Search Results (196)

Urban fragmentation is often approached through residential patterns, spatial distance and the uneven distribution of urban resources. However, in Southern European medium-sized cities, where socially contrasting neighbourhoods may be located in close physical proximity, fragmentation may operate through less visible everyday mechanisms. This article examines how selective spatial practices reflect and may reproduce unequal access to places, activities and opportunities, and how this perspective may inform debates on spatial governance and urban planning. Drawing on GPS tracking, in-depth interviews and mental maps, it analyses daily mobility, activity spaces and lived spatial boundaries in two socially contrasting neighbourhoods of Lleida, Spain. The article contributes to debates on urban inequality, understood as the structurally conditioned unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, capacities and recognition by conceptualising differentiated everyday geographies as both manifestations of this inequality and mechanisms through which it may be reproduced. The findings show how spatial practices and cognitive representations structure urban experience beyond residential segregation: physical proximity does not necessarily translate into shared urban experience: as some participants develop broader and socially legitimised relations with the city, whereas others display more restricted and symbolically bounded patterns of urban engagement. The article therefore advances practised accessibility as an analytical and planning perspective that incorporates the temporal, modal, cognitive and symbolic conditions that shape everyday access to urban opportunities beyond their informal availability. Full article

With the rapid penetration of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy generation in distribution networks, the coordinated scheduling of flexible EV loads and uncertain renewable resources has become a critical research focus in modern power systems. This study investigates the collaborative optimal dispatch of thermal units, EVs, and renewable power generation. Different from conventional closed-loop game-based bi-level optimization, this paper constructs a transmission–distribution integrated scheduling framework and proposes a sequential hierarchical progressive optimization strategy for EV charging and discharging dispatch to fully tap the cross-level coordination potential of power grids. The upper transmission layer optimizes the joint operation of thermal units, wind power, and photovoltaic units to minimize the overall power supply cost, where the inequality power balance constraint is reasonably adopted to reserve power regulation margin for renewable fluctuation and meet practical engineering operation requirements. To effectively address the severe uncertainty of renewable power output without relying on accurate probability distribution information, information gap decision theory (IGDT) is employed to realize robust scheduling with risk-averse and opportunity-seeking decision adaptability. In the lower distribution layer, a theoretically grounded nodal electricity price (NEP) model integrating node loss sensitivity (NLS) and node load rate (NLR) is applied to substitute iterative power flow calculation, which realizes the spatial optimal allocation of EV charging and discharging nodes while significantly improving computational efficiency. The proposed framework comprehensively minimizes network power loss and user charging cost. Finally, extensive simulations based on the IEEE 33-node distribution system verify the effectiveness, computational superiority, and robustness of the proposed sequential hierarchical coordinated scheduling strategy. Full article

Rapid urban expansion in arid intermediate cities often produces fragmented urban structures that exacerbate inequalities in public transport accessibility and hinder sustainable mobility. However, the relationships between urban fragmentation, transport accessibility, and travel behavior remain insufficiently explored in pre-Saharan cities. This study investigates these interactions through the case of El Bayadh, Algeria, using an integrated methodology combining urban morphological analysis, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a household survey of 577 households, traffic counts, institutional interviews, and spatial equality assessment based on the Gini coefficient. Public transport accessibility was evaluated using a 300 m walking threshold, complemented by sensitivity analyses at 400 m and 500 m. The results indicate that approximately 65% of the population lives within 300 m of a bus stop, although coverage is strongly concentrated in central districts. A Gini coefficient of 0.41, provided by the El Bayadh Directorate of Transport and computed across 20 urban zones, indicates moderate-to-high spatial inequalities in accessibility that persist despite increasing the service threshold, suggesting that these disparities are more closely associated with urban fragmentation than with the specific walking-distance threshold used to define service coverage. The transport network comprises 11 bus routes, approximately 160 bus stops, and 90 km of routes; however, limited service quality and uneven spatial distribution contribute to a high dependence on private transport, with 45% of trips made by private car, 35% by taxi, and only 20% by bus. These findings are consistent with accessibility inequalities arising from the mismatch between fragmented urban morphology, centralized urban functions, and the configuration of the public transport network. The proposed framework provides transferable insights for planning more equitable and sustainable mobility systems in rapidly urbanizing arid intermediate cities. Full article

The rapid development of the low-altitude economy is reshaping tourism activities, infrastructure provision, and landscape resource use, yet national-scale research on low-altitude tourism bases remains limited. Using data on 1247 bases in China, this study applies average nearest-neighbor analysis, kernel density estimation, and spatial inequality measures to characterize multi-scale patterns. The study further employs an optimal parameters-based geographical detector within a geographical nature framework to identify influencing factors and interactions. The results reveal significant clustering and regional inequality, with a pronounced east–west divide along the Heihe–Tengchong Line. A diamond-shaped core bounded by Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Sanya, together with its 200 km buffer zone, contains 89.17% of all bases. Domestic tourism revenue, the number of low-altitude industry enterprises, general aviation airports, national tourist resorts, and domestic tourist arrivals constitute the leading factors, although the dominant factor combinations vary across base types. Factor interactions are dominated by two-factor and nonlinear enhancement. The three natures form a coupled pathway: first nature provides environmental suitability, second nature transforms resource potential into marketable tourism products, and third nature regulates implementation. General aviation infrastructure acts as an operational interface linking environmental conditions, tourism demand, industrial support, and policy arrangements. The findings provide a basis for differentiated regional zoning and type-specific facility planning, thereby informing the sustainable development of low-altitude tourism. Full article

Background/Objectives: Pulmonary function tests (PFTs), especially spirometry, are important for chronic respiratory disease diagnosis and management, but Baidu-based online search interest in PFT-related information remains insufficiently characterized. This study examined long-term Baidu search activity for a selected PFT-related keyword in China from 2011 to 2024, with attention to pandemic-period changes, provincial variation, spatial inequality, and associated socioeconomic factors. Methods: We analyzed Baidu Index data from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2024. The selected PFT-related keyword, “pulmonary function instrument,” was compared with “blood pressure monitor” and “blood glucose meter.” Daily Baidu Index values were aggregated into monthly and annual series. Temporal trends, relative search-intensity ratios, interrupted time-series analysis, inequality indices, fixed-effects regression, subgroup heterogeneity, and convergence dynamics were assessed. Results: PFT-related Baidu search activity remained lower than that for blood pressure and glucose monitoring, with relative search-intensity ratios below 0.35. Descriptively, PFT-related searches increased during 2020–2022; however, the re-specified seasonality-adjusted ITSA using unsmoothed monthly observations did not provide strong statistical evidence for an immediate level change at pandemic onset or a sustained slope change. Provincial differences persisted, with higher values generally observed in several eastern coastal provinces. Inequality indices were lower on average during 2020–2022 but fluctuated over time, and beta-convergence analyses provided limited statistical evidence of systematic catch-up among initially low-index provinces. Urbanization, per capita GDP, and population aging were positively associated with PFT-related Baidu Index values, while subgroup findings were interpreted as exploratory ecological associations. Conclusions: PFT-related Baidu search activity in China remained lower than search activity for blood pressure and glucose monitoring and showed persistent provincial variation. These findings suggest lower visibility of PFT-related information within the Baidu-based online environment. Full article

Background: Timely hepatitis B vaccine birth-dose (HepBV-BD) vaccination is a cornerstone strategy for preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Although hepatitis B vaccination coverage in China has improved substantially, evidence regarding long-term district-level spatiotemporal inequalities in timely birth-dose vaccination remains limited, particularly in western China. This study assessed spatiotemporal disparities in hepatitis B vaccination coverage across Chongqing, China, from 2016 to 2025. Methods: This ecological descriptive study used district- and county-level vaccination surveillance data from the Chongqing Immunization Information Management System. Temporal trends in HepBV-BD, timely birth-dose (TBD), HepBV2, and HepBV3 coverage were analyzed. Regional disparities, interregional inequalities, and spatial clustering were assessed using Global Moran’s I and Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA). Results: All vaccination indicators improved substantially during the study period. TBD coverage increased from 81.9% to 95.4%, whereas HepBV3 coverage increased from 83.7% to 98.7%. TBD coverage was strongly positively associated with HepBV3 coverage(r = 0.95, p < 0.001). Mountainous ethnic minority regions consistently exhibited the lowest TBD coverage despite marked improvement over time. Absolute interregional inequality decreased from 30.8 to 8.4 percentage points. Although Global Moran’s I was not statistically significant, LISA analysis identified persistent localized low-coverage clusters in southeastern mountainous regions and emerging high–high clusters in northern Chongqing. Conclusions: Hepatitis B vaccination coverage in Chongqing improved markedly between 2016 and 2025, accompanied by declining geographic inequality. Nevertheless, persistent spatial inequities in timely birth-dose vaccination remained in mountainous ethnic minority areas. Continued monitoring of spatial inequalities, together with strengthened primary healthcare capacity, culturally tailored health education, and equitable resource allocation, may help support geographically targeted immunization strategies and accelerate progress toward the WHO goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Full article

Background/Objectives: Healthcare specialists are fundamental to the healthcare system, so ensuring their fair distribution is essential for providing sustainable, equitable services. This study aimed to evaluate geographical inequity in the distribution of healthcare specialists across Poland’s macro-regions from 2018 to 2024. Methods: Data were obtained from Statistics Poland. Healthcare specialist availability was measured as density rates per 10,000 population and per km². Population- and geographic-based inequalities were assessed using the unitless Gini coefficient (0–1), and the unitless Theil index. Results: The analysis yielded several key findings. Firstly, the spatial distribution of healthcare specialists is considerably less equitable than their distribution relative to population size, with clear differences between macro-regions. Access to oncologists and cardiologists was particularly unequal. These patterns demonstrate persistent structural imbalances in specialist availability. Conclusions: The results of this study can inform more effective policies aimed at achieving a fairer distribution of specialist care across the country. Other countries characterized by similar issues can build on these findings and adapt them to their own contexts. Full article

Economic development is multidimensional, yet provincial comparisons in Thailand often rely on individual indicators or broad sustainability indices. This study constructs separate TOPSIS rankings of economic prosperity and distributional outcomes for all 77 Thai provinces. Six prosperity indicators capture economic output, human capital, spatial agglomeration, labor market outcomes, and structural transformation, while four distributional indicators capture income inequality, economic vulnerability, informal employment, and household dependency. The analysis uses 2024 provincial accounts and Labor Force Survey microdata, with comparisons for 2022–2024. Prosperity is concentrated in Bangkok, the surrounding metropolitan region, and the Eastern Seaboard, while Phuket represents a distinct tourism-led pathway. Favorable distributional outcomes are concentrated within the metropolitan–industrial corridor, whereas disadvantage is more prevalent in the North and Northeast. The rankings are associated but conceptually distinct, and the prosperity ranking differs meaningfully from one based solely on GPP per capita. The prosperity ranking is highly stable over time, while the distributional ranking exhibits substantial stability after harmonizing income coverage. Both rankings are robust to alternative normalization procedures, weighting schemes, and aggregation methods. Spatial statistics confirm clustering. The findings demonstrate the value of separating economic prosperity from distributional disadvantage when benchmarking provincial development and assessing urban–regional disparities. Full article

This study develops the Fuzzy Cross-Efficiency Network Design (FCEND) framework—an integrated Geographic Information System (GIS) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach for logistics network design under deep uncertainty. Unlike conventional methods that ignore spatial equity and data credibility, FCEND combines GIS-based suitability mapping (30 m resolution, incorporating slope, land use, and floodplains), hybrid efficiency scores (${\mathrm{\Phi }}_{\mathrm{j}}$) integrating Cross-Efficiency DEA (CEDEA) peer evaluation with Fuzzy DEA (FDEA) uncertainty modeling, and a multi-objective function Z(S) = α·Efficiency(S) + β·H(S) − γ·Gini(S) that balances demand-weighted efficiency, portfolio-dependent criterion diversity (represented by the entropy term H(S)), and spatial equity. Applied to Iran’s staple food commodity network—85 million people across 1.65 million km²—FCEND identifies an optimal 15-node portfolio spanning 15 provinces with 74% direct population coverage within 150 km. The portfolio achieves a Gini coefficient of 0.298, and 9 of 15 nodes with excellent rail connectivity, while capturing strategically vital nodes (Borujerd, Bandar Abbas, Zahedan) overlooked by conventional approaches. Nine core sites with stability scores (f_j = 1.0) demonstrate perfect stability across all uncertainty scenarios. The framework’s modular architecture is conceptually transferable to emerging economies, as illustrated through adaptation to Vietnam (70% parameter swap). By integrating GIS-based spatial analysis, peer evaluation, fuzzy uncertainty, portfolio-dependent entropy, and equity constraints within a unified optimization framework, FCEND offers a transferable methodology for evidence-based logistics infrastructure planning—contributing directly to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 9 (Resilient Infrastructure), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Full article

Housing financialization has transformed residential property from a basic social necessity into a speculative asset, intensifying socio-spatial inequalities in the Global South. In Iran, a bank-dominated financial regime and high spatial inequality severely restrict access to housing finance, particularly for low-income households and climate-induced migrants in mid-sized cities. While the spatial consequences of financialization have been extensively studied in major metropolises, neighborhood-scale exclusion mechanisms in secondary cities remain significantly understudied. This study addresses this gap by employing a hybrid methodology that integrates the Bayesian Best–Worst Method (BWM) with Geographic Information Systems (GISs) and Fuzzy Overlay analysis to quantify and spatially visualize barriers to housing finance in Birjand, Iran. Eleven indicators were weighted through probabilistic expert elicitation (n = 10) using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling, with excellent convergence confirmed by Gelman–Rubin diagnostics (R-hat ≈ 1.00). Results identify land use as the dominant barrier (posterior mean = 0.256; 95% CrI [0.244, 0.270]), followed by homeownership rate and education level (≈0.132 each). Spatial modeling reveals a pronounced north–south monetary–spatial divide: southern districts concentrate financial services and formal tenure, while northern peripheries, predominantly inhabited by low-income and climate-migrant populations, constitute financial deserts. These findings demonstrate that spatial barriers to housing finance are structurally embedded in land-use classification and asset-based gatekeeping. The study offers a replicable probabilistic–spatial framework for diagnosing financial exclusion in Global South mid-sized cities and provides evidence-based guidance for spatially targeted policy interventions aligned with SDGs 1, 10, and 11. Full article

Background: Socioeconomic deprivation is a well-established determinant of participation in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. However, less is known about the geographic clustering of screening adherence and whether spatial inequalities mirror regional patterns of socioeconomic disadvantage. This study investigated the association between socioeconomic deprivation and adherence to CRC screening across Italian regions and explored the presence of spatial autocorrelation using geographic analytical methods. Methods: We conducted a nationwide ecological cross-sectional study including 21 Italian regional units. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to explore associations between colorectal cancer (CRC) screening adherence, primary care physician (PCP) workload and socioeconomic deprivation. Multivariable linear regression was used after assessment of multicollinearity using variance inflation factors (VIFs). Sensitivity analyses included alternative deprivation indicators and leave-one-region-out analyses. Spatial dependence was evaluated using Global Moran’s I and Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA). Results: CRC screening adherence showed substantial geographic variability across Italy, with higher participation in northern regions and lower participation in southern areas. Screening adherence was inversely associated with socioeconomic deprivation. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the association across alternative deprivation measures and sequential exclusion of each regional unit. Spatial analysis demonstrated significant positive spatial autocorrelation (Moran’s I = 0.275; p = 0.039), indicating that neighbouring regions tended to exhibit similar screening behaviours. LISA analysis identified significant High–High clusters in northern Italy, Low–Low clusters in southern and insular regions, and isolated spatial outliers, highlighting persistent territorial inequalities in preventive healthcare utilisation. Conclusions: Regional disparities in CRC screening participation were associated with socioeconomic deprivation and modest but significant spatial clustering. These findings provide a regional-level description of inequalities in screening participation and may help inform future public health strategies aimed at reducing disparities in organised colorectal cancer screening. Full article

The rapid expansion of Online Food Delivery Services (OFDS) is associated with changes in urban food environments long structured by the central place hierarchy. Does OFDS narrow the spatial inequalities embedded in traditional food access, or reproduce them in a new form? To address the limited multi-dimensional evidence on this question, this study develops an integrated online–offline framework comparing the walkable food environment (W-FE) and the OFDS food environment (OFDS-FE) across three dimensions: accessibility, availability, and affordability. Taking Hangzhou, China as a case, we match multi-source restaurant data via the Hungarian algorithm, model OFDS service ranges with a three-stage Gaussian distance-decay function, and assess spatial equity using the Gini coefficient. Results show that the OFDS-FE is associated with extended potential accessibility beyond walkable catchments and with higher relative affordability of mid- and high-end dining options. At the citywide scale, inequality indicators are lower in the OFDS-FE than in the W-FE, yet disparities persist and, in some suburban areas, widen. All findings are based on modeled, supply-side potential access derived from a single-platform (Meituan), single-month (December 2024) cross-section, rather than on observed consumer behavior. Rather than dissolving the central place hierarchy, OFDS extends the reach of established food centers, forming a broader “digital central service zone.” These findings inform the integration of digital delivery ranges into community life-circle planning. Full article

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recognizes ethnicity as a structural determinant of health, yet ethnic–racial analyses of neglected tropical diseases remain scarce. This study investigated cumulative notification and mortality rates of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) in Brazil from 2016 to 2025 according to the official Brazilian race/color categories. Data were obtained from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN/DATASUS), and temporal and spatial patterns were analyzed. ACL showed marked geographic heterogeneity, with the highest cumulative notification rates concentrated in the North and Central-West regions. Indigenous and Asian populations presented the highest cumulative notification rates, whereas mortality rates were highest among Indigenous populations and remained elevated among Brown populations in several settings. Spatial clusters were concentrated mainly in the Brazilian Amazon, reinforcing the persistence of territorial inequalities in ACL distribution. Overall, the findings reveal substantial race/color and geographic disparities in both ACL occurrence and mortality in Brazil, underscoring the need for more equitable surveillance, prevention, and control strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: The spatial interaction between obesity, diet-related chronic diseases, premature mortality, food environments, and social determinants of health is a global concern. This study aimed to analyze the spatial distribution of healthy and unhealthy food outlets in two medium-sized cities in southern Chile. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted to characterize the food environment in two medium-sized cities in Chile. Food outlets were geolocated and classified as healthy, regular, or unhealthy, and into four food environment categories (institutional outlets, informal markets, formal markets, and restauration) using validated instruments. Results: Of 1972 identified sites, 1949 were geolocated. Among these, 246 (12.6%) were classified as healthy, 461 (23.7%) as unhealthy, and 1242 (63.7%) as regular. Food environments comprised 1441 stores (73.9%), 366 restauration (18.8%), 136 street food outlets (7.0%), and six institutional food outlets (0.3%). The two lowest socioeconomic quintiles (Q1–Q2) exhibited a lower proportion of healthy food outlets (39.4%). Significant positive spatial autocorrelation was observed for stores, restaurants, and street food outlets (p < 0.005). Conclusions: Food environments were unequally distributed, with a higher density of healthy food outlets in areas characterized by greater population density and higher socioeconomic status. The observed spatial autocorrelation highlights the need for targeted public health interventions to reduce inequalities in access to healthy foods. These findings provide evidence to support policies aimed at promoting more equitable and healthier food environments in medium-sized cities. Full article

Background: Spatial analysis methods, including model-based geostatistics (MBG), small-area estimation (SAE), and cluster detection, are increasingly used to map subnational immunisation coverage and identify geographic inequalities in low- and middle-income countries. However, the extent to which these methods capture the multidimensional determinants of immunisation uptake, and whether their outputs inform programme decisions in practice, remains unclear. Methods: We conducted a critical scoping review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, systematically searching PubMed and Google Scholar for studies applying spatial statistical methods to childhood immunisation coverage or equity. Findings were synthesised using a combination of descriptive summary and thematic and interpretive synthesis. Results: We included 50 studies from the 421 papers identified. Spatial methods have successfully revealed subnational coverage inequalities that national averages obscure, and studies developed in collaboration with national programme teams, integrating routine health system data alongside household surveys, produced the most operationally relevant outputs. However, most studies relied exclusively on survey data with a limited incorporation of supply-side determinants, and few discussed how uncertainty in estimates should constrain downstream use. Although a growing number of studies articulated clear implementation pathways, confirmed programmatic uptake of spatial outputs remained largely undocumented. The emergence of machine learning approaches (8 of 50 studies) offers predictive gains but introduces additional challenges around transparency and quality assurance for governance use. Conclusions: Spatial methods are becoming more frequently used for immunisation but are more likely to contribute to immunisation equity goals when co-produced with programme teams, matched to decision-relevant geographies, and accompanied by transparent documentation of model assumptions and limitations. Future research should prioritise quality frameworks for algorithm-assisted health estimates and systematic evaluation of whether spatial outputs improve decision-making relative to existing data sources. Full article