Search Results (290)

As older adults face increasing mobility challenges due to diminished driving ability, they encounter heightened risks of social exclusion, impacting their mental, social, and physical well-being. This study investigates spatial gaps in the availability of sustainable transportation options—including public transit, paratransit, and specialized senior services—and examines their alignment with the distribution of older adults segmented by age group (65–74, 75–84, and 85+). Using Florida as a case study, Geographic Information System (GIS) was employed to conduct a geospatial analysis, identifying statistically significant clusters of low transportation availability alongside high concentrations of older adults. The primary contribution of this research lies in its innovative methodology, which integrates precise transportation service boundaries with age-segmented demographic data, offering a nuanced assessment of transportation equity as a crucial aspect of sustainability. Findings provide a comprehensive framework for policymakers, enabling targeted resource allocation and planning that enhance mobility, accessibility, and quality of life for older adults. This study contributes to advancing sustainable development goals by addressing transportation disparities, supporting equitable, age-sensitive transportation solutions, and informing broader discussions on sustainable urban planning. Full article

In the context of historical districts becoming a key to the urban transformation and high-quality development of Chinese cities, this paper investigates the regeneration of historic environments in China, emphasizing the creation of public value through urban morphology. By analyzing five distinct case studies—Chengdu KuanZhai Alley, Shanghai TianZiFang Alley, Guangzhou EnNing Road, Taiyuan ZhongLou Street, and Beijing NanLuoGu Alley—this study explores the relationship between urban form and public value creation from 2000 to 2020. The research posits that the spatial attribute of “public nature” is central to the regeneration process, highlighting the importance of understanding how urban spaces can foster community engagement and social interaction. An evaluation system is constructed to assess the regeneration of historic areas based on spatial “publicness” and people’s perceptions, addressing the need for a more nuanced approach to urban planning. The findings reveal that effective urban regeneration not only preserves historical significance but also enhances the quality of public spaces, thereby contributing to social equity and cultural integrity. This study aims to provide valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers, advocating for a public value-oriented approach to the renewal of historic districts that balances economic development with the preservation of cultural heritage. The integration of public value concepts into heritage management is crucial for creating vibrant urban environments that resonate with community needs and aspirations. Full article

In the realm of shared autonomous vehicle ride-sharing, precise demand prediction is vital for optimizing resource allocation, improving travel efficiency, and promoting sustainable transport solutions. However, existing studies tend to overlook social attributes and demographic characteristics across various regions, resulting in disparities in prediction fairness between areas with plentiful and limited transportation resources. In order to achieve more accurate and fair prediction, an innovative Social Graph Convolution Long Short-Term Memory framework is proposed, incorporating demographic, spatial, and transportation accessibility information into multiple functional graphs, including functional similarity, population structure, and historical demand graphs. Furthermore, Mean Percentage Error indicators are employed in the loss function to balance prediction accuracy and fairness. The findings indicate that there is an enhancement in both prediction accuracy and fairness by at least 8.9% and 12.9%, respectively, compared to base models. Additionally, the predictions for rush hours in both privileged and underprivileged regions exhibit greater precision and rationality, supporting sustainable transport practices. The proposed framework effectively captures the demands of diverse social groups, thereby contributing to the advancement of social equity and long-term sustainability in urban mobility. Full article

In developing countries, aging is rapid and new towns in suburban and rural districts are emerging. However, the spatial accessibility and equity of healthcare services for older adults in new towns is rarely examined. This study is among the earliest attempts to evaluate the spatial accessibility and equity of public hospitals for older adults, using data from Songjiang District, Shanghai, China. A modified Gaussian Huff-based three-step floating catchment area (GH3SFCA) method was adopted based on the real-time travel costs of public transit, driving, cycling, and walking. The Gini coefficient and Bivariate Moran’s Index were integrated to estimate spatial equity. The results showed that the spatial accessibility of high-tier hospitals decreases from the central areas to the outskirts for older adults in Songjiang. Meanwhile, the accessibility of low-tier hospitals varies substantially across areas. Although the low-tier hospitals are distributed evenly, their Gini coefficient showed less equitable spatial accessibility than the high-tier hospitals. Furthermore, driving and cycling lead to more equitable spatial accessibility than public transit or walking. Finally, communities with a low-supply–high-demand mismatch for public hospitals were suggested to be improved preferentially. These findings will facilitate planning strategies for public hospitals for older adults in developing new towns. Full article

Accessibility to metro services is often evaluated based on the locations of stations. However, compared to the location of station itself, focusing on its entrances/exits offers a more accurate approach to assessing station supply and demand levels. Despite this, research focusing on the supply of and demand for metro services concerning metro entrances and exits remains limited. This study employed multi-source geospatial data from Xiamen, China, to examine the supply and demand dynamics of metro stations with a particular emphasis on entrances/exits. In the first phase, we treated entrances/exits as supply facilities and used land plot boundaries as the fundamental spatial units for accessibility calculations. Taking into account the layout characteristics of entrances/exits, along with the traffic generation of various land-use types, we employed the Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (G2SFCA) method to gauge the supply and demand levels of plots. Subsequently, we computed the spatial supply-and-demand relationships of station entrances/exits for both station-level and shared usage level of entrances/exits. We found that the accessibility from plots to entrances/exits diverged from previously observed spatial distribution trends, being higher in city centers, regional boundaries, and terminal stations and lower in transitional areas. Moreover, “metro accessibility” and the “imbalance index of entrances/exits” are associated with the primary functions of stations and the surrounding urban development; yet they exhibit spatial heterogeneity. The stations with a high value for “imbalanced index of entrances/exits” were always near some business parks, and “metro accessibility” seemed to be more easily affected by location factors. Based on two metrics, stations were categorized into four types, each displaying unique characteristics regarding location distributions, entrance/exit configurations, and commuting passenger sources. This research aims to identify the phenomenon of unfair transport in metro service from the perspective of their entrances, inform the optimization of metro station designs, and tailor planning recommendations, ultimately enhancing transport equity and contributing to sustainable urban built environments. Full article

The issue of non-performing loans (NPLs) in a bank’s portfolio is important for a bank’s stability and sustainability. Their increased presence indicates a potential worsening of the economy and a lower quality of the bank’s assets. We estimated determinants of non-performing loans in the Eurozone for quarterly data 2015–2020. The results confirmed spatial spillover effects within Eurozone countries, which means that when a shock happens in one country in the Eurozone, it will also affect the other economies of the Eurozone area. Based on the Hausman test, a fixed-effects model was chosen as appropriate and showed that bank-specific and macroeconomic determinants significantly affect NPLs in these economies. In relation to previous studies that dealt with this issue, a co-integration analysis was introduced. A significant impact of return on assets, return on equity, and the loan-to-deposit ratio, as well as the gross domestic product, inflation, and exchange rate on NPLs in the short run and long run, was confirmed using a Pooled Mean Group (PMG) estimator. Bank management should customize credit policy based on both internal and external conditions to improve their performance, focusing on enhancing profitability and maintaining a lower loan-to-deposit ratio to reduce NPLs. The research suggests that a higher gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate is associated with fewer NPLs, while inflation uncertainty and a volatile exchange rate can increase NPLs, highlighting the importance of adjusting strategies to the macroeconomic landscape. Full article

Transport systems are essential for the path toward sustainable urbanisation and the transition to more sustainable living. Recently, European cities have undergone substantial changes, and suburbanisation is posing new challenges. Suburban areas are often more affordable in terms of housing, but these neighbourhoods tend to be car-oriented. This leads to higher commuter costs, immobility, transport and time poverty, pollution, higher accident rates and a lack of social interactions. To offer sustainable mobility options to citizens, we must comprehensively understand, together with their individual characteristics, their specific mobility practices and the built environment where they live. This study is centred on the Barcelona Metropolitan Region, which has a public transport network that covers its entire area. The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between travel behaviour, transport mode use, individual characteristics and built environment characteristics in the place of residence using detailed information sources. Herein, we used data from the 2018 to 2021 annual travel survey conducted in the Barcelona region, together with land use and sociodemographic information. Our findings suggest that transport policies have encouraged sustainable mobility practices, particularly in the centre of Barcelona. Despite the positive results, considerable disparities exist between the inner and outer city, with a notable decline in sustainable mobility practices in the latter, due to the uneven distribution of basic services and uneven provision of public transport, together with lower density areas. Our results demonstrate that this uneven distribution reduces the available sequence profiles of inhabitants. In conclusion, the promotion of sustainable mobility policies necessitates further advances in transport, city and land-use planning that consider equity, gender, the socioeconomic profiles of citizens and mixed urban planning. Full article

The 21st century, known as the “metropolitan century”, saw urban populations exceed half the global populace. By 2035, emerging metropolises, particularly in Asia and Africa, highlight the urgent need for research on urban growth, demographics, and mobility’s role in sustainable development. The objective of this study is to explore the key aspects of mobility essential for sustaining metropolitan regions, with a focus on the case of Greater London. The research aims to understand, through interview analysis and urban theories, how mobility contributes to socio-spatial equity, connectivity, and integrated governance, highlighting the importance of sustainability—such as decarbonization and the promotion of non-motorized transport—in the context of global sustainable development commitments. This research, through a convergent analysis of interviewees’ responses, has identified thirty-one fundamental attributes to enhance our understanding of sustainable mobility. The results indicate that mobility is a key driver for socio-spatial equity, connectivity, and integrated governance within metropolitan regions; it also shows that successful infrastructure work necessarily calls for collaboration between different administrative levels. Finally, the imperative for sustainability in mobility—as exemplified by decarbonization and the encouragement of non-motorized transport—arises as an urgent element in ordering development at the urban scale vis-à-vis global sustainability commitments, such as SDG 11. Full article

Family planning (FP) services are crucial interventions for improving maternal and child health outcomes and promoting gender equity. However, ensuring equitable access to these services remains a significant challenge, particularly in countries like Pakistan, where sociocultural norms, economic disparities, and geographic barriers hinder FP uptake. This study utilized spatial analysis techniques, including hotspot analysis, to investigate geographic disparities in FP uptake in Pakistan using data from Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys (PDHS) conducted in 2006–2007 and 2017–2018. ArcMap 10.1 was used for spatial analysis and Stata 12.0 for statistical analysis. Results revealed significant spatial variations in FP uptake, with urban areas exhibiting higher uptake rates than rural regions. Hotspot analysis identified dynamic changes in contraceptive prevalence rates (CPR), with significant clustering in some regions and dispersion in others. It also identified areas with high unmet need, low intention to use FP services, and preference for family size (>3 children), highlighting the need for targeted behavioral change interventions. This innovative spatial approach provides nuanced insights for policymakers and program planners to develop targeted interventions based on localized data to improve FP service delivery, mitigate disparities, and ultimately advance efforts to improve maternal and child health outcomes. The application of geospatial analysis is an effective tool for enhancing program planning, evaluation, and resource allocation in diverse geographical contexts. Full article

Urban parks are vital for mitigating high urban temperatures, yet optimizing their design for maximum cooling benefits remains a challenge. This study investigates the cooling mechanisms of 65 parks in Tianjin, assessing their characteristics and spatial equity regarding cooling capacity. Results show that 63 parks significantly lower temperatures, with an average Park Cooling Area (PCA) of 45.0 hectares, Park Cooling Efficiency (PCE) of 8.09, Park Cooling Gradient (PCG) of 16.4 °C/km, and Park Cooling Intensity (PCI) of 2.64 °C. Key factors influencing cooling effectiveness include park albedo and nearby water bodies, with optimal albedo values between 3 and 3.6, and water bodies of at least 2.5 hectares enhancing efficiency. Notably, only 38.9% of residents can easily access park cooling services. While neighborhood parks in dense urban areas provide high economic benefits, they serve fewer residents; comprehensive parks cover more people but are less accessible. This study offers new insights into the cooling effects of coastal urban parks, aiding planners in addressing marginalized residents’ needs and enhancing urban resilience amid climate change. Full article

Distance decay of urban park visitation (e.g., visitation number and visitation frequency) has been widely acknowledged and is increasingly integrated into urban park planning and management considering spatial accessibility and service equity. However, thorough understandings especially concerning the variations among visitors with different personal characteristics and visitation patterns are still scarce. Taking Changsha, China as an example, we collected data on visitation distance (i.e., the distance between urban parks and visitor’s homes) and visitation frequency of 2535 urban park visitors, modeled the distance decay of visitation density and visitation frequency, and investigated their variations among visitors with different personal characteristics and visitation patterns. The results show that: (1) The median visitation distance was 1.3 km and the median visitation frequency was 24 times per season. (2) Both visitation density and visitation frequency showed clear spatial patterns of distance decay and can be effectively modeled using common distance decay functions (e.g., power function, exponential function, and logarithmic function). (3) Visitors’ characteristics (e.g., gender and age) and visitation patterns (e.g., duration time, transportation modes, and visitation purposes) significantly impact visitation distance, visitation frequency, and the characteristics of distance decay (i.e., the rate of distance decay). These findings extend our understanding of the distance decay of urban park visitation which can help better urban park planning and management. Full article

Reasonably allocating medical resources can effsectively optimize the utilization efficiency of such resources. This paper took Taiyuan City as an example and established a model to evaluate the rationality of medical resource spatial allocation, incorporating two key dimensions: the spatial layout and the supply and demand of medical resources. In terms of the spatial layout, three indexes were included: Firstly, the service coverage rates of different levels of medical institutions, based on residents’ medical orientations, were calculated using network analysis methods. Secondly, the Huff-2SFCA method was improved to calculate the accessibility of medical resources for four different modes of transportation. Then, the Health Resource Agglomeration Degree (HRAD) and Population Agglomeration Degree (PAD) were used to quantify the equity of medical resources. In terms of the supply and demand of medical resources, one index was included: the supply–demand ratio of medical resources during sudden public health events, which was calculated using the number of beds per thousand people as an indicator. These four indexes were weighted using the entropy weight method to obtain the rationality grade of medical resource spatial allocation in Taiyuan City. The study found that the rationality evaluation level of medical resource allocation in the central urban area of Taiyuan City followed a “concentrically decreasing” pattern. The rating ranged from “very reasonable” to “less reasonable”, with the area of each level expanding gradually. The areas rated within the top two categories only accounted for 19.92% of the study area, while the area rated as “less reasonable” occupied 38.73% of the total area. These results indicate that the model accounted for residents’ travel for various medical orientations and the availability of resources during public health emergencies. It considered both the spatial layout and supply and demand of medical resources, offering recommendations for the precise allocation of urban medical resources. Full article

Pre-hospital emergency medical service (PHEMS) is critical for the treatment outcomes of life-threatening injuries and time-sensitive illnesses. Response time, influenced by traffic conditions and the site planning of pre-hospital emergency medical facilities (PHEMFs), is the main indicator for evaluating PHEMS. In 2020, the Beijing government released the “Special Plan for Spatial Layout of Pre-hospital Emergency Medical Facilities in Beijing (2020–2022)”. This paper evaluates the functional efficiency and spatial equity of this plan within Beijing’s central six districts using isochrone measures to assess the accessibility of the planned PHEMFs. The isochrone coverages of the area and population were calculated, and the temporal-spatial characteristics of isochrones were concluded. The analysis revealed that while the current planning meets several objectives, challenges in service availability and equity persist. Although 10-min isochrone coverage was high, 8-min coverage was insufficient, particularly during peak hours. This highlights gaps in service accessibility that necessitate additional emergency stations in underserved areas. The current planning approach leads to significant overlap at administrative boundaries, causing service oversupply and increased costs, which calls for a city-wide planning perspective that breaks administrative boundaries to optimize resource allocation. Traffic conditions significantly impact service coverage, with congestion reducing coverage in central areas and better coverage near traffic hubs. Future planning should strategically place stations based on traffic patterns and population distribution to enhance emergency medical service accessibility and equity in urban areas. Full article

Reducing inequality and fostering economic growth is the tenth global goal of the United Nations for sustainable development. Rail transport significantly influences spatial structures, industrial distributions, and is vital for regional economic integration. Despite its importance, the impact of rail transport on economic equity has not been thoroughly explored in current literature. This study aims to fill this gap by evaluating the spatiotemporal characteristics of rail transport accessibility and its implications for economic equity in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. We considered high-speed, intercity, and conventional rail transport and employ three distinct indicators—door-to-door travel time, weighted average travel time, and potential accessibility—to provide a nuanced assessment of accessibility in the region. Each indicator provides a unique perspective on how accessibility affects economic equity, collectively broadening the scope of the analysis. From 1998 to 2020, the evolution of rail transport and its consequent impact on regional economic equity is scrutinized. Advanced econometric methods, namely ordinary least squares, and spatial Durbin models, are combined with the Gini coefficient and Lorenz curve for comprehensive quantitative analysis. This approach highlights the dynamic influence of rail transport development on economic equity, contributing to the sustainable urban development discourse. The results reveal that although rail transport advancements bolster connectivity and economic growth, they also exacerbate regional economic inequality. This study provides valuable insights for urban planning and policymaking by elucidating the complex relationship between rail transport accessibility and economic equity. Our findings underscore the importance of implementing balanced and inclusive transport policies that foster growth and efficiency while mitigating socioeconomic disparities. Full article

Equitable access to healthcare services is essential for residents’ well-being and social equity, requiring the rational spatial distribution of healthcare facilities in urban planning. Compared with major studies on the spatial accessibility and equity of healthcare services in first-tier cities, second-tier cities, which form the foundational structure of the global urban system, have not be given sufficient attention. Therefore, this study takes Karamay District in Karamay as a case study to analyze the spatial equity of healthcare services using place-based accessibility measures. For accessibility calculations, we employ the Gaussian two-step floating catchment area method to separately analyze the accessibility to hospitals and primary healthcare (PHC) institutions, considering factors such as the number of facilities, population, distance, and transportation modes. Second, we utilize global and local Moran’s I for spatial analysis to identify areas with varying levels of accessibility. Furthermore, considering the spatial equity for different social groups, this study innovatively proposes an analytical framework for assessing healthcare accessibility and equity across age groups using residential-level data and an adjusted search radius in second-tier cities, typically those with small-scale urban areas. The results reveal significant spatial clustering in healthcare accessibility, similar to that observed in most first-tier cities, as well as notable differences in the spatial distribution between hospital accessibility and PHC accessibility. Regarding age strata, results show that the elderly have lower access to hospitals but higher access to PHC institutions, which is opposite to the situation observed for children. Overall, second-tier cities demonstrate better equity in healthcare accessibility compared to first-tier cities, particularly regarding hospital accessibility. However, there are minor inequities in PHC accessibility for children aged 0–12 years. Our findings may provide valuable insights and essential data support for healthcare resource allocation and land use planning in second-tier cities. Full article