Gender differences in active travel in major cities across the world

AbstractThere is lack of literature on international comparison of gender differences in the use of active travel modes. We used population-representative travel surveys for 19 major cities across 13 countries and 6 continents, representing a mix of cites from low-and-middle income (n = 8) and high-income countries (n = 11). In all the cities, females are more likely than males to walk and, in most cities, more likely to use public transport. This relationship reverses in cycling, with females often less likely users than males. In high cycling cities, both genders are equally likely to cycle. Active travel to access public transport contributes 30–50% of total active travel time. The gender differences in active travel metrics are age dependent. Among children (< 16 years), these metrics are often equal for girls and boys, while gender disparity increases with age. On average, active travel enables one in every four people in the population to achieve at least 30 min of physical activity in a day, though there is large variation across the cities. In general, females are more likely to achieve this level than males. The results highlight the importance of a gendered approach towards active transport policies. Such an approach necessitates reducing road traffic danger and male violence, as well as overcoming social norms that restrict women from cycling. This project (JW, RG, LT) has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the Horizon views and the Commission is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. OO is affiliated to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) West Midlands. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. This paper presented independent research and the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. LF was funded by the Global Diet and Activity Research Group. This group was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (16/137/64) using UK aid from the UK Government to support global health research

Investigating the Response to Meristem Culture of Four Regional Sweetpotato Varieties in the Western Highlands of Cameroon

In the Western highlands of Cameroon where sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is an inevitable staple crop during the dry season, farmers cherish local which are presently under the risk of extinction due to accumulation of pest and diseases. Guaranteeing sustainable Sweetpotato production in this region therefore requires providing farmers with disease free planting materials such as tissue cultures. This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of introducing disease free planting materials from meristem culture of EX-KOLB, EX-GUZANG2, EX-WIDIKUM3 and EX-NKAMBE1 which are four regional sweetpotato varieties common in the Western highlands of Cameroon. Test tubes containing growing media and meristems from each of the varieties were labeled and laid out in a completely randomized experimental design (CRD) with four replications and four treatments. Data on the number of sprouted meristems, number of rooted meristems, number of meristems contaminated, number of meristems that died, average heights of developed plants, average number of nodes on the developed plants, and average number of leaves on the developed plants was collected over a period of 8 weeks at 2 weeks interval. Meristems from all the landraces sprouted in the media used and the differences in the mean number of sprouted meristem between the landraces were significant (P0.05).This genotype-dependent response to media used for in vitro regeneration by plants has been observed by many studies. However meristems from EX-GUZANG2 and EX-KOLB showed greater positive respond to this media and merit further studies for the purpose of this experiment

The built environment and health in low- and middle-income countries : A review on quantitative health impact assessments

Purpose of Review Features and attributes of the built environment (BE) impact positively and negatively on health, especially in cities facing unprecedented urban population growth and mass motorization. A common approach to assess the health impacts of built environment is health impact assessment (HIA), but it is rarely used in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where urbanization rates are fastest. This article reviews selected HIA case studies from LMICs and reports the methods and tools used to support further implementation of quantitative HIAs in cities of LMICs. Recent Findings In total, 24 studies were reviewed across Algeria, Brazil, China, India, Iran, Kenya, Thailand, Turkey, and Mauritius. HIAs examine specific pathways through which the built environment acts: air pollution, noise, physical activity, and traffic injury. Few HIAs of BE addressed more than one exposure pathway at a time, and most studies focused on air pollution across the sectors of transport and energy. A wide number of tools were used to conduct exposure assessment, and different models were applied to assess health impacts of different exposures. Those HIAs rely on availability of local concentration data and often use models that have set exposure–response functions (ERFs). ERFs were not adapted to local populations except for HIAs conducted in China. Summary HIAs of BE are being successfully conducted in LMICs with a variety of tools and datasets. Scaling and expanding quantitative health impact modeling in LMICs will require further study on data availability, adapted models/tools, low technical capacity, and low policy demand for evidence from modeling studies. As case studies with successful use of evidence from modeling emerge, the uptake of health impact modeling of BE is likely to increase in favor of people and planet

Investigation of water sources as reservoirs of <i>Vibrio cholerae</i> in Bepanda, Douala and determination of physico-chemical factors maintaining its endemicity

Cholera remains a significant cause of mortality in developing countries. Outbreaks of the disease are associated with poverty, lack of potable water and poor sanitation. The survival and persistence of Vibrio cholerae in water has been shown to depend on physico-chemical factors. We studied water sources in Bepanda, an overcrowded neighbourhood in Douala, Cameroon, with limited access to portable water and very poor sanitary conditions as reservoirs of V. cholerae. We analysed 318 samples from various sources (well, tap, stream) from February to July 2009 using standard microbiological techniques and characterised isolates serologically using the polyvalent O1/O139 antisera. Susceptibility to antibiotics previously used for cholera treatment in Douala was studied using the disk diffusion method. Physico-chemical factors (temperature, pH and salinity) that could maintain the endemicity of the organism were analysed using standard methods. Eighty-seven (27.4%) samples were contaminated, with high isolation rates being obtained from streams (52.4%) and wells (29.8%). The number of isolates was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the rainy season (35.5%). We detected 23 (24%) O1 serogroup isolates in streams and wells, whilst 64 (66.6%) were non-O1/non-O139. Temperature and salinity correlated positively with the occurrence of the organisms. All isolates were susceptible to fluoroquinolones but high resistance rates to trimethoprim or sulfamethozaxole and tetracycline were observed. Vibrio cholerae is endemic in Bepanda with O1 and non-O1/non-O139 serogroups co-existing in the streams and wells hence the possibility of future outbreaks of cholera if sanitation and drinking water quality are not improved. Temperature and salinity are amongst the factors maintaining the endemicity of the organism

Travel Behaviour and Barriers to Active Travel among Adults in Yaoundé, Cameroon

The literature on urban travel behaviour in Africa is sparse, limiting our understanding of how urban transport policies respond to human and planetary needs. We conducted a cross-sectional household telephone survey on 1334 participants, using a 24 h time-use diary, to investigate travel behaviour and barriers to active travel (walking and cycling) in Yaoundé, Cameroon. We found that two-thirds of all participants reported at least one trip; the median (IQR) numbers of trips per capita and per participant with trips were 2 (0–3) and 2 (2–3), respectively. The main trip modes were shared taxi (46%), walking (27%), private cars (11%), and motorcycle taxis (10%), with 25%, 56%, and 45% of all participants reporting the use of active, motorised, and public transport, respectively. The mean (IQR) trip duration was 48 (30–60) min; for participants who reported trips, the daily overall and active travel durations were 121 (60–150) and 28 (0–45) min, respectively. Women were less likely to travel, making fewer and shorter trips when they did. Participants in less wealthy households were more likely to travel. The primary barriers to both walking and cycling were the fear of road traffic injuries and the inconvenience of active travel modes. Therefore, local urban transport authorities need to improve the safety and convenience of active mobility and promote gender equity in transport. Restrictions to movements during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relatively small survey sample might have biased our results; thus, a representative travel survey could improve current estimates. More generally, high-quality research on travel behaviours and their correlates is needed in low-resource settings.This research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (GHR: 16/137/34) using UK aid from the UK Government to support global health research. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the UK government

Comparing travel behaviour characteristics and correlates between large and small Kenyan cities (Nairobi versus Kisumu)

Understanding urban travel behaviour is crucial for planning healthy and sustainable cities. Africa is urbanising at one of the fastest rates in the world and urgently needs this knowledge. However, the data and literature on urban travel behaviour, their correlates, and their variation across African cities are limited. We aimed to describe and compare travel behaviour characteristics and correlates of two Kenyan cities (Nairobi and Kisumu). We analysed data from 16793 participants (10000 households) in a 2013 Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) household travel survey in Nairobi and 5790 participants (2760 households) in a 2016 Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) household travel survey in Kisumu. We used the Heckman selection model to explore correlations of travel duration by trip mode. The proportion of individuals reporting no trips was far higher in Kisumu (47% vs 5%). For participants with trips, the mean number [lower - upper quartiles] of daily trips was similar (Kisumu (2.2 [2-2] versus 2.4 [2-2] trips), but total daily travel durations were lower in Kisumu (65 [30-80] versus 116 [60-150] minutes). Walking was the most common trip mode in both cities (61% in Kisumu and 42% in Nairobi), followed by motorcycles (17%), matatus (minibuses) (11%), and cars (5%) in Kisumu; and matatus (28%), cars (12%) and buses (12%) in Nairobi. In both cities, females were less likely to make trips, and when they did, they travelled for shorter durations; people living in households with higher incomes were more likely to travel and did so for longer durations. Gender, income, occupation, and household vehicle ownership were associated differently with trip making, use of transport modes and daily travel times in cities. These findings illustrate marked differences in reported travel behaviour characteristics and correlates within the same country, indicating setting-dependent influences on travel behaviour. More sub-national data collection and harmonisation are needed to build a more nuanced understanding of patterns and drivers of travel behaviour in African cities.This research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (GHR: 16/137/34) using UK aid from the UK Government to support global health research. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the UK Department of Health and Social Care. LT and JW were supported with funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 817754)