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Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 33233

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Stefania Toselli

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Guest Editor

Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Interests: anthropometry; body composition; quality of life; public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Letizia Cremonini

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Institute for the BioEconomy, IBE-CNR, Bologna Section, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
Interests: landscape design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Teodoro Georgiadis

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Guest Editor

Institute for the BioEconomy, IBE-CNR, Bologna Section, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
Interests: urban climate; urban meteorology; urban pollution; urban planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

By 2030, three out of five people will live in urban areas given the continuous increase in urbanization processes. The United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs is focused on addressing increasing difficulties related to sustainable development and on the livability of urban environments. Therefore, the idea of a "healthy city" is essential; that is, a city that continually creates and improves the opportunities of the physical and social context and allows all citizens to remain physically active in everyday life. Some studies have indicated how the reduction of access to green spaces leads to a reduction in physical activity with a consequent increase in problems of health. An association between some environmental factors related to the urban context, such as air and noise pollution and high temperatures, with increasing mortality, was widely recognized through time. A revision of the guidance in regenerating cities should include in the resilience actions not only climate as a fundamental issue but also citizen wellness as a fundamental step to apply a broad concept of democracy. This Special Issue is devoted to contributions that approach human-centered solutions for new city policies.

Dr. Teodoro Georgiadis
Dr. Stefania Toselli
Dr. Letizia Cremonini
Guest Editors

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Keywords

urbanization processes
city regeneration
green infrastructures
citizen health
urban policies
health policies in the urban context
impacts on the health of different city environments
fragile population

Published Papers (14 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 8130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Informing Streetscape Design with Citizen Perceptions of Safety and Place: An Immersive Virtual Environment E-Participation Method

by Marcus White, Nano Langenheim, Tianyi Yang and Jeni Paay

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1341; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20021341 - 11 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1893

Abstract

As our cities grow, it is important to develop policies and streetscape designs that provide pedestrians with safe comfortable walking conditions and acknowledge the challenges involved in making urban places feel liveable and safe while understanding the critical role of streets around busy destinations. To understand these challenges at a nuanced, human level, new methods of citizen engagement are needed. This paper outlines the development and application of a new citizen perception collection method, using immersive virtual environments (IVE), coupled with an interactive emoji affective activation-pleasure grid and digital slider elements, embedded within an online e-participation survey to quantify, and rank the impact of individual (single-variable) urban design elements and safe system treatments on pedestrians’ perceptions of safety and place. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of this method for providing detailed, interrogable, scalable citizen perception data of a variety of urban street design elements and safe system treatments, which allows a statistical analysis of responses and prioritization of the most effective pedestrian-oriented interventions for maintaining or enhancing street vibrancy and liveability. Our IVE e-participation approach is an important contribution to forming a better understanding of streetscapes and provides a valuable method for urban designers and transport planners to prioritise different streetscape place and safety approaches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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23 pages, 3795 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coupling Coordination and Dynamic Response Analysis of New-Type Urbanization, Urban Infrastructure and Urban Environment—A Case Study of the Jiaodong Economic Circle

by Cheng Lu, Shuang Li, Jiao Liu and Kun Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 14909; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192214909 - 12 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1357

Abstract

The process of urban development in China is that cities retain independent administrative divisions, realize inter-regional urban integration, and then establish metropolitan areas; this process has high requirements for the coordinated development of cities. China’s cities still need to receive approximately 300 million people in the future, and these urban populations are mainly planned in the emerging metropolitan area. In order to clarify the problems and development of the direction of China’s emerging megalopolis in the process of building a framework for carrying urban population, and to provide reference for China’s urbanization process, the entropy weight method–coupling coordination degree model–panel vector autoregression model (EWM-CCDM-PVAR) is constructed to measure the development level, coupling coordination degree and dynamic response relationship of NTU-UI-UE in the Jiaodong Economic Circle. First, the development level of new-type urbanization and urban infrastructure in the Jiaodong Economic Circle has been steadily improved, but regional differences have been expanding year by year. The urban environment of most cities in the Jiaodong Economic Circle is deteriorating. Second, the CCD level of NTU-UI-UE in the Jiaodong Economic Circle is on the rise, but the CCD level of NTU-UI-UE in Weifang and Yantai is only a Moderate-coupling coordination type, and the development within the region is uneven. Third, both NTU-UI and UI-UE in the Jiaodong Economic Circle have established a dynamic response relationship of mutual promotion, but NTU-UE has a dynamic response relationship of mutual inhibition. Fourth, despite different problems, the Jiaodong Economic Circle has made certain achievements in the process of regional integration and has initially formed a metropolitan circle pattern with Qingdao as its core, Weifang as its west center, Yantai and Weihai as its north center and Rizhao as its south center. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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20 pages, 2199 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Air Pollution (PM_2.5) Negatively Affects Urban Livability in South Korea and China

by Sunmin Jun, Mengying Li and Juchul Jung

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13049; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192013049 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1488

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of the concentration of ambient fine particulate matter

({PM}_{2.5})

, a transboundary air pollutant, on the livability of neighboring areas of China and South Korea with the aim of informing common policy development. Grey relational [...] Read more.

This study investigated the effect of the concentration of ambient fine particulate matter

({PM}_{2.5})

, a transboundary air pollutant, on the livability of neighboring areas of China and South Korea with the aim of informing common policy development. Grey relational analysis (GRA) and panel regression analysis were performed to examine the effect of

{PM}_{2.5}

concentration on various livability indicators. The results revealed that urban living infrastructure was an indicator of effect in both South Korea and China. Based on the high correlation between urban living infrastructure and

{PM}_{2.5}

concentration, it can be seen that

{PM}_{2.5}

clearly affects livability, shown by panel regression analysis. Other key livability indicators were traffic safety, culture and leisure, and climate indicators. Spatial analysis of the livability index revealed that from 2015 to 2019, livability improved in both South Korea and China, but there was a clear difference in the spatial distribution in China. High-vulnerability areas showed potential risks that can reduce livability in the long run. In South Korea and China, areas surrounding large cities were found to be highly vulnerable. The findings of this research can guide the establishment of policies grading

{PM}_{2.5}

pollution at the regional or city macro-level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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16 pages, 6964 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preserving Authenticity in Urban Regeneration: A Framework for the New Definition from the Perspective of Multi-Subject Stakeholders—A Case Study of Nantou in Shenzhen, China

by Shuyang Li and Fei Qu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9135; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19159135 - 26 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2713

Abstract

Urban villages are a modern heritage in China that provide affordable housing for urban immigrants and accommodate diverse communities of cohabitation. The regeneration and displacement of urban villages in the past decade have raised the potential risk of social exclusion and led to debates regarding the preservation of cultural and social authenticity. This paper establishes a new conceptual framework for the definition of authenticity from multi-subject perspectives. Taking Nantou as a massive regeneration case, semi-structured interviews have been conducted with multiple stakeholders, involving planning officials, developers, designers, researchers, merchandisers, curation NGOs, local residents, and tourists. Key factors and concepts related to the multi-subject evaluation of the planning decision and its effect on urban regeneration have been identified, using a grounded theory approach for interview analysis. A further coding of the data reveals four cognitive dimensions in the subjects’ expression of authenticity. The shift in the definition of urban authenticity implies that stakeholders might use different notions of authenticity in negotiations to resist or embrace urban interventions. The multivariant definition framework of authenticity can be adapted to guide future regeneration strategies, and would motivate the proliferation of urban preservation to take social and negotiable character into its definition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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17 pages, 2555 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Micromobility Means of Transport: An Analysis of E-Scooter Users’ Behaviour in Trondheim

by Margherita Pazzini, Leonardo Cameli, Claudio Lantieri, Valeria Vignali, Giulio Dondi and Thomas Jonsson

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7374; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19127374 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 3292

Abstract

Negative effects of a massive use of cars, such as congestion, air pollution, noise, and traffic injuries, are affecting the cities everywhere. Recently introduced shared vehicles, such as e-scooters and electric bicycles, could potentially accelerate the transition towards sustainable mobility. Although these vehicles are becoming increasingly common and accepted within regulatory frameworks, some local governments are not yet ready to integrate e-scooters into their transport systems. Indeed, the legislation is unclear as it is not easy to determine whether the e-scooter is more like a bicycle or a vehicle. Moreover, it is difficult to predict the impact of e-scooters on road traffic, as well as the type of road infrastructure chosen by e-scooter drivers or the possible interaction of such vehicles with weak road users, such as pedestrians or cyclists. This study showed an analysis of speed and behaviour of e-scooter drivers in the city of Trondheim (Norway) to investigate how to manage this mode of transport. A total of 204 e-scooters were observed on six different roads in the city centre. The speed of e-scooter drivers was measured by a speed tracker (average value 15.4 km/h) and their behaviour recorded by a hidden observer in the field. Gender, age, distance from pedestrians, speed adaptation to the environment, and type of vehicle used were registered for each e-scooter. Through a Binomial Logit analysis, the data obtained were used to analyse the type of road infrastructure preferred by e-scooter drivers. Results showed that the cycle path is more widely used with percentage value from 60% to 90% of users. In addition, the probability of choice depended mainly on the road environment. The aim of this analysis was to assist local authorities in regulating the safe use of e-scooters and developing appropriate policies for their integration into cities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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19 pages, 4248 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How the Built Environment Promotes Residents’ Physical Activity: The Importance of a Holistic People-Centered Perspective

by Yufang Zhang, Terry van Dijk and Cor Wagenaar

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5595; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19095595 - 05 May 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2452

Abstract

Promoting adequate physical activity (PA) such as walking and cycling is essential to cope with the global health challenge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Much research has been conducted to analyze how the built environment can promote PA, but the results are not consistent. Some scholars found that certain built environments such as green spaces generated positive impacts on PA, while some other studies showed no correlations. We suspected that the built environment should be measured in a deeply holistic nuanced way in order to properly reflect its impact on PA. Therefore, our research adopted an integral urban-analysis comparing three typical neighborhoods in Beijing, China. Our data show that the highest PA occurs in the neighborhood with the lowest density, amount of green space and street connectivity, apparently compensated by its low-rise housing type and high appreciation of the quality of sidewalks and street safety. This indicates that dimensions impacting PA have to be considered in context, and the peoples’ perception of the built environment matters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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21 pages, 1947 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What Are the Needs of City Dwellers in Terms of the Development of Public Spaces? A Case Study of Participatory Budgeting in Częstochowa, Poland

by Katarzyna Kołat, Marek Furmankiewicz and Magdalena Kalisiak-Mędelska

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5171; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19095171 - 24 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1949

Abstract

Participatory Budgeting (PB) is considered a human-centered method of public resource management and investment planning, which strongly reflects the needs of the inhabitants of the municipality. The aim of this article is to assess the structure of the inhabitants’ needs expressed in the PB procedures in Częstochowa, Poland and their relation to the social and demographic characteristics of the city districts. The standard methods of quantitative and qualitative analysis were used (Pearson correlation coefficient and content analysis of the municipal documents), based on the data about: (1) the projects implemented in Częstochowa PB in the years 2015–2019; (2) the age structures and population density in the districts; and (3) qualitative data on district development characteristics. Based on the authors’ typology of projects, it was found that the most popular tasks were related to the comfort and safety of mobility and recreational facilities used for spending free time in public spaces. A relatively lower level of activity of the citizens was found when expressing their needs in central, densely populated districts with a high share of people aged over 65, and a relatively higher level of activity was found in the districts with a high proportion of people aged 0–18 and with lower population density. In the densely populated central districts, relatively high interest in the development of green areas was observed, while in the less populated developing peripheral districts, the preferred infrastructure was related to mobility. These correlations can be logically explained by the conditions related to the development processes of individual districts. The authors conclude that PB can be an important mechanism in determining local needs for the development of public spaces; however, it rewards the needs of the most active social groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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13 pages, 858 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Use of the Natural Outdoor Environment in Different Populations in Europe in Relation to Access: Implications for Policy

by Daniel Masterson, Margarita Triguero-Mas, Sandra Marquez, Wilma Zijlema, David Martinez, Christopher Gidlow, Graham Smith, Gemma Hurst, Marta Cirach, Regina Grazuleviciene, Magdalena Van den Berg, Hanneke Kruize, Jolanda Maas and Mark Nieuwenhuijsen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2226; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19042226 - 16 Feb 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2051

Abstract

This cross-cultural study explores the relationship of natural outdoor environment (NOE) use with NOE access. Most urban planning recommendations suggest optimal accessibility to be 300 m–500 m straight distance to spaces with vegetation of at least 1 hectare. Exploring this recommendation, we used data (n = 3947) from four European cities collected in the framework of the PHENOTYPE study: Barcelona (Spain), Doetinchem (The Netherlands), Kaunas (Lithuania) and Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom) to obtain residential access to NOE (straight or network distances, using 300 m and 150 m buffers, to NOE larger than 1 hectare or 0.5 hectare) and use of NOE (i.e., self-reported time spent in NOE). Poisson regression models were used to examine the associations between residential access and use of NOE. The models with the strongest association with time spent in NOE in the combined sample were for those living within 300 m straight line distance to either 0.5 ha or 1 ha NOE. Noting that the only indicator that was consistent across all individual cities was living with 150 m network buffer of NOE (of at least 1 ha), this warrants further exploration in reducing recommendations of 300 m straight-line distance to 150 m network distance to 1 ha of NOE for a general indicator for cities within Europe. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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14 pages, 1229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Park Based Interventions on Health: The Italian Project “Moving Parks”

by Stefania Toselli, Laura Bragonzoni, Laura Dallolio, Alessia Grigoletto, Alice Masini, Sofia Marini, Giuseppe Barone, Erika Pinelli, Raffaele Zinno, Mario Mauro, Gerardo Astorino, Pietro Loro Pilone, Simona Galli and Pasqualino Maietta Latessa

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2130; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19042130 - 14 Feb 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2368

Abstract

Obesity and physical inactivity are global health problems responsible for the risk increment of noncommunicable diseases. To overcome these problems, interventions aimed at increasing physical activity (PA) are necessary. Green space can have a positive influence on promoting PA, so, the aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of the project “The moving parks project”, which provides for the administration of PA to citizens within Bologna’s parks (Italy). An ad hoc questionnaire was administered before and after three months of outdoor PA. A total of 329 adult subjects participated in the survey. At follow-up, all psychosocial parameters showed an improvement, with a reduction in the state of tension, sadness and fatigue, and an improvement in the state of energy, serenity, and vitality. The impact of the interventions carried out in the “Moving Parks project” was positive and appears to be a good strategy for improving health outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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17 pages, 759 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Promoting Health in a Rural Community in the Basque Country by Leveraging Health Assets Identified through a Community Health Diagnosis

by Maria Jose Alberdi-Erice, Esperanza Rayón-Valpuesta and Homero Martinez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(2), 627; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19020627 - 06 Jan 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1660

Abstract

Salutogenesis focuses on factors that generate health and is a useful construct for identifying factors that promote health and for guiding activities to this end. This article describes health assets identified in a community diagnosis and how to leverage them with actions for improvement to deepen the understanding of this concept and its impact on health promotion. An intervention strategy was designed following the principles of participatory action research (PAR). The study was carried out in Mañaria (Basque Country, Spain) using semi-structured and in-depth interviews, participant observation, desk review, and photographs, alongside different participatory strategies. Twenty-six women were interviewed, 21 of whom were community inhabitants, and five were key informants who worked in public or private institutions. Participant recruitment stopped when data saturation was reached. Data were analysed through discourse analysis, progressive coding, and categorisation. Six meta-categories emerged, and for each of these categories, health assets were identified together with actions to improve the community’s health. The latter were presented by the community to the authorities to trigger specific actions towards improving the health of the community. Identification of health assets led to different actions to improve the health of the community including improving the existing physical and social environments, personal and group skills, and the promotion of physical, social, emotional and cultural well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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19 pages, 4857 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Direct and Spillover Effect of Multi-Dimensional Urbanization on PM_2.5 Concentrations: A Case Study from the Chengdu-Chongqing Urban Agglomeration in China

by Sicheng Wang, Pingjun Sun, Feng Sun, Shengnan Jiang, Zhaomin Zhang and Guoen Wei

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(20), 10609; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182010609 - 10 Oct 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2486

Abstract

The Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration (CUA) faces considerable air quality concerns, although the situation has improved in the past 15 years. The driving effects of population, land and economic urbanization on PM_2.5 concentrations in the CUA have largely been overlooked in previous studies. The contributions of natural and socio-economic factors to PM_2.5 concentrations have been ignored and the spillover effects of multi-dimensional urbanization on PM_2.5 concentrations have been underestimated. This study explores the spatial dependence and trend evolution of PM_2.5 concentrations in the CUA at the grid and county level, analyzing the direct and spillover effects of multi-dimensional urbanization on PM_2.5 concentrations. The results show that the mean PM_2.5 concentrations in CUA dropped to 48.05 μg/m³ at an average annual rate of 4.6% from 2000 to 2015; however, in 2015, there were still 91% of areas exposed to pollution risk (>35 μg/m³). The PM_2.5 concentrations in 92.98% of the area have slowly decreased but are rising in some areas, such as Shimian County, Xuyong County and Gulin County. The PM_2.5 concentrations in this region presented a spatial dependence pattern of “cold spots in the east and hot spots in the west”. Urbanization was not the only factor contributing to PM_2.5 concentrations. Commercial trade, building development and atmospheric pressure were found to have significant contributions. The spillover effect of multi-dimensional urbanization was found to be generally stronger than the direct effects and the positive impact of land urbanization on PM_2.5 concentrations was stronger than population and economic urbanization. The findings provide support for urban agglomerations such as CUA that are still being cultivated to carry out cross-city joint control strategies of PM_2.5 concentrations, also proving that PM_2.5 pollution control should not only focus on urban socio-economic development strategies but should be an integration of work optimization in various areas such as population agglomeration, land expansion, economic construction, natural adaptation and socio-economic adjustment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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Review

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12 pages, 1144 KiB

Open AccessReview

Perceived Safety Influencing Active Travel to School—A Built Environment Perspective

by Dorji Wangzom, Marcus White and Jeni Paay

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1026; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20021026 - 06 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2482

Abstract

Despite the many research studies on active school travel (AST), the number of children walking/cycling to school is decreasing as there is a lack of implementable research evidence. This review through database searches from 2000 to 2020 aims to identify research gaps and explore new perspectives. The articles are selected and screened methodically for systematic presentation of the review. An existing active school travel framework is used to structure and discuss this review paper on mediating factors influencing children’s active travel to school, that is the perceived traffic safety, neighborhood safety, and distance to school. Perception of traffic safety could be ameliorated through lateral separation from the traffic, and this could be a new area of research. The neighborhood safety perception may require more research to validate the previous findings. Schools should be located within high-density residential development so that many children can walk to school. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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16 pages, 1071 KiB

Open AccessReview

Do Current Measures of Social Exclusion Depict the Multidimensional Challenges of Marginalized Urban Areas? Insights, Gaps and Future Research

by Rocío Vela-Jiménez and Antonio Sianes

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 7993; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18157993 - 28 Jul 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2109

Abstract

According to the United Nations, 70% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050, increasing the proliferation of areas of social exclusion and thus polarization and segregation. The establishment of multidimensional measures seeks to identify such situations of social exclusion to inform social policies and interventions. However, some concerns emerge: Are these measures catching the needs of people living in particularly disadvantages areas? Do they offer a human-centred approach or a territorial focus? Is the multidimensionality of such measures reflecting nonmaterial aspects such as health, access to liveable environments or political participation? To analyse how the scientific literature is addressing the measurement of social exclusion to tackle such urban challenges, a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines was performed in the Web of Science database. After screening following the inclusion criteria, 28 studies were identified that analysed systems of indicators that multidimensionally examined social exclusion at the individual and/or family level in urban contexts. Despite studies being eminently limited to some Western countries, the results revealed a broad diversity. However, very few of them fully focused on the specific characteristics of marginalized urban areas, and most found serious difficulties in overcoming a material approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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Other

Jump to: Research, Review

25 pages, 638 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Systematic Review of the Health and Equity Impacts of Remediation and Redevelopment of Contaminated Sites

by Danielle Sinnett, Isabelle Bray, Gergő Baranyi, Matthias Braubach and Sinaia Netanyanhu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5278; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19095278 - 26 Apr 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2672

Abstract

(1) Background: Globally there is a vast legacy of contaminated sites from past industrial, commercial and military activity, waste disposal, and mineral extraction. This review examined the extent to which the remediation of contaminated sites reduces health risks to new and existing populations. (2) Methods: Standard academic databases were searched for papers that reported on health-related outcomes in humans following remediation and redevelopment of contaminated sites. Title/abstract screening, followed by full-text screening identified sixteen papers that met the eligibility criteria. (3) Results: Most studies were set in the United States of America and reported changes in blood lead concentrations in children, following soil remediation and, in some cases, public health campaigns to reduce exposure. Two further studies examined the impacts of remediation on soil contaminated with chromium and sediments contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). (4) Conclusions: Overall, the evidence suggests that remediation via removal, capping, and replacing soil, and planting vegetation is effective at reducing concentrations of lead and chromium in blood and urine in children. There is also evidence that sediment dredging can reduce PCB concentrations in umbilical cords in infants. Study designs are relatively weak and some recommendations are provided for those wishing to examine the health impacts of remediation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Centered Approach in City Regeneration)

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