Dataset Information

Associations between COVID-19 transmission rates, park use, and landscape structure.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has had severe impacts on global public health. In England, social distancing measures and a nationwide lockdown were introduced to reduce the spread of the virus. Green space accessibility may have been particularly important during this lockdown, as it could have provided benefits for physical and mental wellbeing. However, the associations between public green space use and the rate of COVID-19 transmission are yet to be quantified, and as the size and accessibility of green spaces vary within England's local authorities, the risks and benefits to the public of using green space may be context-dependent. To evaluate how green space affected COVID-19 transmission across 299 local authorities (small regions) in England, we calculated a daily case rate metric, based upon a seven-day moving average, for each day within the period June 1st - November 30th 2020 and assessed how baseline health and mobility variables influenced these rates. Next, looking at the residual case rates, we investigated how landscape structure (e.g. area and patchiness of green space) and park use influenced transmission. We first show that reducing mobility is associated with a decline in case rates, especially in areas with high population clustering. After accounting for known mechanisms behind transmission rates, we found that park use (showing a preference for park mobility) was associated with decreased residual case rates, especially when green space was low and contiguous (not patchy). Our results support that a reduction in overall mobility may be a good strategy for reducing case rates, endorsing the success of lockdown measures. However, if mobility is necessary, outdoor park use may be safer than other forms of mobility and associated activities (e.g. shopping or office-based working).

SUBMITTER: Johnson TF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8170904 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:Although the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act has accelerated adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) among Medicaid providers, only half achieved Meaningful Use. Furthermore, Meaningful Use’ impact on reporting and/or clinical outcomes remains unknown. To address this deficit, we assessed the difference between Medicaid providers who did and did not achieve Meaningful Use regarding Florida county-level cumulative COVID-19 death, case and case fatality rates (CFR), accounting for county-level demographics, socioeconomic and clinical markers, and healthcare environment. We found that cumulative incidence rates of COVID-19 deaths and CFRs were significantly different between the 5025 Medicaid providers not achieving Meaningful Use and the 3723 achieving Meaningful Use (mean 0.8334/1000 population; SD = 0.3489 vs. mean = 0.8216/1000; SD = 0.3227, respectively) (P = .01). CFRs were .01797 and .01781, respectively, P = .04. County-level characteristics independently associated with increased COVID-19 death rates and CFRs include greater concentrations of persons of African American or Black race, lower median household income, higher unemployment, and higher concentrations of those living in poverty and without health insurance (all P < .001). In accordance with other studies, social determinants of health were independently associated with clinical outcomes. Our findings also suggest that the association between Florida counties’ public health outcomes and Meaningful Use achievement may have had less to do with using EHRs for reporting of clinical outcomes and more to do with using EHRs for coordination of care—a key measure of quality. The Florida Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Program which incentivized Medicaid providers towards achieving Meaningful Use, has demonstrated success regarding both rates of adoption and clinical outcomes. Because the Program ends in 2021, we support programs such as HealthyPeople 2030 Health IT which address the remaining half of Florida Medicaid providers who have not yet achieved Meaningful Use. Author summary Our study investigates whether government support during 2012–2018 to increase technology among Medicaid providers to implement electronic health records is associated with reported COVID-19 death and case rates. We found that reported cumulative COVID-19 death rates were significantly greater in counties where more providers lacked the technology. Case rates were not associated with providers’ access to this technology. Counties with greater percentages of residents who are African American/Black, unemployed, living in poverty, underinsured and with histories of chronic lower respiratory disease, influenza or pneumonia were associated with worse clinical outcomes. Our findings also suggest that this technology may have been used primarily to coordinate patient care—a key quality indicator, rather than for reporting outcomes to public health agencies. Because program year 2021 marked the end of the Florida Promoting Interoperability Incentive Program, our findings provide baseline data to extend this support beyond 2021 in alignment with the Healthy People 2030 health information technology objectives. Increasing the proportion of office based Medicaid providers using advanced EHRs functions will help minimize an emerging “digital divide” between the quality of care provided to the nation’s most vulnerable patients who access care from Medicaid providers not having achieved meaningful use vs. those Medicaid providers using advanced EHR functions.

Project description:IntroductionVisitation to parks and protected areas is a common COVID-19 coping strategy promoted by state and national public health officials and political leadership. Crowding and congestions in parks has been a perennial problem and the ability to socially distance within them is an unproven assumption. Is it possible to socially distance in a busy national park that has been designed to concentrate use?Methodology/principal findingsAn observational study was conducted in July 2020 at the outside foyer of the Visitor Center of Arches National Park. Motion sensor cameras were placed to record one-minute videos when a person entered the field of view. Number of groups, group size, facial coverings and encounters within 6 feet (1.83 meters) of other groups were recorded. Groups were smaller on average than recorded in previous studies. Approximately 61% of the visitors wore masks. Most groups (69%) were able to experience the visitor center with no intergroup encounters. We model the probability of intergroup encounters and find as group size and number of groups increases, the probability of encounters rises. With four groups present, the probability of one or more encounters ranges from 19% to 40% for common group sizes, while if eight groups are present, the probability of one or more encounters increases from 34% to 64% for common group sizes.Conclusions/significanceUnder conditions in which park visitors have the physical space to avoid close encounters with other groups they are taking advantage of the opportunity. Visitors are minimizing group size, wearing masks, and remaining socially distant. However, encounters increase as the number or the size of the groups increases. In other areas of the parks this ability to avoid encounters may not be as possible. We recommend that park managers continue to appeal for compliance with CDC guidelines, especially the wearing of masks and encouraging visitors to split up into small groups when visiting.

Dataset Information

Associations between COVID-19 transmission rates, park use, and landscape structure.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets