Social ecology and the health of older people.
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Adaptation, Psychological↗
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Results for “Environment Design”
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The intersection of urban planning, art, and public health: the Sunnyside Piazza.
Deteriorating physical features of urban environments can negatively influence public health. Dilapidated environments and urban blight tend to promote alienation and can be associated with social disorder, vandalism, crime, drug abuse, traffic violations, and littering, which in turn affects health and well-being. In the late 1990s, the Sunnyside neighborhood in Portland, Ore, was plagued by many of these problems. In an attempt to invigorate neighborhood stewardship, the community organized and created a public gathering place; together, they painted a gigantic sunflower in the middle of an intersection and installed several interactive art features. As a result of these collective actions of "place-making," social capital has increased, thus revitalizing the community, and expanded social networks among residents have stimulated a sense of well-being.
Art↗
Planning psychiatric hospitals--human design considerations.
Psychiatric hospitals are environments of subtle complexity in both their physical structures and in the psychosocial interpersonal relationships occurring within them. Good planning and groundwork involving disciplines other than those necessary to plan the physical environment are essential for a full interpretation and implementation of a facility's potential. An institution's outer and inner environmental quality will quickly communicate a message of welcome and caring, or one of indifference, to patients and family. The physical structure is invariably an important catalyst to the therapeutic process and, as such, needs to have a high level of amenity for all of its occupants. Due to the diversity of patients and the manifestations of their illnesses, the psychiatric hospital must be carefully planned to serve many obvious and hidden needs.
Health Facilities↗
BIOS-4 as an embodiment of CELSS development conception.
Any attempt to create LSS for practical applications must take into account the possibility of castastrophic consequences if the problem of LSS reliability and stability is not solved. An integrated conception of CELSS studies development as a possible way to increase its reliability is considered. The BIOS-4 facility project is developed in the context of the conception. Three principles of highly effective experimental CELSS facility design are proposed. Some details of BIOS-4 design and its exploitation features are presented.
Ecological Systems, Closed↗
Performance of physical tasks in pregnancy.
Two hundred women in the third trimester of a first pregnancy were interviewed, and 50 of them were interviewed again at 4 months post partum. They were asked whether they experienced greater current difficulty in performing 46 common tasks than they did before pregnancy and were asked to grade their responses. Additional information concerning specific factors affecting each activity, such as discomfort and fatigue, was obtained, together with data concerning socioeconomic status and stress perception. The data were analysed to identify the activities whose performance was most and least affected by pregnancy, indicating that the pregnant condition affects perceived difficulty of performance in many activities. Although some activities are not amenable to ergonomic intervention, the study highlighted some in which equipment design and selection could improve the match between a task and the pregnant.
Environment Design↗
Universal design in housing.
Universal design in housing is a growing and beneficial concept. It is subtle in its differences from barrier-free, accessible, and industry standard housing. Accessibility standards and codes have not mandated universal design and do not apply to most housing. Universal design exceeds their minimum specifications for accessible design and results in homes that are usable by and marketable to almost everyone. Universal homes avoid use of special assistive technology devices and, instead, incorporate consumer products and design features that are easily usable and commonly available.
Architectural Accessibility↗
A compact shielded exposure system for the simultaneous long-term UHF irradiation of forty small mammals: I. Electromagnetic and environmental design.
To carry out in vivo studies of the possible health effects of radiation from cellular telephone handsets, it is necessary to expose large numbers of small mammals at realistic power densities, modulations, and frequencies. Because even microwatt leakage could compromise the local cellular system, extreme care in shielding is required. Experimental logistics dictate, however, that the irradiated animals be easily accessed and that it be possible to irradiate them in small groups, while other groups are being loaded into or unloaded from the irradiators. This problem has been resolved by exposing the animals in aluminum-sheathed rectangular parallelepipeds, lined with microwave absorber and having doors that can be opened readily. Inside each of these microwave anechoic "chamberettes" is a vertical, four-element collinear array of dipole antennas; and around each antenna, 10 animal restrainers can be arranged like spokes on a wheel. The system has worked efficiently in studies of up to 480 rats. There is negligible coupling between antennas, and back reflection at an antenna's feed line is down 7-9 dB. Received CDMA power at the local base station is below the receiver's noise floor. Interior illumination reinforces the rats' diurnal rhythms, and the rats sleep during irradiation. Experimental logistics are excellent. In this paper, the irradiator design is presented.
Absorption↗
An acoustic head simulator for hearing protector evaluation. I: Design and construction.
As an alternative to subjective methods, an acoustic head simulator was constructed for hearing protector evaluation. The primary purpose of the device is for hearing protector testing and research under high-level steady-state and impulse noise environments. The design is based on the KEMAR manikin and therefore approximates the physical dimensions and the acoustical eardrum impedance of the median human adult. The head simulator includes a mechanical reproduction of the human circumaural and intraaural tissues with a silicone rubber material. A compliant head-neck system was constructed to approximate the vibrational characteristics of the human head in a sound field in order to simulate the inertia effect of earmuffs. The bone-conducted sounds are not mechanically reproduced in the design. Applications for the device are reported in a companion article [C. Giguère and H. Kunov, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 85, 1197-1205 (1989)].
Auditory Threshold↗
Adapting the mealtime environment: setting the stage for eating.
In long-term care facilities, mealtime should be an important and exciting event that residents and staff look forward to three times a day. Providing residents with a homelike, pleasant dining atmosphere should promote socialization, enhance awareness, and increase appetites, thereby improving the residents' quality of life. This paper discusses the subtle but strong influence that the environment has in preparing residents for eating. Environmental factors that promote a positive mealtime experience are discussed.
Aged↗
Personal, family, social, and environmental correlates of active commuting to school.
BACKGROUND: Active commuting to school may be an important opportunity for children to accumulate adequate physical activity for improved cardiovascular risk factors, enhanced bone health, and psychosocial well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine personal, family, social, and environmental correlates of active commuting to school among children. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 235 children aged 5 to 6 years and 677 children aged 10 to 12 years from 19 elementary schools in Melbourne, Australia. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by parents, and the older children. The shortest possible routes to school were examined using a geographic information system. RESULTS: Among both age groups, negative correlates of active commuting to school included parental perception of few other children in the neighborhood and no lights or crossings for their child to use, and an objectively assessed busy road barrier en route to school. In younger children, an objectively assessed steep incline en route to school was negatively associated with walking or cycling to school. Good connectivity en route to school was negatively associated with walking or cycling to school among older children. Among both age groups, children were more likely to actively commute to school if their route was <800 meters. There were no associations with perceived energy levels or enjoyment of physical activity, weight status, or family factors. CONCLUSIONS: For children, creating child-friendly communities and providing skills to safely negotiate the environment may be important. Environmental correlates of active transport in children and adults may differ and warrant further investigation.
Bicycling↗
Retirement communities and their life stages.
A developmental theoretical orientation is used to study age-dense environments for mature adults--retirement communities. By focusing on the community itself, we discovered two basic patterns of life-stage models that describe and explain the formation, development, and maturity stages of communities. Thirty-six communities in four states were visited by the researchers, who interviewed a variety of key insider and outsider informants. Retirement communities are both social and economic units. The development and viability of the community are related to two models based on residential ownership (Type I) versus rental (Type II) of land upon which their dwellings are located. Residents in both types of communities express satisfaction. In Type I, some communities may experience problems in self-government and community formation. In Type II communities, there is sometimes a threat of sale of the community by the owner--an event that is unanticipated by the residents and has profound repercussions.
City Planning↗
Determinants of physiological responses to symbolic stimuli: the role of the social environment.
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17-Hydroxycorticosteroids↗
Snoezelen: a multisensory environmental intervention.
Snoezelen is a multisensory intervention delivered in a specially designed room with high-tech instruments. It is especially useful for end-stage patients with Alzheimer's disease. Snoezelen provides an enabling atmosphere in a failure-free environment. It has been a popular intervention in Great Britain and is just beginning to appear in the United States.
Aged↗
[Analysis of the sound-insulation effects of control rooms in workshops with noise].
OBJECTIVE: To study the main factors affecting sound-insulation effects of control rooms in workshops with noise, so as to improve the protection. METHODS: The sound-insulation effects of 467 control rooms were determined, and different building materials, structures of door and window, airtight states etc. were analyzed. RESULTS: The affecting factors contributed to the sound-insulation effects (Eta(2)) were in the order: airtight states (0.168), building materials (0.080), structures of window and door (0.030, 0.029), sound pressure levels and frequency spectrum's characteristics (0.008, 0.006). Under airtight state, the sound-insulation effects of different building materials of the rooms were as follows: double bricks [(19.6 +/- 3.5) dB(A)]; single brick [(15.4 +/- 3.4) dB(A)]; plank [(13.1 +/- 1.6) dB(A)] or aluminum alloy plate with glass [(13.4 +/- 2.5) dB(A)] (P < 0.01). Of 4 group rooms, with the same structure of doors but double or single bricks of windows. 3 groups with dormant window had higher sound-insulation effects [(15.9 +/- 2.8), (18.7 +/- 3.6), (19.3 +/- 2.5) dB(A)] than those with casement window [(14.1 +/- 2.4), (14.9 +/- 2.3), (16.5 +/- 2.4) dB(A)] (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05); 2 groups with dehydrated window [(18.7 +/- 3.3), (22.6 +/- 3.8) dB(A)] higher than those with dormant window [(15.9 +/- 2.8), (19.9 +/- 3.0) dB(A)] (P < 0.05). Of 6 group rooms, with the same structure of windows but double or single bricks of doors, only in 1 group with double-layer door had higher sound-insulation effect [(18.7 +/- 3.6) dB(A)] than that with single-layer door [(15.9 +/- 2.8) dB(A)] (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The control room should be designed rationally, kept airtight, according to the sound pressure levels and the condition of the workshop.
Environment Design↗
Web-based courses. More than curriculum.
Online program development depends on an educationally and technologically sound curriculum supported by a solid infrastructure. Creation of a virtual environment through design of online registration and records, financial aid, orientation, advisement, resources, and evaluation and assessment provides students with access and program integrity.The planning of an academic support system as an electronic environment provides challenges and institutional issues requiring systematic analysis.
Curriculum↗
Housing and health counseling: design and environmental results.
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Directive Counseling↗
Measuring the environment for friendliness toward physical activity: a comparison of the reliability of 3 questionnaires.
OBJECTIVES: We tested the reliability of 3 instruments that assessed social and physical environments. METHODS: We conducted a test-retest study among US adults (n = 289). We used telephone survey methods to measure suitableness of the perceived (vs objective) environment for recreational physical activity and nonmotorized transportation. RESULTS: Most questions in our surveys that attempted to measure specific characteristics of the built environment showed moderate to high reliability. Questions about the social environment showed lower reliability than those that assessed the physical environment. Certain blocks of questions appeared to be selectively more reliable for urban or rural respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Despite differences in content and in response formats, all 3 surveys showed evidence of reliability, and most items are now ready for use in research and in public health surveillance.
Adult↗
Genetic and genotype x environment interaction effects for the content of seven essential amino acids in indica rice.
It is necessary for rice breeders to understand the genetic basis of nutrient quality traits of rice. Essential amino acids are most important in determining the nutrient quality of rice grain and can affect the health of people who depend on rice as a staple food. In view of the paucity of genetic information available on essential amino acids in indica rice, we estimated the genetic main effects and genotype x environment (G x E) interaction effects on the content of essential amino acids. Nine cytoplasmic male sterile lines as females and five restorer lines as males were introduced in a North Carolina II design across environments. Estimates of the content of the essential amino acids valine, methionine, leucine and phenylalanine showed that they were mainly controlled by genetic main effects, while the contents of threonine, cysteine and isoleucine were mainly affected by G x E effects. In the case of genetic main effects, both cytoplasmic and maternal genetic effects were predominant for all essential amino acids, indicating that selection for improving essential amino acid content based on maternal performance would be more effective than that based on seeds. The total narrow-sense heritabilities were high and ranged from 0.72 to 0.83. Since general heritabilities for these essential amino acids (except for cysteine) were found to be much larger than G x E interaction heritability, the improvement of content of most essential amino acids under selection would be expected under various environments. Rice varieties such as Zhenan 3, Yinchao 1, T49, 26715, 102 and 1391 should be selected as optimal parents for increasing the content of most essential amino acids, while the total genetic effects from Zhexie 2, Xieqingzao, Gangchao 1, V20, Zuo 5 and Zhenshan 97 were mainly negative and these parents could decrease the contents of most essential amino acids.
Amino Acids↗