Publications by authors named "Lisa Hitch"
COVID-19, migrants, and world large urban areas: a thematic policy brief.
J Public Health Policy
December 2024
Migrants living in large urban areas are disproportionately impacted by health crises such as pandemics. This policy brief explores how urban areas mitigate and/or exacerbate the impact of COVID-19 on migrant groups and provides policy recommendations. We conducted a policy review to focus on the effects of COVID-19 on migrants living in cities with > 500,000 residents.
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- The study focuses on how the built environment affects children's quality of life (QoL), which is becoming an important health and policy metric, beyond just disease outcomes.
- A systematic review of 17 studies conducted from 2010 to 2023 examined features like green spaces, infrastructure, and neighborhood perceptions to see their impact on children's QoL.
- Findings indicate that green spaces generally improve children's QoL, while results for neighborhood infrastructure and perceived safety are mixed; more consistent measures in future research could help clarify these relationships.
Article Synopsis
- Research on the impact of large urban areas during COVID-19 has primarily overlooked migrants, despite their vulnerabilities in these settings.
- A systematic review of studies from 2020 to 2022 identified exacerbating factors like pre-existing inequities and exclusionary government responses, as well as mitigating factors such as the involvement of civil society organizations.
- The study calls for greater focus on structural inequities, inclusive governance, and collaboration with community organizations to enhance services for migrants, highlighting the need for more research on urban design to support migrant communities during health crises.
Article Synopsis
- The study reviews the impact of built environment features on children's quality of life (QoL), highlighting its importance beyond just health outcomes.
- It analyzes 17 peer-reviewed studies from 2010-2021, focusing on aspects like green spaces, infrastructure, and overall neighborhood satisfaction.
- Findings suggest that green spaces positively affect children's QoL, while neighborhood satisfaction is strongly linked to higher QoL, but overall results on specific infrastructure and safety perceptions are mixed.
Background: Mask use is a cost-effective measure to decrease COVID-19 transmission. Mask mandates intend to increase mask compliance but are often ambiguous when it comes to public outdoor spaces.
Methods: We used a field audit study to examine mask use in New York City neighborhood parks during COVID-19.