Built environment profiles for Latin American urban settings: The SALURBAL study

Abstract

The built environment of cities is complex and influences social and environmental determinants of health. In this study we, 1) identified city profiles based on the built landscape and street design characteristics of cities in Latin America and 2) evaluated the associations of city profiles with social determinants of health and air pollution. Landscape and street design profiles of 370 cities were identified using finite mixture modeling. For landscape, we measured fragmentation, isolation, and shape. For street design, we measured street connectivity, street length, and directness. We fitted a two-level linear mixed model to assess the association of social and environmental determinants of health with the profiles. We identified four profiles for landscape and four for the street design domain. The most common landscape profile was the “proximate stones” characterized by moderate fragmentation, isolation and patch size, and irregular shape. The most common street design profile was the “semi-hyperbolic grid” characterized by moderate connectivity, street length, and directness. The “semi-hyperbolic grid”, “spiderweb” and “hyperbolic grid” profiles were positively associated with higher access to piped water and less overcrowding. The “semi-hyperbolic grid” and “spiderweb” profiles were associated with higher air pollution. The “proximate stones” and “proximate inkblots” profiles were associated with higher congestion. In conclusion, there is substantial heterogeneity in the urban landscape and street design profiles of Latin American cities. While we did not find a specific built environment profile that was consistently associated with lower air pollution and better social conditions, the different configurations of the built environments of cities should be considered when planning healthy and sustainable cities in Latin America.

Physical Activity Patterns Among Adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean Region

“…[32][33][34] In addition, the improvement of built environment seems to be relevant, 35 especially in the Caribbean and Andean Latin American subregions. 36 Traffic congestion, air pollution, traffic accidents, a great part of the population living in slums, and high crime rates reduce the possibility to do physical activity. Moreover, high-quality studies on the built environment and physical activity are needed for both research and policy, especially in this region.…”

“…These multi-component strategies should include the increase of the number and quality of physical education lessons, activity breaks, after school-programmes, change in the school environment, and promotion of active transportation [ 32 - 34 ]. In addition, the improvement of built environment seems to be relevant [ 35 ], especially in the Caribbean and Andean Latin American subregions [ 36 ]. Traffic congestion, air pollution and traffic accidents, a great part of the population living in slums and high crime rates reduce the possibility to do physical activity.…”

Which dots to connect? Employment centers and commuting inequalities in Bogotá

“…This pattern, however, is not standard and changes from city to city (Fernández-Maldonado et al, 2014;Schwanen et al, 2001). In Latin American (LA) cities, the study of the job decentralization phenomenon needs some special considerations, given the marked limitations in economic development, public transport services, vehicle ownership rates (Inostroza et al, 2013), and data (Sarmiento et al, 2021). Fernández-Maldonado et al (2014 examined the location of employment centers in Ciudad de México, Lima (Perú) and Fortaleza (Brasil), founding a remarkable differences between the LA and the US context.…”

“…

Latin American cities have undergone an accelerated urbanization process in the last decades, causing fragmented spatial development, congestion, mobility inequalities, and increasing emissions (Sarmiento et al, 2021;UN Habitat, 2012). To mitigate this situation and fulfill the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in particular, the SDG11 (sustainable cities and communities) and SDG10 (reduced inequalities), understanding the relationship between the urban spatial structure, modal choice, and equality has become a priority in the research and policy agenda.Workplace location is of special interest in this matter as it is the main activity of a large part of the population and could be a crucial contributor to inequalities in travel experience (Legrain et al,

…”

Cities Under Lockdown: Mobility and Access Inequalities Stemming from COVID-19 in Urban Colombia

“…The built environment of LAC cities is complex and influences social and environmental determinants of health (Sarmiento et al, 2021). Also, the rapid increase in the urban population (CEPAL, 2017) in recent decades has implications for social exclusion, vulnerability, and disorganized urban growth (Rodríguez-Vignoli and Rowe, 2018).…”