RESUMEN

Street markets in Brazil are important spaces for the commercialization of fruits and vegetables (FV), which access by the urban population is considered one of the key aspects for the socalled "healthy cities". This study adopts an ecological approach with geographic-spatial emphasis to describe accessibility to street markets in Porto Alegre, Brazil, by four different modes of transport (walking, bicycle, bus and car). The distribution of markets across the city is more balanced than other food establishments, although physical accessibility is highly uneven across modes of transport: the ability to reach a market on foot in 10 minutes or less is restricted to no more than 25 % of the population, while almost 90% can do it by driving a car. More importantly, the study found a direct and positive association between levels of accessibility to street markets and income: wealthier areas can reach fairs in less time using any mode of transport than poorer ones (p<0.001). In addition, regions with a majority of white inhabitants have significantly better accessibility to the fairs on foot, by bicycle and by bus (p<0.01) than regions with a majority of Black, Indigenous or yellow populations. Our study highlights the importance of addressing inequalities in access to healthy foods.

As feiras livres no Brasil são espaços importantes para a venda de frutas, verduras e legumes (FLV), considerados um dos aspectos-chave para "cidades saudáveis". Este estudo adota uma abordagem ecológica com ênfase geográfico-espacial para descrever a acessibilidade às feiras livres em Porto Alegre, Brasil, por quatro modos de transporte (a pé, bicicleta, ônibus e carro). A distribuição das feiras pela cidade é mais equilibrada do que outros estabelecimentos de alimentos, embora a acessibilidade física seja altamente desigual entre os diferentes modos de transporte: a capacidade de alcançar uma feira a pé em 10 minutos ou menos é restrita a menos de 25% da população, enquanto quase 90% podem fazê-lo dirigindo um carro. Mais importante, o estudo encontrou uma associação direta e positiva entre os níveis de acessibilidade às feiras e a renda: as localidades mais ricas podem chegar às feiras em menos tempo usando qualquer modo de transporte do que as mais pobres (p<0,001). Além disso, regiões com maioria de habitantes brancos têm acessibilidade significativamente melhor às feiras a pé, de bicicleta e de ônibus (p<0,01) do que regiões com maioria de população negra, indígena ou amarela. Nosso estudo destaca a importância de abordar as desigualdades no acesso aos alimentos saudáveis.

RESUMEN

Ramps are one of the main solutions for people with motor disabilities to overcome small disparities in height, both across cities and inside buildings. To permit the autonomous use of ramps, they must satisfy specific requisites. In particular, the slopes must not be excessively steep but adhere to the values identified in regulations and validated by scientific research. In historic cities, however, the placement of ramps is often complicated by a lack of space required for their length. In Venice, in particular, its urban morphology often makes it impossible to conform to the required slopes. For this reason, a specific ramp, known as "stepped ramp", has been designed by technicians of the City of Venice with a steeper slope than allowed by regulations. It offers many possibilities but even some key problems. This paper presents a scientific analysis of ten different ramps to evaluate the structures that directly influence the feeling of comfort or discomfort of a wheelchair user with assistance, as well as the coefficients of friction of the different flooring surfaces. This study aims to understand objectively if this solution is efficient to improve accessibility in some specific circumstances, where it is not possible to follow the regulations using flat ramps.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

In 2016 the Italian National Institute of Urban Planning (INU) launched the project Accessible-to-all Cities, aimed at fostering the creation of an inclusive environment for improving universal accessibility to places and services at both scales of the city and the territory, by networking accessibility good practices and stakeholders from all corners of the country. Since then, a community of public and private subjects gathered by INU has been established and growing, sharing experiences, problems and solutions. Through the organization of dozens of meetings, seminars, workshops, conference sessions and webinars, more than 200 experiences developed in Italy have been collected, including studies and research, public policies, projects and actions, both material and immaterial, concerning the overcoming of different kind of barriers: physical, sensory, perceptive, intellectual, cultural, social, economic, health and gender. On these bases, in 2019, the INU Accessible-to-all Cities Community launched an open web archive, an initiative that intends to contribute to increasing awareness and knowledge, as well as to facilitate the implementation and development of actions and policies, by leveraging the good practices widespread, but often little known, in Italy.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

In Spain, fifteen cities have been declared World Heritage Cities by UNESCO. This implies a responsibility to conserve all the heritage wealth of these places. However, what is the point of heritage if it cannot be known and visited? In order to be able to do this for all people, in equal and inclusive conditions, it is essential to consider Accessibility and Universal Design principles. This is a challenge that requires a personalised study in places that were precisely built with the idea of being inaccessible. In particular, the study of the urban fabric and pedestrian itineraries are the determining spaces that this article develops. The aim of this study is to determine the keys and possible guidelines for the definition of urban accessibility indicators in the routes of historic city centres. For this purpose, significant routes have been sought in historic centres from the accessibility point of view: areas of high pedestrian traffic (in many cases for tourist reasons). Thus, six of the fifteen historic quarters of the World Heritage Cities in Spain have been selected for the study, with examples of good accessibility practices and difficulties that can be identified in their itineraries. For this analysis, an initial study of the existing documentation on the subject (secondary information sources) is carried out, in addition to a direct analysis (primary information source) of the graphic documentation compiled in each of these places. Subsequently, a complementary analysis will be made of some examples of good practice in pedestrian routes in historic city centres in cities in other countries. On the basis of this preliminary analysis, a comparison will be made to establish common points and singularities among the different case studies first, and then with other cities. This diagnosis provides results that are identified as "keys to consider in the intervention on pedestrian routes in historic centres". These keys not only address issues of mobility, but also location, orientation, understanding, etc., thus addressing a holistic consideration of accessibility as a fundamental principle for all people, and in particular for the elderly sector, which is one of the groups that is clearly growing and which, without necessarily having to have a severe or recognised disability, needs an accessible environment that is easy to use. As a main conclusion, it can be said that the results of this study do not only have an internal application for these cities but can be perfectly extrapolated as a basis for the elaboration of specific indicators for any historic city centre in any city in the world, considering the necessary adaptation to the specific characteristics of each city.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: Knowledge of route accessibility is indispensable for "wheeled mobility device" users to travel safely and efficiently; however, current navigation technologies hardly provide adapted information for this population. Aims of the study were to collect data on the usability of a navigation application and to propose a version 1.0 of the Evaluation of satisfaction with geospatial assistive technology (ESGAT), by addressing the criterion, construct and cross-cultural validities. METHOD: A filmed field trial and a methodological study were conducted in parallel. Thirty wheeled mobility device users were filmed planning and making a 10-minute known journey using the HERE WeGo app. The ESGAT, ÉSTGA (French version) and the Computer System Usability Questionnaire were administered. A video observation grid addressed the effectiveness and efficiency during the journey. Descriptive, correlation and multiple match analyses were performed. RESULTS: Fourteen men and 16 women averaging 45.9 years old tried out HERE WeGo; 14 were powered wheelchair users. Usability of the app was moderate (good effectiveness, moderate efficiency and quite satisfied). The criterion validity of the ÉSTGA was good (r = 0.598; p < 0.001). The construct validity was average considering the results for factor 1 (α = 0.789, acceptable), factor 2 (α = 0,586, low) and factor 3 (α = 0.409, unacceptable). The cross-cultural validity (French vs English) was moderate (r = 0.861; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: ESGAT and ÉSTGA 1.0 questionnaires are now available in English and French with a total mean score (11 items), an informatics subscore (mean of 5 items) and a geomatic subscore (mean of 6 items). Their validation should be pursued with new navigation applications. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONClinicians should ask their clients using a wheeled mobility device to test navigation applications to ensure their safety and complete the Evaluation of satisfaction with geospatial assistive technology (ESGAT 1.0), also available in French.Clinicians should inquire about satisfaction for items addressing informatics (Ease of access, Learnability, Hands-free function, Ease of use, Transportability and Appearance) and items addressing geomatic (Content, Geographic information, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Real-time navigation assistance, Aspect of security).Rehabilitation clinicians should inquire about the efficiency of the navigation app, considering avoiding or announcing potential obstacles such as: travelling on the street for a long portion of the trip and not on the sidewalk; verbal indication too soon or too late; incorrect indication; damaged, and congested sidewalk.

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: Manual wheelchair users are more vulnerable, in situations such as road crossings, hazardous sidewalks or curbs and crossing of buildings and facilities threshold. Geospatial assistive technology (GAT) can help with route planning. However, it is important to ensure the usability of such products, as well as the satisfaction of persons with reduced mobility. The study's aim was (1) to develop and validate a questionnaire on the satisfaction of GAT, in English and French, and to (2) assess satisfaction, efficacy and efficiency of a GAT with manual wheelchair users following a filmed trial in a dense urban area. METHOD: A methodological study was conducted (development of the questionnaire, assessment of its content validity, feasibility and practicability) followed by a trial and post-observations with the videos. Two questionnaires (English, French) were concurrently validated by two groups of experts (n = 8), and then field-tested by wheelchair users (n = 8), using Google Maps Pedestrian routeing tool. RESULTS: The Evaluation of satisfaction with geospatial assistive technology (ESGAT) consists in a user profile and their experience with the technology, followed by 12 satisfaction criteria rated from 1-not satisfied to 5-very satisfied. Both questionnaires were rated as feasible and practicable to complete. The usability of Google Maps Pedestrian routeing tool was measured as "moderate" by manual wheelchairs since the total satisfaction score at the ESGAT was 3.9/5 (quite satisfied). The items with the lowest score were navigation assistance, hands-free function and security. The GAT was effective (87.5% have completed their destination) but not efficient (37.5% needed help).IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONFor manual wheelchair users paired with geospatial assistive technology:• A 10 minutes questionnaire was developed and validated to assess their satisfaction after testing aid in an urban area.• Satisfaction criteria to address are ease of access (service), learnability, hands-free function, ease of use for planning as well for navigating, transportability/ appearance, content, geographic information, effectiveness, efficiency, navigation assistance and security• A field test is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the technology in avoiding or announcing potential obstacles such as sidewalk crossing ramp, damaged and congested sidewalk; sidewalk tilt (side slopes); thresholds at destination; verbal indication too soon or too late; incorrect indication; the arrow does not indicate the right direction; readjustment of the route needed; a lack of indication; and human intervention needed.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

This paper aims to evaluate the impacts of the economic context on traffic congestion and its consequential effects on private vehicle accessibility. We conduct a long-term analysis of spatiotemporal traffic congestion patterns in Madrid (Spain), comparing two urban realms: the 2008 economic crisis and the following post-crisis situation. We apply TomTom Speed Profiles data to assess daily variations in traffic congestion and their changes between both periods, and Twitter data to capture spatial patterns of the daily pulse of the city. Increased traffic, a by-product of economic recovery, resulted in higher congestion, particularly during peak hours. Nevertheless, these changes are spatially uneven. In the city core, an increase in congestion is relatively temporally homogeneous, while in the peripheral suburban zones, there has been only a marginal increase in travel times. On the other hand, in the urban outskirts, increased traffic congestion is more severe but visibly different between north and south. These differences have strong social connotations: over 40% of the population experienced a dramatic increase in travel times (more than 25%) during peak hours. Moreover, low-income groups are more likely to live in the more affected southern districts, suffering most the negative consequences of increased congestion.

RESUMEN

The present work discusses the possibilities offered by the evolution of Information and Communication Technologies with the aim of designing a system to dynamically obtain knowledge of accessibility issues in urban environments. This system is facilitated by technology to analyse the urban user experience and movement accessibility, which enabling accurate identification of urban barriers and monitoring its effectiveness over time. Therefore, the main purpose of the system is to meet the real needs and requirements of people with movement disabilities. The information obtained can be provided as a support service for decision-making to be used by city government, institutions, researchers, professionals and other individuals of society in general to improve the liveability and quality of the lives of citizens. The proposed system is a means of social awareness that makes the most vulnerable groups of citizens visible by involving them as active participants. To perform and implement the system, the latest communication and positioning technologies for smart sensing have been used, as well as the cloud computing paradigm. Finally, to validate the proposal, a case study has been presented using the university environment as a pre-deployment step in urban environments.

RESUMEN

Frente às diversas discussões sobre os aspectos que envolvem a vida e os direitos das pessoas com deficiência física (PcDF), o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar as repercussões psicossociais da acessibilidade urbana para as PcDF. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, realizada por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, utilizando como estratégia de tratamento de dados a Análise de Conteúdo. Foram entrevistados oito cadeirantes residentes em uma cidade histórica de Minas Gerais. As principais repercussões foram identificadas e agrupadas em quatro categorias: apropriação do espaço urbano e vivência do sentimento de autonomia versus dependência; experiências no espaço urbano; limites e superações; e importância da acessibilidade urbana para o processo de inclusão social. Além disso, foi constatada a dificuldade que as PcDF têm em diferenciar aspectos físicos e sociais, referendando os impactos psicossociais da acessibilidade urbana para essas pessoas. Outros estudos precisam ser realizados para verificar essas repercussões em outros contextos...

In view of different discussions about the aspects that involve the lives and rights of people with physical disabilities (PwPD), the purpose of this study was to analyze the psychosocial repercussions of urban accessibility for PwPD. The research was qualitative, with semi-structured interviews, using content analysis as a strategy to treat the data. Eight handicapped people (with wheel chair) who live in a historic city in Minas Gerais were interviewed. The main repercussions of urban accessibility were identified and grouped in four categories: appropriation of urban space and the feeling of autonomy versus dependence; experiences in urban space; limits and overcoming, and importance of accessibility for the urban social inclusion process. In addition, the PwPD’s difficulty was observed to distinguish between physical and social aspects, with psychosocial impacts on urban accessibility for those people. Other studies need to be conducted in order to verify these effects in other contexts...

En las discusiones acerca de los aspectos que involucran la vida y los derechos de las personas con discapacidades físicas (PCDF), el objetivo de este estudio fue analizar los efectos psicosociales de la accesibilidad urbana de PCDF. Esta es una investigación cualitativa, a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas, mediante un análisis de contenido. Entrevistamos a ocho personas en sillas de ruedas en una ciudad histórica. Los principales efectos encontrados fueron identificados y agrupados en cuatro categorías: apropiación del espacio urbano y experimentación de la sensación de autonomía frente a la dependencia; las experiencias en el espacio urbano, los límites y los excesos, y la importancia de la accesibilidad en el proceso de inclusión social urbana. Además, se constató que los PCDF tienen dificultades en diferenciar los aspectos físicos y sociales, ratificando las consecuencias psicosociales de la accesibilidad urbana para estas personas. Otros estudios son necesarios para verificar estos efectos en otros contextos...

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Este estudo, ao abordar a questão da acessibilidade urbana dos idosos, traz à tona a discussão do planejamento do espaço urbano e a importância de se identificar as necessidades dos idosos em relação ao ambiente construído e em relação a seu deslocamento na cidade. Tendo como objetivo discutir a acessibilidade do idoso ao centro da cidade de Caratinga, localizada no Estado de Minas Gerais, realizou-se pesquisa exploratória, por meio da aplicação de um formulário de avaliação da usabilidade do espaço urbano a 255 idosos. Por meio da análise descritiva e univariada, o trabalho buscou oferecer uma contribuição científica à discussão da acessibilidade urbana aos idosos, caracterizando seus participantes e identificando os principais problemas de acessibilidade sob o ponto de vista dos mesmos. Os resultados mostraram que a maioria dos idosos entrevistados se locomove a pé (55,3%). Problemas como obstáculos nas calçadas (66,3%), aglomeração de pessoas (63,5%), dificuldades para atravessar a rua (55,3%) e história de quedas no centro (33%) foram queixas observadas com frequência. Os registros fotográficos e as sugestões levantadas por esses idosos deram visibilidade às irregularidades e problemas de acessibilidade urbana ao centro de Caratinga.

This study, while approaching the issue of the urban accessibility of the elderly, brings us the discussion of the urban space planning and the importance of identifying the needs of the elderly in relation to the constructed environment and their motion in the city. Aiming to argue the accessibility of the aged one to the center of Caratinga city, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, an exploratory research was conducted, applying an evaluation form on the usability of the urban space to 255 aged ones. Through descriptive and univariate analysis, the study tried to offer a scientific contribution to the debate of urban accessibility to the elderly, characterizing the participants and identifying the main problems of accessibility in their viewpoint. Interviewed results showed that most interviewed elderly walk themselves on foot (55.3%). Problems as obstacles in the sidewalk (66.3%), agglomeration of people (63.5%), difficulties to cross the street (55.3%) and history of falls in the center (33%) were frequently observed complaints. The photographic registers and the suggestions raised by these aged gave visibility to the irregularities and problems of urban accessibility in the city center of Caratinga.