scholarly journals Consistency between Infrastructure Rating Systems in Measuring Sustainability

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwatobi Oluwalaiye ◽  
Mehmet Ozbek

To date, several transportation sustainability rating systems (TSRS) have been developed to measure and promote sustainability. However, studies show that these TSRS have not been developed with a consistent sustainability scope. This raises the question of the consistency of these TSRS in measuring the sustainability of transportation projects. This study assesses how three prominent TSRS (Envision, INVEST, and GreenLITES) rate the sustainability performance of transportation projects with the goal of determining if a consistency exists in the way these three TSRS measure sustainability. These three TSRS are applied to five transportation projects. The results showed that these three rating tools assess and reward sustainability practices differently. Additionally, results suggest that it may be easier for a project to get awarded in GreenLITES compared to the other two TSRS. Notwithstanding all of the above, a consistency was noted in all three rating systems in the quality of life/social performance of projects. This study helps to inform stakeholders in the transportation industry on how transportation projects perform when run through each of these rating systems. This will help stakeholders to make informed decisions with respect to choosing one (or more) TSRS to assess their projects with and evaluating the results obtained from such TSRS.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain ◽  
Nur Farhana Azmi ◽  
Suhaini Yusoff

Transit stations are generally well known as nodes of spaces where percentage of people walking are relatively high. The issue is do more planning is actually given to create walkability. Creating walking led transit stations involves planning of walking distance, providing facilities like pathways, toilets, seating and lighting. On the other hand, creating walking led transit station for women uncover a new epitome. Walking becomes one of the most important forms of mobility for women in developing countries nowadays. Encouraging women to use public transportation is not just about another effort to promote the use of public transportation but also another great endeavour to reduce numbers of traffic on the road. This also means, creating an effort to control accidents rate, reducing carbon emission, improving health and eventually, developing the quality of life. Hence, in this paper, we sought first to find out the factors that motivate women to walk at transit stations in Malaysia. A questionnaire survey with 562 female user of Light Railway Transit (LRT) was conducted at LRT stations along Kelana Jaya Line. Both built and non-built environment characteristics, particularly distance, safety and facilities were found as factors that are consistently associated with women walkability. With these findings, the paper highlights the criteria  which are needed to create and make betterment of transit stations not just for women but also for walkability in general.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2648
Author(s):  
Shila Minari Hargreaves ◽  
Eduardo Yoshio Nakano ◽  
Heesup Han ◽  
António Raposo ◽  
Antonio Ariza-Montes ◽  
...  

This study aimed to evaluate the general quality of life (QoL) of Brazilian vegetarians. A cross-sectional study was conducted with Brazilian vegetarian adults (18 years old and above). Individuals were recruited to participate in a nationwide online survey that comprised the WHOQOL-BREF as well as sociodemographic and characterization questions related to vegetarianism. The WHOQOL-BREF is composed of 24 items which are divided into four domains (domain 1: physical health; domain 2: psychological well-being; domain 3: social relationships; and domain 4: environment), plus two general items which were analyzed separately, totaling 26 items. The answers from the questionnaire were converted into scores with a 0–100 scale range, with separate analyses for each domain. Results were compared among groups based on the different characteristics of the vegetarian population. A total of 4375 individuals completed the survey. General average score results were 74.67 (domain 1), 66.71 (domain 2), 63.66 (domain 3) and 65.76 (domain 4). Vegans showed better scores when compared to the other vegetarians, except in domain four, where the statistical difference was observed only for semi-vegetarians (lower score). Individuals adopting a vegetarian diet for longer (>1 year) showed better results for domains one and two, with no difference for the other domains. Having close people also adopting a vegetarian diet positively influenced the results for all domains. On the other hand, it was not possible to distinguish any clear influence of the motivation for adopting a vegetarian diet on the scores’ results. Adopting a vegetarian diet does not have detrimental effects on one’s QoL. In fact, the more plant-based the diet, and the longer it was adopted, the better the results were.


Author(s):  
Juan P. Martínez ◽  
Inmaculada Méndez ◽  
Esther Secanilla ◽  
Ana Benavente ◽  
Julia García Sevilla

Starting from previous studies in professional caregivers of people with dementia and other diseases in institutionalized centers of different regions, the aim of this study was to compare burnout levels that workers present depending on the center, to create a caregiver profile with high professional accomplishment and to describe the quality of life that residents perceive Murcia and Barcelona. The instruments used were the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Professional Caregiver Survey developed ad hoc and the Brief Questionnaire of Quality of Life (CUBRECAVI in Spanish) on residents. The results show, on the one hand, that levels of professional accomplishment may be paradoxically higher in the case of catastrophe and, on the other hand, the 98.2% of users are satisfied with the residence in which is located and 81.8% with the manner in which occupy the time. The conclusions that are extrapolated from the study shed light on the current situation of workers and residents and the influence that an earthquake can have on them.


Author(s):  
Karolina Bezerra ◽  
José Machado ◽  
Vitor Carvalho ◽  
Filomena Soares ◽  
Bruno Silva ◽  
...  

From Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) perspective it is important to have information regarding the type of care needed by bedridden elderly people (BEP) living in their homes, in order to support independence, autonomy and maximize their quality of life. Some basic tasks as eating, taking a bath and the hygiene cares may be difficult to execute, regarding that almost always the main caregiver is the other element of the couple (husband or wife). Following this trend, the development of mechatronic devices is of upmost importance in creating solutions to facilitate these tasks. This paper presents the conceptual design of a mechatronic system especially devoted to the assistance during the bath of BEP. Issues as reducing the number of caregivers to only one to assist the bath and reducing the system’s handling complexity (because most of the time it will be used by an aged person) are considered. Visits to rehabilitation centers and hospitals, and respective working meetings, are considered in the development of the proposed mechatronic system.


2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Omipidan Bashiru Adeniyi

The trend in most part of the western world today is the agitations for a person to have the right to take his own life, when such life, becomes unbearable due to pain, being the result of a severe or terminal illness. This is the position of proponents of the concept of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Opponents of the concept on the other hand are of the view that no matter the circumstances, a person should not take his own life because he has contributed nothing to its creation. They therefore uphold the sanctity of life as against its quality. This paper seeks to examine the relative arguments and will address the position of Islamic law governing the euthanasia debate.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-11
Author(s):  
S. K. Solovyev ◽  
E. A. Aseeva ◽  
E. L. Nasonov ◽  
A. M. Lila ◽  
G. M. Koilubaeva

The efficiency of glucocorticoid (GC) therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is beyond question and is confirmed by the experience gained over many decades of their use. However, there are many problems with prolonged GC use, even in its low and medium doses. In particular, the development of GC-associated irreversible organ damages significantly worsens prognosis and causes a decrease in quality of life and social adaptation and a substantial increase in treatment costs. On the other hand, the current capabilities of early diagnosis, pathogenetic therapy, and monitoring in many patients with SLE allow for maintaining low disease activity and remission, the conditions in which the feasibility of further GC treatment can and should be decided. The paper gives the data available in the literature and the authors’ own studies on the possibility and prospects of GC withdrawal in SLE patients in a stage of low disease activity and remission.


Author(s):  
Patrik Rytterström ◽  
Maria Borgestig ◽  
Helena Hemmingsson

Introducing advanced assistive technology such as eye gaze controlled computers can improve a person’s quality of life and awaken hope for a child’s future inclusion and opportunities in society. This article explores the meanings of parents’ and teachers’ other-oriented hope related to eye gaze technology for children with severe disabilities. A secondary analysis of six parents’ and five teachers’ interview transcripts was conducted in accordance with a phenomenological-hermeneutic research method. The eye gaze controlled computer creates new imaginations of a brighter future for the child, but also becomes a source for motivation and action in the present. The other-oriented hope occurs not just in the future; it is already there in the present and opens up new alternatives and possibilities to overcome the difficulties the child is encountering today. Both the present situation and the hope for the future influence each other, and both affect the motivation for using the technology. This emphasises the importance of clinicians giving people opportunities to express how they see the future and how technology could realise this hope.


Author(s):  
Cláudia Helena Henriques

This chapter contributes to the emergent debate about sustainable tourism versus overtourism, in the context of urban development. The study underlines, on one hand, the growing importance of tourism in the historic quarters of Lisbon, and on the other hand the rise of overtourism and its effects on residents' quality of life. Consequently, there is the analysis and debate regarding the policies responses of the Lisbon Council in the framework of an integrated urban rehabilitation in Lisbon's historic quarters and the Lisbon Council Strategy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helaoui Fadwa

Abstract Background and Aims Procedure of haemodialysis (HD) treatment is associated with an impaired quality of life in chronic kidney disease patients. It is due to changes in family, social and professional relationships. These changes can also lead to mental health problems. The purpose of our study is to determine the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in hemodialysis patients. Method Fifty chronic hemodialysis patients were enrolled in our cross-sectional study during four months (September -October- November- December 2019). The HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) survey was used to assess depressive and anxiolytic disorder in our hemodialysis population. Were excluded patients aged less than 18 yearsold as well as kidney transplant patients and psychiatric patients. Results The mean age of our patients was 49.5 range (24-79).The sex ratio was 1.27. The prevalence of anxiety syndrome was 40% with a female predominance of 54.5% versus 54,5%. Depressive syndrome was noted in 48% of our patients with a male predominance of 58.3% versus 41,7%. 48% of our HD patients have shown depression in various degrees. It was about mild depression of 20,8% of pts, moderate depression of 41,6% of pts and severe depression of 37,5% of pts. Somatic symptoms of depression in our population were respectively noted in 52,8% of loss of energy, 57,5% fatigue, 63,4% sleep disturbances, and 38,5% changes in appetite. The most common psychological symptoms were: pessimism (79,1%), loss of interest in appearance (41,6%), psychomotor retardation (75%). On the other hand, 37, 5% of patients felt cheerful and 16,6% still enjoy doing some activities. For patients with anxiety syndrom, we noted: concentration disturbance (45,4%), palpitations (50%), abdominal pain (59,09%) and headache (81,8%). With regard to psychological symptoms, the most emphasized were: sudden feelings of panic (54,5%), worrying thoughts (72,7%),77,2% are feeling restless and 59,09% are feeling wound up. On the other hand, 68,1% feel relaxed especially after the hemodialysis session. It seems that gender, marital status and HD duration did not influence significantly in occurrence of depression with respectively (p=0,08, p=0.1 and p= 0.08). Older patients were significantly more depressed in compared to younger patients (p= 0.003). Unemployed patients were significantly more depressed in relation to employed patients(p=0.01). Finally, as the educational level of patients increased, level of depression significantly decreased (p=0,04). Conclusion Depression is the most frequent psychological complication of hemodialysis (HD) patients. Our results showed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among the study group. The exact prevalence of depression in dialysis patients is unclear because of different criteria utilized for diagnosis of depression. A close collaboration between nephrologists and psychiatrists is needed to ensure a better quality of life in HD patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Indu Subramanian ◽  
Joshua Farahnik ◽  
Laurie K. Mischley

Abstract Social isolation and its deleterious effects on health increases with age in the general population. People with Parkinson’s Disease (PWP) are no exception. Social isolation is a risk factor for worsened health outcomes and increased mortality. Symptoms such as depression and sleep dysfunction are adversely affected by loneliness. There is a paucity of research on social isolation in Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is all the more critical now in the setting of social distancing due to COVID-19. The goal of this study was to survey individuals with PD to evaluate whether social isolation is associated with PD symptom severity and quality of life. Only individuals reporting a diagnosis of idiopathic PD were included in this analysis. The primary outcome measures were the Patient-Reported Outcomes in PD (PRO-PD) and questions from PROMIS Global related to social health. PRO-PD scores increased as social performance and social satisfaction scores diminished. Individuals who reported being lonely experienced a 55% greater symptom severity than those who were not lonely (P < 0.01). Individuals who documented having a lot of friends had 21% fewer symptoms than those with few or no friends (P < 0.01). Social isolation was associated with greater patient-reported PD severity and lower quality of life, although it is unclear whether this is the cause and/or a consequence of the disease. In essence, the Parkinson pandemic and the pandemic of social isolation have been further compounded by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The results emphasize the need to keep PWP socially connected and prevent loneliness in this time of social distancing. Proactive use of virtual modalities for support groups and social prescribing should be explored.


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