Spatial variations of the third and fourth COVID-19 waves in Hong Kong: A comparative study using built environment and socio-demographic characteristics
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PROVIDER: S-EPMC9168414 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Understanding the association between SARS-CoV-2 Spatial Transmission Risk (SSTR) and Built Environments (BE) is crucial for implementing effective pandemic prevention measures. Massive efforts have been made to examine the macro-built environment at the regional level, which has neglected the living service areas at the residential scale. Therefore, this study aims to explore the association between Street-level Built Environments (SLBE) and SSTR in Hong Kong from the 1st to the early 5th waves of the pandemic to address this gap. A total of 3693 visited/resided buildings were collected and clustered by spatial autocorrelation, and then Google Street View (GSV) was employed to obtain SLBE features around the buildings. Eventually, the interpretable machine learning framework based on the random forest algorithm (RFA)-based SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) model was proposed to reveal the hidden non-linear association between SSTR and SLBE. The results indicated that in the high-risk cluster area, street sidewalks, street sanitation facilities, and artificial structures were the primary risk factors positively associated with SSTR, in low-risk cluster areas with a significant positive association with traffic control facilities. Our study elucidates the role of SLBE in COVID-19 transmission, facilitates strategic resource allocation, and guides the optimization of outdoor behavior during pandemics for urban policymakers.
| S-EPMC11467624 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Adolescent active travel (AT) can contribute to health-enhancing physical activity, sense of community, social interactions, spatial and navigational skills and is a sustainable form of transport. Data analysed were from surveys with validated scales, translated and adapted for Chinese speaking Hong Kong adolescents and their parents, and administered to 1,299 adolescent/parent dyads. Using hierarchical modelling, this study examined independent associations of socio-demographic, perceived environmental, social and psychological factors (in that order) with adolescent AT to/from school (ATS) and AT to other destinations in Hong Kong. Moderation by gender and age on perceived environmental and social factors and number of household vehicles on proximity to destinations with AT were also estimated. The adolescents participating in ATS (58%), averaged 7.93 trips and 139.79 min per week. Adolescents averaged 7.68 trips/week to destinations other than school. Perceived proximity of school to home and social support for PA from peers were independently associated with higher odds of engaging in ATS. Social support for PA from household adults was associated with lower odds of engaging in ATS, especially in older adolescents. Trip frequency in those who engaged in ATS was positively associated with perceived proximity of school, access to services and parental transport-related PA. Perceived proximity of school was negatively associated with weekly minutes of ATS. Gender modified the association between social support for PA from peers and ATS frequency, and that of perceived proximity to public transport from home with weekly minutes of ATS. Perceived environmental, social and psychological factors were independently associated with AT to destinations other than school. In conclusion, Hong Kong adolescents appear to have high frequencies of ATS and AT to other destinations than reported elsewhere. Social support from peers, parental AT and having schools and other destinations within walking distance from home may independently contribute to adolescents' AT.
| S-EPMC6750229 | biostudies-literature
Project description:A large number of studies have focused on the associations between single built environment (BE) characteristics and physical activity (PA). Combinations of BE characteristics offer a more comprehensive approach to identify the BE-PA associations. We aimed to examine the BE-PA associations in a cohort of elderly Hong Kong Chinese. Between 2001 and 2003, 3944 participants (65-98 years of age) were recruited and followed for a mean of 7.8 years. BE characteristics were assessed via geographic information system. PA levels were obtained using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly questionnaire at baseline and three follow-ups. Latent profile analysis was first conducted to classify the BE characteristics, and linear mixed-effects models were then used to explore the longitudinal associations between the BE classes and changes in the PA levels. Three classes of BE were identified. Class 3 (characterized by greater green space and sky view factor) demonstrated a significant decline in household PA (β = -1.26, 95% confidence interval: -2.20, -0.33) during the study period, and a slower decline in walking PA (1.19 (0.42, 1.95)) compared with Class 2 (characterized by a greater proportion of residential land use). Our results indicate that BE patterns characterized by high green space and a sky view factor may help promote the walking PA level.
| S-EPMC7344458 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe social unrest in the second half of 2019 in Hong Kong came with conflicts, confrontations, and violence which affected almost everyone in the city. The destruction and disruption of the urban facilities have undoubtedly had a significant impact on the lives and mental well-being of the public, and the older people are even more vulnerable. This study examined the impacts of the social unrest on the wellbeing of older people, an area that was seldomly addressed in the public discourse and literature.MethodsNarrative interviews were conducted to capture older people's lived experiences and ways of making sense of the unrest in Hong Kong. A total of 63 participants aged 60 and above was recruited through personal networks of the research team, and referrals by participants who took part in the interviews. Qualitative semi-structure interviews was conducted one on one via telephone.ResultsThirty-three male and 30 female participants took part in the interview. The number of participants from different risk zones affected by political unrest was comparable. Three themes were generated. Participants experienced challenges during the social unrest, including disturbance to family and social life, reduced incomes which affect quality of life, and difficulties in socializing with friends and accessing medical services. The social unrest caused emotional disturbance, giving rise to feelings of panic, fear, insomnia, depression, annoyance, and anger. Participants reported different coping strategies, ranging from moving to other places, to avoiding going to risky areas and watching news.ConclusionSocial unrest brings emotional distress to older people. In many cases, older people cope with challenges in different ways, whether active or passive. Social workers and other professionals should give more support to older people to encourage them to overcome their difficulties. The stakeholders' awareness of the problem and mental health promotion is required to alleviate the multiple layers of negative impacts.
| S-EPMC9502941 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We constructed a coronavirus disease community vulnerability index using micro district-level socioeconomic and demographic data and analyzed its correlations with case counts across the 3 pandemic waves in Hong Kong, China. We found that districts with greater vulnerability reported more cases in the third wave when widespread community outbreaks occurred.
| S-EPMC8237886 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Construction Industrialization (CI) tends to improve industrial performance and contributes substantially towards global sustainability. Considering these merits, many countries and regions, including Hong Kong, have released policies to promote CI uptake. However, those policy interventions ignore the dynamic influence of stakeholders and technologies, which significantly influence the efficient management of CI. In response, this study aimed to objectively depict a real socio-technical system of CI uptake based on a representative case study in Hong Kong. Further, this study identified the critical issues associated with the CI uptake and proposed policy-related recommendations to overcome the key issues. In addition, this study proposed a novel approach based on two-mode social network analysis to facilitate the analysis from a socio-technical perspective. Theoretically, this depicts the interactions of construction industry stakeholders and artifacts within a dynamic, complex socio-technical environment, indicating a new stance for construction management. Finally, this research also provides valuable implications for the government to anticipate the impact of different CI policies on promoting its uptake within the complex socio-technical system.
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Project description:Hong Kong has an ageing Chinese population with high life expectancy and a rising number of cancer cases. While population ageing could lead to higher incidence, we aim to quantify the demographic and epidemiological contributions to this trend by disentangling the effect of these factors. We analysed secular trends of cancer incidences of all cancer sites combined, including the five top cancers in men and women in Hong Kong in 1983-2017, by disentangling effects of demographics (ageing population and population growth) and cancer risk/rate change using the RiskDiff methodology. Overall, age-standardised incidences of all cancers combined in women and in men declined over the study period (-5.3% for women, -30.2% for men), but total incident cancer case counts increased dramatically (156.5% for women, 96% for men). This increase was primarily due to ageing and increasing population (95% age, 66.1% growth for women, and 119.4% age, 25.4% growth for men), while disease risk for all cancers combined has a decreasing trend (-4.5% for women and -48.8% for men). For the site-specific risk changes among the most five common cancer types, there were increases in risks of prostate and colorectal cancers in men, and breast, endometrial, and thyroid cancers in women. Demographic changes and ageing in our Chinese population resulted in a marked increase in the number of cancer diagnoses in Hong Kong in past decades. The surge in incident case counts overall is expected to stress the healthcare system in terms of the increased demand of healthcare professionals. Cancer surveillance should be enhanced in view of the growing demand from older patients and the cancer types with fast-increasing incidence rates in our population.
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