Suchergebnisse

Transportation infrastructure and transportation behaviors consume significant natural resources and are costly to municipalities, states, and the federal government. Small cities, in particular, may find themselves with high costs. Although transportation has been extensively investigated, methods that may enable small cities to act are still lacking. To investigate the influence that neighborhood-level built environment characteristics have on adult personal transportation decisions within small cities, this study combined community-based research, a multi-level analysis of residents, and a case study approach in two (North-Eastern United States) New Hampshire cities, Portsmouth and Manchester. Neighborhood-level physical characteristics were determined using Geographic Information Systems and visual surveys. Resident-level characteristics and behaviors were determined by survey of adult residents. Data were supplemented with input from and collaboration with city representatives. The results showed significant relationships between self-reported destination walking and built environment characteristics in the neighborhoods studied. Furthermore, the results showed variability between neighborhoods, underscoring the importance of local factors and behaviors. The results suggested that small cities and their regional planning organizations can make changes to specific existing neighborhoods to remove barriers to walking and allow more residents to choose walking as a transportation mode, but the changes that are most effective vary by neighborhood.

Decisions about dams, like other environmental conflicts, involve complex trade-offs between different water uses with varying human and ecological impacts, have significant impacts on public resources, and involve many stakeholders with diverse and often conflicting interests. Given the many upcoming dam decisions in New England and across the United States, an improved understanding of public preferences about dam decisions is needed to steward resources in the public interest. This research asks (1) What does the public want to see happen with dams? and (2) How do public preferences regarding dam removal vary with demography and politics? We address these questions using data from three random sample statewide telephone polls conducted in New Hampshire over 2018 that asked people for their preferences concerning dam removal versus maintaining dams for specific benefits—property values, hydropower generation, industrial history, or recreation. Respondent age, education, gender, and political party were tested among the possible predictors. We find that majorities (52% or 54%) of respondents favor removing dams rather than keeping them for industrial history or property values, and a plurality (43%) favor removal over keeping them for recreation. A plurality (46%) prefer keeping dams, however, if they are used to generate hydropower. Respondent background characteristics and political identity affect these preferences in ways resembling those for many other environment-related issues: women, young or middle-aged individuals, and political liberals or moderates (Democrats or independents) more often support dam removal. Education, on the other hand, has no significant effects. The results quantify levels of general public support for dam removal in New England, illustrating the use of public opinion polling to complement input from public meetings and guide decisions. More broadly, they contribute a new topic to existing scholarship on the social bases of environmental concern. This presentation was given virtually by Natallia Leuchanka Diessner at the Maine Sustainability & Water Conference on March 31, 2021.

Decisions about dams, like other environmental conflicts, involve complex tradeoffs between different water uses with varying human and ecological impacts, have significant impacts on public resources and involve many stakeholders with diverse and often conflicting interests. Given the many upcoming dam decisions in New England and across the United States of America, an improved understanding of public preferences about dam decisions is needed to steward resources in the public interest. This research asks (1) What does the public want to see happen with dams?, and (2) Do demographic factors influence public preferences for dam decisions? This paper analyzes data from three statewide public opinion polls conducted in New Hampshire over 2018 using univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis of public preferences for dam removal or maintaining dams for specific benefits, including property values, hydropower generation, industrial history and recreation, and evaluates the effect of age, level of formal education, gender and political party. Our findings indicate that a majority of New Hampshire residents prefer to keep dams when they are used to generate hydropower, whereas majorities prefer instead to remove dams rather than to keep them for industrial history, recreation, or property values. Respondent demographic characteristics and political outlooks influence these preferences, in patterns broadly resembling those for many other environment-related issues. Political party, gender, and age are the strongest predictors: liberal leaning, younger, and female respondents are more likely to support dam removal. Level of formal education has no significant effect on preferences for keeping or removing dams. The results provide the first insights into statewide public preferences about dam removal in New England, support the use of public opinion polling to complement input from public meetings and guide decisions, and contribute to existing scholarship about public environmental preferences and the influence of demographic factors.

Decisions about dams, like other environmental conflicts, involve complex trade-offs between different water uses with varying human and ecological impacts, have significant impacts on public resources, and involve many stakeholders with diverse and often conflicting interests. Given the many upcoming dam decisions in New England and across the United States, an improved understanding of public preferences about dam decisions is needed to steward resources in the public interest. This research asks (1) What does the public want to see happen with dams? and (2) How do public preferences regarding dam removal vary with demography and politics? We address these questions using data from three random sample statewide telephone polls conducted in New Hampshire over 2018 that asked people for their preferences concerning dam removal versus maintaining dams for specific benefits—property values, hydropower generation, industrial history, or recreation. Respondent age, education, gender, and political party were tested among the possible predictors. We find that majorities (52% or 54%) of respondents favor removing dams rather than keeping them for industrial history or property values, and a plurality (43%) favor removal over keeping them for recreation. A plurality (46%) prefer keeping dams, however, if they are used to generate hydropower. Respondent background characteristics and political identity affect these preferences in ways resembling those for many other environment-related issues: women, young or middle-aged individuals, and political liberals or moderates (Democrats or independents) more often support dam removal. Education, on the other hand, has no significant effects. The results quantify levels of general public support for dam removal in New England, illustrating the use of public opinion polling to complement input from public meetings and guide decisions. More broadly, they contribute a new topic to existing scholarship on the social bases of environmental concern.

Decisions about dams, like other environmental conflicts, involve complex trade-offs between different water uses with varying human and ecological impacts. Given the many upcoming dam decisions in New England, an improved understanding of public preferences is needed to steward resources. This research asks (1) What does the public want to see happen with dams? and (2) How do public preferences regarding dam removal vary with demography and politics? We address these questions using data from three random sample statewide telephone polls conducted in New Hampshire over 2018 that asked people for their preferences concerning dam removal versus maintaining dams for specific benefits—industrial history, property values, recreation, or hydropower generation. Respondent age, education, gender, and political party were tested among the possible predictors. We find that when considering industrial history or property values, the majority of respondents favor removing dams. Similarly, when faced with using dams for recreation, respondents favor removal, but to a lesser degree. A plurality prefer keeping dams, however, if they are used to generate hydropower. Respondent background characteristics and political identity affect these preferences in ways resembling those for many other environment-related issues: women, young or middle-aged individuals, and political liberals or moderates more often support removal. Education, on the other hand, has no significant effects. The results quantify levels of public support for dam removal, illustrating the use of public opinion polling to complement input from public meetings and guide decisions. More broadly, they contribute to existing scholarship on the social bases of environmental concern. This presentation was given virtually by Natallia Leuchanka Diessner at the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting on April 8, 2021.

Definitions, Principles, and Concepts for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research -- Getting Under the Skin : Pathways and Processes that Link Social and Biological Determinants of Disease -- Racial/Ethnic, Socioeconomic, and Other Social Determinants -- Behavioral Determinants in Population Health and Health Disparities Research -- Sociocultural Environments and Health Disparities Research : Frameworks, Methods and Promising Directions -- Physical Environment, and Minority Health and Health Disparities Research -- Genome-wide Genetic Approaches to Metabolic and Inflammatory Health Disparities -- Biologic Factors and Molecular Determinants in Inflammatory and Metabolic Diseases -- Insights into the Genomic Landscape of African Ancestry Populations : Implications for Health and Disease Disparities -- Applying Self-report Measures in Minority Health and Health Disparities Research -- Conducting Community-Based Participatory Research with Minority Communities to Reduce Health Disparities -- Racial/Ethnic Health and Healthcare Disparities Measurement : The Application of the Principles and Methods of Causal Inference -- Small Area Estimation and Small Area Analysis for Minority Health and Health Disparities -- Applications of Big Data Science and Analytic Techniques for Health Disparities Research -- Complex Systems Science -- Improving Equity in Health Care through Multilevel Interventions -- Using Implementation Science to Move from Knowledge of Disparities to Achievement of Equity -- Health Care and Public Policy (HCPP) : Challenges and Opportunities for Research Addressing Disparities in Access to High Quality Care -- Health Communication as a Mediator of Health and Healthcare Disparities -- Comparative Effectiveness Research in Health Disparity Populations -- The Role of Electronic Health Records and Health Information Technology in Addressing Health Disparities -- Precision Medicine and Health Disparities -- Recruitment, Inclusion, and Diversity in Clinical Trials -- Sexual and Gender Minority Health Disparities : Concepts, Methods, and Future Directions -- Workforce Diversity and Capacity Building to Address Health Disparities.