Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
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Control of diseases transmitted from person to person may be more effectively and less economically damaging if preventive and ameliorative efforts are focused on the more vulnerable local areas rather than entire countries, provinces, or states. The spread of the COVID-19 virus is highly concentrated in urban US counties. ⋯ Evidence of crowding in homes, workplaces, religious gatherings, preexisting health conditions in the population, and local economic and demographic conditions, with one exception, was predictive of incidence and mortality. Based on the correlation of cases and deaths to length of stay-at-home orders, the orders were associated with about 52% reduced cases and about 55% reduced deaths from those expected without the orders.
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Ciclovia, also known as Open Streets initiatives in other countries, are city streets that are closed to motorized traffic and opened during certain times to residents for engaging in physical activity (PA). These initiatives are viewed by policy makers and health and community advocates as being beneficial to social, environmental, and community health. This study explores the geographic distribution of Ciclovia and Recreovia and the differences in geographic access assessed via distance-based measures, based on the socioeconomic status (SES) of the area. ⋯ The median distance to the Recreovia sites ranges from 5173 m for SES 1 to 3869 m for SES 6. This study found revealing urban inequities in the distribution of Ciclovia, whereas there was less inequalities within the Recreovia sites. This study shows that urban interventions are needed to promote recreational activity and reduce health disparities in under resourced, low SES areas.