A systematic review of empirical and simulation studies evaluating the health impact of transportation interventions.

Urban transportation is an important determinant of health and environmental outcomes, and therefore essential to achieving the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. To better understand the health impacts of transportation initiatives, we conducted a systematic review of longitudinal health evaluations involving: a) bus rapid transit (BRT); b) bicycle lanes; c) Open Streets programs; and d) aerial trams/cable cars. We also synthesized systems-based simulation studies of the health-related consequences of walking, bicycling, aerial tram, bus and BRT use. Two reviewers screened 3302 unique titles and abstracts identified through a systematic search of MEDLINE (Ovid), Scopus, TRID and LILACS databases. We included 39 studies: 29 longitudinal evaluations and 10 simulation studies. Five studies focused on low- and middle-income contexts. Of the 29 evaluation studies, 19 focused on single component bicycle lane interventions; the rest evaluated multi-component interventions involving: bicycle lanes (n = 5), aerial trams (n = 1), and combined bicycle lane/BRT systems (n = 4). Bicycle lanes and BRT systems appeared effective at increasing bicycle and BRT mode share, active transport duration, and number of trips using these modes. Of the 10 simulation studies, there were 9 agent-based models and one system dynamics model. Five studies focused on bus/BRT expansions and incentives, three on interventions for active travel, and the rest investigated combinations of public transport and active travel policies. Synergistic effects were observed when multiple policies were implemented, with several studies showing that sizable interventions are required to significantly shift travel mode choices. Our review indicates that bicycle lanes and BRT systems represent promising initiatives for promoting population health. There is also evidence to suggest that synergistic effects might be achieved through the combined implementation of multiple transportation policies. However, more rigorous evaluation and simulation studies focusing on low- and middle-income countries, aerial trams and Open Streets programs, and a more diverse set of health and health equity outcomes is required.

[Cyclist mortality in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil: recent demographic characteristics and trends]. / Mortalidade de ciclistas no município de São Paulo, Brasil: características demográficas e tendências recentes.

Bicycles are a low cost and healthy means of transport, however accidents represent the negative downside. This study sought to describe the characteristics of cyclist deaths, their recent evolution, and the status of the cycle path structure in the city of São Paulo. It involved a descriptive study using information from the Mortality Information System (SIM-DATASUS) between 2000 and 2017. The relationship between the cyclist mortality rate and the cycling path network was evaluated using Pearson's correlation test. A comparison was made with bicycle journeys in the same period. The sociodemographic profile of deaths was compared with that of the general population. The mortality rate peaked at 7.91/million inhabitants in 2006 and decreased to 1.8/million in 2017; in this period, there was an increase in cycling journeys and in the cycle path structure. A negative correlation was observed between the mortality rate and the cycle path structure. The analysis of deaths indicates a predominantly male, white, young profile, with ≤7 years of schooling; 65% died in collisions with vehicles. There was a decrease in cyclist deaths in the city of São Paulo correlated with the increase in the bicycle path grid from 2008 onwards, in a scenario of increased demand for bicycle transport.

A bicicleta é um transporte barato e saudável, porém os acidentes constituem sua externalidade negativa. Objetivou-se descrever as características dos óbitos de ciclistas, sua evolução recente e o papel da estrutura cicloviária no município de São Paulo. Estudo descritivo utilizando informações do Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade (SIM-DATASUS) entre 2000-2017. A relação entre taxa de mortalidade de ciclistas e malha cicloviária foi avaliada por meio de teste de correlação de Pearson. Foi realizada uma comparação com as viagens de bicicleta no mesmo período. O perfil sociodemográfico dos óbitos foi comparado com o da população geral. A taxa de mortalidade atingiu pico de 7,91/milhão de habitantes em 2006 e diminuiu até 1,8/milhão em 2017; neste período houve aumento das viagens de bicicleta e da estrutura cicloviária. Observou-se correlação negativa entre a taxa de mortalidade e a estrutura cicloviária. A análise dos óbitos indica perfil predominantemente masculino, branco, jovem, com ≤7 anos de estudo; 65% morreram em colisão com veículos. Observou-se diminuição dos óbitos de ciclistas no município de São Paulo correlacionada ao incremento de ciclovias a partir de 2008, em um cenário de aumento da demanda por transporte em bicicleta.

Spatial data collection and qualification methods for urban parks in Brazilian capitals: An innovative roadmap.

Urban parks have been studied for their effects on health and the environment. Accessing park data from reliable and comparable sources remains challenging, reinforcing the importance of standardized search tools, notably in Latin America. We designed a systematized methodology to identify processes of accessing, collecting, verifying, and harmonizing urban park spatial data in all Brazilian capitals included in the Urban Health in Latin America (SALURBAL) project. We developed a research protocol using official and non-official sources combining the results of Google Maps (GMaps) points and OpenStreetMap (OSM) polygons-GMaps-OSM. Descriptive analyses included the frequency of the distribution of parks before and after harmonization stratified by data source. We used the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to assess agreement in the area between official and GMaps-OSM data. Official data were obtained for 16 cities; for the remaining 11 capitals, we used GMaps-OSM. After verification and harmonization, 302 urban parks were obtained from official data and 128 from GMaps-OSM. In a sub-study of the 16 cities with official data (n = 302 parks), we simulated a collection of non-official data using GMaps-OSM and OSM only. From GMaps-OSM, we obtained 142 parks, and from OSM, 230 parks. Statistical analysis showed a better agreement between official data and OSM. After completing verification and harmonization, the complete dataset (official and GMaps-OSM) included 430 urban parks with a total area of 145.14 km2. The mean number of parks across cities was 16, with a mean size area of 0.33 km2. The median number of parks was nine, with a median area of 0.07 km2. This study highlights the importance of creating mechanisms to access, collect, harmonize, and verify urban park data, which is essential for examining the impact of parks on health. It also stresses the importance of providing reliable urban park spatial data for city officials.

Mortalidade de ciclistas no município de São Paulo, Brasil: características demográficas e tendências recentes / Cyclist mortality in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil: recent demographic characteristics and trends

Resumo A bicicleta é um transporte barato e saudável, porém os acidentes constituem sua externalidade negativa. Objetivou-se descrever as características dos óbitos de ciclistas, sua evolução recente e o papel da estrutura cicloviária no município de São Paulo. Estudo descritivo utilizando informações do Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade (SIM-DATASUS) entre 2000-2017. A relação entre taxa de mortalidade de ciclistas e malha cicloviária foi avaliada por meio de teste de correlação de Pearson. Foi realizada uma comparação com as viagens de bicicleta no mesmo período. O perfil sociodemográfico dos óbitos foi comparado com o da população geral. A taxa de mortalidade atingiu pico de 7,91/milhão de habitantes em 2006 e diminuiu até 1,8/milhão em 2017; neste período houve aumento das viagens de bicicleta e da estrutura cicloviária. Observou-se correlação negativa entre a taxa de mortalidade e a estrutura cicloviária. A análise dos óbitos indica perfil predominantemente masculino, branco, jovem, com ≤7 anos de estudo; 65% morreram em colisão com veículos. Observou-se diminuição dos óbitos de ciclistas no município de São Paulo correlacionada ao incremento de ciclovias a partir de 2008, em um cenário de aumento da demanda por transporte em bicicleta.

Abstract Bicycles are a low cost and healthy means of transport, however accidents represent the negative downside. This study sought to describe the characteristics of cyclist deaths, their recent evolution, and the status of the cycle path structure in the city of São Paulo. It involved a descriptive study using information from the Mortality Information System (SIM-DATASUS) between 2000 and 2017. The relationship between the cyclist mortality rate and the cycling path network was evaluated using Pearson's correlation test. A comparison was made with bicycle journeys in the same period. The sociodemographic profile of deaths was compared with that of the general population. The mortality rate peaked at 7.91/million inhabitants in 2006 and decreased to 1.8/million in 2017; in this period, there was an increase in cycling journeys and in the cycle path structure. A negative correlation was observed between the mortality rate and the cycle path structure. The analysis of deaths indicates a predominantly male, white, young profile, with ≤7 years of schooling; 65% died in collisions with vehicles. There was a decrease in cyclist deaths in the city of São Paulo correlated with the increase in the bicycle path grid from 2008 onwards, in a scenario of increased demand for bicycle transport.

Combinamos entre nós ou com o tempo?: temporalidades climáticas no cotidiano de idosos moradores do centro de São Paulo / Do we agree between us or with the weather? times and climates in everyday life of elderly residents of the center of Sao Paulo

A relação entre o clima e a saúde do idoso urbano tem sido amplamente abordada em termos quantitativos. Esta pesquisa busca compreender como se constitui a relação dos idosos com o clima no cotidiano urbano e em seu contexto cultural, buscando contribuições para o tema da adaptação em tempos de mudanças climáticas, ao fenômeno da ilha de calor urbana, e para o entendimento sobre o envelhecer na cidade. O objetivo foi compreender como os idosos moradores do centro de São Paulo, Brasil, experimentam e relatam sua experiência sobre o tempo meteorológico e o clima no cotidiano, tanto na vida doméstica quanto na sua movimentação pelo espaço público, integrando perspectivas físicas, subjetivas e ambientais. Trata-se de pesquisa qualitativa, de perspectiva etnográfica e com orientação analítico-descritiva, que utiliza como técnicas de coleta de dados a observação participante, entrevistas semiestruturadas e análise de documentos. A interpretação do material coletado seguiu os pressupostos da análise temática e manteve o foco em práticas sociais. Os participantes da pesquisa revelaram uma relação complexa com o clima e tempo, explicitada por meio da prática narrativa de memórias sociais que elaboram uma construção de clima e, simultaneamente, das práticas antecipatórias e adaptativas às condições atmosféricas que se apresentam no cotidiano. Esta experiência revelou-se corporificada e situada tanto no plano concreto do urbano quanto no plano subjetivo do histórico e social.

Introduction - The relationship between climate, health and the urban elderly has been widely discussed in quantitative terms. This research seeks to understand how the relationship with climate is built into the everyday life of the elderly who live in cities within their historical, social and cultural context. It aims to generate contributions to the issue of adaptation to climate change, to an urban heat island environment and the debate on aging in big cities. The main objective was to understand how the elderly residents of the center of São Paulo, Brazil, experience and report the experience about weather and climate in daily life, both in domestic and public spaces, integrating physical, subjective and environmental perspectives. This is a qualitative research with an ethnographic approach and an analytical-descriptive orientation, using the techniques of participant observation, semi-structured interviews and document analysis for data generation. The interpretative approach follows the assumptions of thematic analysis and the focus on practices. The participants have revealed a complex relationship with climate and weather: from constructions of climate that emerged during narrative practice of social memories, to anticipatory and adaptive practices to atmospheric conditions they had to deal with in everyday life. The experience has proved to be embodied and emplaced both in the concrete urban dimension and in the subjective dimension of the historical and social context.