of the tense state of the social infrastructure of the city are raised for consideration. Also taken into consideration is the fact that the growing infrastructure is one of the global problems of the metropolis. The main causes of the imbalance of the urban environment are revealed. A number of possible solutions to this problem are proposed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 183
Author(s):  
Xuehua Ma ◽  
Yi Zhou ◽  
Luyi Yang ◽  
Jianfeng Tong

Rapid development of the economy increased marine litter around Zhoushan Island. Social-ecological scenario studies can help to develop strategies to adapt to such change. To investigate the present situation of marine litter pollution, a stratified random sampling (StRS) method was applied to survey the distribution of marine coastal litters around Zhoushan Island. A univariate analysis of variance was conducted to access the amount of litter in different landforms that include mudflats, artificial and rocky beaches. In addition, two questionnaires were designed for local fishermen and tourists to provide social scenarios. The results showed that the distribution of litter in different landforms was significantly different, while the distribution of litter in different sampling points had no significant difference. The StRS survey showed to be a valuable method for giving a relative overview of beach litter around Zhoushan Island with less effort in a future survey. The questionnaire feedbacks helped to understand the source of marine litter and showed the impact on the local environment and economy. Based on the social-ecological scenarios, governance recommendations were provided in this paper.


Economies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Dmitriy G. Rodionov ◽  
Evgenii A. Konnikov ◽  
Magomedgusen N. Nasrutdinov

The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused a transformation of virtually all aspects of the world order today. Due to the introduction of the world quarantine, a considerable share of professional communications has been transformed into a format of distance interaction. As a result, the specific weight of traditional components of the investment attractiveness of a region is steadily going down, because modern business can be built without the need for territorial unity. It should be stated that now the criteria according to which investors decide if they are ready to invest in a region are dynamically transforming. The significance of the following characteristics is increasingly growing: the sustainable development of a region, qualities of the social environment, and consistency of the social infrastructure. Thus, the approaches to evaluating the region’s investment attractiveness must be transformed. Moreover, the investment process at the federal level involves the determination of target areas of regional development. Despite the universal significance of innovative development, the region can develop much more dynamically when a complex external environment is formed that complements its development model. Interregional interaction, as well as an integrated approach to innovative development, taking into account not only the momentary effect, but also the qualitative long-term transformation of the region, will significantly increase the return on investment. At the same time, the currently existing methods for assessing the investment attractiveness of the region are usually heuristic in nature and are not universal. The heuristic nature of the existing methods does not allow to completely abstract from the subjectivity of the researcher. Moreover, the existing methods do not take into account the cyclical properties of the innovative development of the region, which lead to the formation of a long-term effect from the transformation of the regional environment. This study is aimed at forming a comprehensive methodology that can be used to evaluate the investment attractiveness of a certain region and conclude about the lines of business that should be developed in it as well as to find ways to increase the region’s investment attractiveness. According to the results of the study, a comprehensive methodology was formed to evaluate the region’s investment attractiveness. It consists of three key indicators, namely, the level of the region’s investment attractiveness, the projected level of the region’s investment attractiveness, and the development vector of the region’s investment attractiveness. This methodology is based on a set of indicators that consider the status of the economic and social environment of the region, as well as the status of the innovative and ecological environment. The methodology can be used to make multi-dimensional conclusions both about the growth areas responsible for increasing the region’s innovative attractiveness and the lines of business that should be developed in the region.


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