Article
Geography
Geoff DeVerteuil, J. Kiener, T. Mizuuchi
Summary: This study sheds light on the understudied social infrastructure of service hubs that cater to vulnerable urban populations. Using Kamagasaki, Osaka as a case study, the research finds that service hubs play a vital role as inner-city social infrastructure, characterized by close proximity between clients and services, high accessibility and provisionality, and a focus on day-to-day survival. However, the study also highlights that these service hubs are often bypassed and do not align with market forces, and are increasingly less aligned with the state as well. Kamagasaki represents a social infrastructure that is marginalized and incompatible with the current urbanism that emphasizes privatization, gentrification, and neoliberal co-optation, as well as the older infrastructural ideal of large-scale universality.
Article
Psychiatry
Lydia Whitaker, Claire Cameron, Hanan Hauari, Katie Hollingworth, Margaret O'Brien
Summary: This study reports on the experiences of families in London Borough of Tower Hamlets, finding that parental mental health difficulties are associated with factors such as low material assets, familial assets, and community assets. South Asian parents and fathers across ethnicities were more likely to experience mental health difficulties.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Stuart W. Flint, Meghan Leaver, Alex Griffiths, Mohammad Kaykanloo
Summary: The study highlights lower perceived quality of care for individuals living with overweight or obesity compared to the general population in England, with regional variations in care quality. Patient experiences differ based on personality attributes, values, and sentiment, emphasizing the need for patient-centered care and personalized approaches to address healthcare inequity.
Article
Environmental Studies
Ther Aung, Pamela Jagger, Kay Thwe Hlaing, Khin Khin Han, Wakako Kobayashi
Summary: Through a two-wave mixed-method observational study design, we found significant geographical heterogeneity in energy access during the urbanization process in Yangon. Informal and low-income urban households face challenges in energy access, while rural households are more likely to use clean fuels.
ENERGY RESEARCH & SOCIAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Nursing
Chen Li, Chunmei Qiu, Ying Shi, Tao Yang, Xinmei Shao, Dongxiang Zheng
Summary: This study aims to systematically review and synthesise qualitative research on stroke patients' experiences of dysphagia. The findings suggest a need for greater attention to psychological health and social interaction in poststroke dysphagia patients, as well as the importance of healthcare professionals providing support and care.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING
(2022)
Article
Nursing
Emma L. Giles, Fatemeh Eskandari, Grant Mcgeechan, Steph Scott, Amelia A. Lake, Scott Teasdale, David Ekers, Alex Augustine, Nikita Le Savauge, Chris Lynch, Hannah Moore, Jo Smith
Summary: Food insecurity refers to the lack of access to sufficient nutritious food, which can result in health problems such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Individuals with severe mental illness are more likely to experience food insecurity. A study conducted in Northern England found that unemployment, the cost-of-living crisis, and fuel poverty contributed to food insecurity among adults with severe mental illness. The study also highlighted the difficulties faced in accessing food banks and the need to improve their accessibility and the quality of available food.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gyorgy Csomos, Jeno Zsolt Farkas, Balazs Szabo, Zoltan Bertus, Zoltan Kovacs
Summary: Globally, urbanization has caused a severe shortage of urban green spaces, especially in densely populated inner cities. A survey conducted in four small urban parks in Budapest, Hungary reveals that people living near these parks are the primary users, but they are also visited by individuals from distant areas due to their good accessibility. The survey findings indicate that park visitors have higher quality expectations for cultural ecosystem services in small urban green spaces, with the green components being more satisfactory than other amenities. However, perceptions of park safety varied across socioeconomic groups.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Debora Darabi, Ulrike Kluge, Simone Penka, Adrian P. Mundt, Meryam Schouler-Ocak, Jeffrey Butler, Shuyan Liu, Andreas Heinz, Michael A. Rapp
Summary: This study examined whether environmental stressors associated with climate change, such as air and noise pollution, local heat levels, and a lack of greenspace, mediate the effects of local poverty on mental health. The results show that these environmental factors do not mediate the effects of local poverty on mental health. However, the presence of greenspace, nitrogen dioxide levels, noise pollution, and particle pollution were associated with local poverty, which played a stronger role in explaining the variance in mental health compared to individual factors.
EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Pilar Monteso-Curto, Maria Teresa Cubi-Guillen, Anna Nuria Lladser Navarro, Montserrat Puig Llobet, Loren Toussaint
Summary: Family members of FMS patients perceive the illness in terms of its manifestations, psychological aspects, and interference with traditional gender roles. Living with FMS patients, they experience emotional concerns, overprotection, and coping through escape.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Federico Ciardi, Vidya Menon, Jamie L. Jensen, Masood A. Shariff, Anjana Pillai, Usha Venugopal, Moiz Kasubhai, Vihren Dimitrov, Balavenkatesh Kanna, Brian D. Poole
Summary: The study found that attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination among hospital employees are influenced by various factors, including demographics, roles within the hospital, knowledge about the virus, and confidence in personal protective measures and behaviors. The most predictive factors of vaccine attitudes were prior attitudes and concerns about the speed of vaccine testing and approval, with perceived personal risk also significant.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hongmei Xu, Rong Feng, Zexuan Wang, Ningning Zhang, Renjian Zhang, Kailai He, Qiyuan Wang, Qian Zhang, Jian Sun, Bin Zhang, Zhenxing Shen, Steven Hang Sai Ho, Junji Cao
Summary: The study collected traffic-source dominated VOC samples in a tunnel in Xi'an, China, during four time intervals in summer 2019. High levels of VOCs were found during rush hours compared to non-rush hours, mainly attributed to vehicle emissions. BTEX and certain VOCs played a significant role in TVOC levels, while motor vehicle emissions were a major contributor to ozone formation potential.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Nursing
Iria Dobarrio-Sanz, Anabel Chica-Perez, Jose Manuel Martinez-Linares, Olga Maria Lopez-Entrambasaguas, Cayetano Fernandez-Sola, Jose Manuel Hernandez-Padilla
Summary: This qualitative study based on Gadamer's hermeneutic phenomenology aims to understand the experience of low-income older adults living in poverty in a high-income country. Through in-depth interviews and data analysis of 27 low-income older adults, it was found that poverty affects all aspects of life for older adults, making them feel excluded from social support policies and laws, leading to negative mental health and social isolation.
JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lijalem Jemberu, Yosef Wasihun, Tadele Fentabil Anagaw, Eyob Ketema Bogale
Summary: This study aims to explore the lived experiences of disabled individuals in Bahir Dar City. A descriptive phenomenology study design was used, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 disabled individuals from November 15 to December 20, 2022. The study found that the lived experiences of disabled individuals included five major themes, namely physical, psychological, social, economic, and coping strategy experiences, with sub-themes such as depression and negative emotional behavior.
Article
Nursing
Kyoko Nagata, Kazuyo Kitaoka, Midori Kawamura
Summary: The study found that people with schizophrenia in the community experience confusion, helplessness, longing for death, loneliness linked to death, precarious daily life, relationship crises, fear of stigmatization, etc. It is important for community mental health nurses to provide support to help patients maintain emotional support and the will to overcome difficulties.
NURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Cybernetics
Yi Wang
Summary: This study reveals that second generation rural-urban migrants in Beijing have experiences with technology that differentiate them from their urban-native peers but share similarities with rural peers. This unique form of rurality serves as a coping mechanism for identity struggles, contributing to the existing literature on Human-Computer Interaction and Computer Supported Cooperative Work.
ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTER-HUMAN INTERACTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nadine Wunsch, Stefan J. Green, Sebastian Adam, Janie Hampton, Penelope A. Phillips-Howard, Supriya D. Mehta
Summary: This study examined the effectiveness of different cleaning methods in eliminating S. aureus from silicone menstrual cups. The results showed that cleaning cups with soap and water, followed by steeping in boiled water, was the most effective in eliminating bacteria. Additionally, raised lettering on the cup's outer surface affected bacterial recovery.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Garazi Zulaika, Miriam Bulbarelli, Elizabeth Nyothach, Annemieke van Eijk, Linda Mason, Eunice Fwaya, David Obor, Daniel Kwaro, Duolao Wang, Supriya D. Mehta, Penelope A. Phillips-Howard
Summary: The study aims to measure the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent pregnancy and school dropout among school-going girls in Kenya. The findings show that girls experiencing COVID-19 containment measures had twice the risk of falling pregnant and three times the risk of school dropout compared to pre-COVID-19 learners.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marni Sommer, Penelope A. Phillips-Howard, Caitlin Gruer, Margaret L. Schmitt, Angela-Maithy Nguyen, Amanda Berry, Shivani Kochhar, Sarah Gorrell Kulkarni, Denis Nash, Andrew R. Maroko
Summary: The study identifies that pandemic-related income loss is a significant predictor of menstrual product insecurity, particularly for individuals with lower income and educational attainment. Providing free or subsidized menstrual products is essential for vulnerable populations and those most affected by the pandemic-related income loss.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Book Review
Development Studies
Antara Mandal, Supriya Garikipati
JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Sian Floyd, Sarah Mulwa, Faith Magut, Annabelle Gourlay, Nondumiso Mthiyane, Vivienne Kamire, Jane Osindo, Moses Otieno, Natsayi Chimbindi, Abdhalah Ziraba, Penelope Phillips-Howard, Daniel Kwaro, Maryam Shahmanesh, Isolde Birdthistle
Summary: This study examines the impact of the DREAMS program on the uptake of services and sexual risk among AGYW. The results show that the DREAMS program has had a positive effect on increasing knowledge of HIV status, but there is a need for more efforts to promote the use of condoms and PrEP among AGYW.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Eliud Kibuchi, Proloy Barua, Ivy Chumo, Noemia Teixeira de Siqueira Filha, Penelope Phillips-Howard, Md Imran Hossain Mithu, Caroline Kabaria, Zahidul Quayyum, Lana Whittaker, Laura Dean, Ross Forsyth, Tasmiah Selim, Bachera Aktar, Varun Sai, Sureka Garimella, Samuel Saidu, Ibrahim Gandi, Lakshmi K. Josyula, Blessing Mberu, Helen Elsey, Alastair H. Leyland, Linsay Gray
Summary: This article examines the health inequalities among urban slum residents, with a particular focus on the health conditions of children aged 0-4. By analyzing survey data from Kenya and Bangladesh, the study finds that social determinants of health (SDoH) play a significant role in influencing the health outcomes of slum children. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and international conferences.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Vishna Shah, Penelope Phillips-Howard, Julie Hennegan, Sue Cavill, Bakary Sonko, Edrisa Sinjanka, Nyima Camara Trawally, Abdou Kanteh, Francois Mendy, Amadou B. Bah, Momodou Saar, Ian Ross, Wolf Schmidt, Belen Torondel
Summary: This study describes the methods used in a cluster-randomised controlled trial conducted in The Gambia to estimate the effect of a multi-component intervention on improving menstrual health and school attendance. The intervention included peer education camps, mother's outreach sessions, community meetings, and improvements to school water and sanitation facilities. The study assessed primary and secondary outcomes, as well as conducted process evaluation and cost-effectiveness assessment.
EMERGING THEMES IN EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Criminology & Penology
Beate Ringwald, Rachel Tolhurst, Miriam Taegtmeyer, Lina Digolo, Grace Gichuna, Mwangi Michael Gaitho, Penelope A. Phillips-Howard, Lilian Otiso, Emanuele Giorgi
Summary: This study compares rates of current intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among women and men in different urban residential areas in Kenya. The findings reveal that women in informal settlements bear the greatest burden of IPV, and residing in informal settlements is associated with IPV against women, but not men. Factors such as witnessing father beat mother, using physical violence against partner, partner's alcohol use, and marital status are associated with IPV against both women and men. The study highlights the importance of collecting disaggregated IPV data to inform policy and programming beyond the rural-urban divide.
JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Margaret L. Schmitt, Katie Dimond, Andrew R. Maroko, Penelope A. Phillips-Howard, Caitlin Gruer, Amanda Berry, Denis Nash, Shivani Kochhar, Marni Sommer
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened gender inequalities in the US, leading to increased vulnerability and decreased well-being for women. This study examines the impact of inconsistent access to menstrual products on women's lives and highlights the need for policy reform and education to address menstrual product insecurity.
Article
Development Studies
Maren Duvendack, Lina Sonne, Supriya Garikipati
Summary: India has long been at the forefront of promoting financial inclusion for poor rural women to achieve development objectives such as poverty alleviation and women's empowerment. In recent years, the country has also embraced digital financial inclusion to combat poverty and gender inequality and support the UN's SDGs. This paper examines how India's digital financial revolution has impacted financial transactions and services, with a focus on gender inclusivity and the attainment of the SDGs. The study finds that while India has made significant progress in promoting digital financial inclusion, gender parity remains a challenge, even within specific finance-focused programs designed to improve gender inclusivity. The paper reflects on the policy implications of these findings.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Supriya J. Mehta, Garazi Zulaika, Walter Agingu, Elizabeth Nyothach, Runa Bhaumik, Stefan Green, Anna Maria van Eijk, Daniel Kwaro, Fredrick Otieno, Penelope Phillips-Howard
Summary: This study assessed the impact of menstrual cups on bacterial vaginosis (BV), vaginal microbiome (VMB), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The findings showed that menstrual cup use reduced the occurrence of BV and increased the abundance of Lactobacillus crispatus in the vaginal microbiome, but had no effect on STIs.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Daniel J. Erchick, Seema Subedi, Andrea Verhulst, Michel Guillot, Linda S. Adair, Aluisio J. D. Barros, Bernard Chasekwa, Parul Christian, Bruna Goncalves C. da Silva, Mariangela F. Silveira, Pedro C. Hallal, Jean H. Humphrey, Lieven Huybregts, Simon Kariuki, Subarna K. Khatry, Carl Lachat, Alicia Matijasevich, Peter D. McElroy, Ana Maria B. Menezes, Luke C. Mullany, Tita Lorna L. Perez, Penelope A. Phillips-Howard, Dominique Roberfroid, Ina S. Santos, Feiko O. ter Kuile, Thulasiraj D. Ravilla, James M. Tielsch, Lee S. F. Wu, Joanne Katz
Summary: This study analyzed data from 11 population-based pregnancy or birth cohort studies and found that these studies' methods and protocols provided high-quality vital event data, improving understanding of infant mortality patterns in low- and middle-income countries.
POPULATION HEALTH METRICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Karan Babbar, Supriya Garikipati
Summary: Improving menstrual hygiene among poor girls and women in low-and-middle-income-countries has been a global goal. Disposable pads are financially unsustainable and environmentally burdensome, leading to a growing interest in reusable alternatives like menstrual cups. Factors such as awareness, culture, urban areas, and disadvantaged social categories influence the uptake of sustainable products.
Article
Criminology & Penology
Beate Ringwald, Margaret Kababu, Christian B. Ochieng, Miriam Taegtmeyer, Garazi Zulaika, Penelope A. Phillips-Howard, Lina Digolo
Summary: This study investigated the past-year IPV experience and perpetration among women and men in an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. The findings showed a high correlation between IPV experience and perpetration, with similar rates among men and women. Gender attitudes, knowledge, and skills were associated with IPV outcomes.
JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE
(2022)