Investigating the Spatiotemporal Relationship between the Built Environment and COVID-19 Transmission
Earlier studies have examined various factors that may contribute to the contagion rate of COVID-19, such as urban climatic and socioeconomic characteristics. However, there is a lack of studies at the township level detailing the spatiotemporal settings of built environment attributes, especially i...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/12/10/390 |
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| author | Hao Huang Haochen Shi Mirna Zordan Siu Ming Lo Jin Yeu Tsou |
| author_facet | Hao Huang Haochen Shi Mirna Zordan Siu Ming Lo Jin Yeu Tsou |
| author_sort | Hao Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Earlier studies have examined various factors that may contribute to the contagion rate of COVID-19, such as urban climatic and socioeconomic characteristics. However, there is a lack of studies at the township level detailing the spatiotemporal settings of built environment attributes, especially in the context of lockdown as a response to the global Omicron outbreak. In this study, we extended the existing literature by relating the initial-stage Omicron pandemic conditions with more comprehensive measures of the built environment, including density, diversity, design, distance to transit, and destination accessibility. The variations from the confirmed clusters of COVID-19 and asymptomatic infected cases before, during, and after the lockdown throughout the Omicron outbreak were identified geographically using GIS methods in 218 township-level divisions across Shanghai during the lockdown period. We also compared the regression results of the ordinary least-squares regression, geographically weighted regression, and geographically and temporally weighted regression. Our results show that (1) among all the built environment variables, metro line length, walking accessibility, hotel and inn density, and population exhibited positive significance in influencing pandemic prevalence; (2) spatial and temporal variations were evident in the association between accessibility, mobility, density-related built environment variables, and COVID-19 transmission across three phases: pre-lockdown, during lockdown, and post-lockdown. This study highlights the importance of targeted public health interventions in densely populated areas with high demand for public transit. It emphasizes the significance of transportation network layout and walking accessibility in controlling the spread of infectious diseases in specific urban contexts. By considering these factors, policymakers and stakeholders can foster urban resilience and effectively mitigate the impact of outbreaks, aligning with the objectives of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:13:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-592bf1f9e35c440a9ef78fa76f25741c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2220-9964 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:13:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information |
| spelling | doaj.art-592bf1f9e35c440a9ef78fa76f25741c2023-11-16T10:30:32ZengMDPI AGISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information2220-99642023-09-01121039010.3390/ijgi12100390Investigating the Spatiotemporal Relationship between the Built Environment and COVID-19 TransmissionHao Huang0Haochen Shi1Mirna Zordan2Siu Ming Lo3Jin Yeu Tsou4Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building Science, School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, ChinaSchool of Design, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaDepartment of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, ChinaDepartment of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, ChinaEarlier studies have examined various factors that may contribute to the contagion rate of COVID-19, such as urban climatic and socioeconomic characteristics. However, there is a lack of studies at the township level detailing the spatiotemporal settings of built environment attributes, especially in the context of lockdown as a response to the global Omicron outbreak. In this study, we extended the existing literature by relating the initial-stage Omicron pandemic conditions with more comprehensive measures of the built environment, including density, diversity, design, distance to transit, and destination accessibility. The variations from the confirmed clusters of COVID-19 and asymptomatic infected cases before, during, and after the lockdown throughout the Omicron outbreak were identified geographically using GIS methods in 218 township-level divisions across Shanghai during the lockdown period. We also compared the regression results of the ordinary least-squares regression, geographically weighted regression, and geographically and temporally weighted regression. Our results show that (1) among all the built environment variables, metro line length, walking accessibility, hotel and inn density, and population exhibited positive significance in influencing pandemic prevalence; (2) spatial and temporal variations were evident in the association between accessibility, mobility, density-related built environment variables, and COVID-19 transmission across three phases: pre-lockdown, during lockdown, and post-lockdown. This study highlights the importance of targeted public health interventions in densely populated areas with high demand for public transit. It emphasizes the significance of transportation network layout and walking accessibility in controlling the spread of infectious diseases in specific urban contexts. By considering these factors, policymakers and stakeholders can foster urban resilience and effectively mitigate the impact of outbreaks, aligning with the objectives of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals.https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/12/10/390COVID-19sustainable development goalsbuilt environmentsubdistrictShanghaigeographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) |
| spellingShingle | Hao Huang Haochen Shi Mirna Zordan Siu Ming Lo Jin Yeu Tsou Investigating the Spatiotemporal Relationship between the Built Environment and COVID-19 Transmission ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information COVID-19 sustainable development goals built environment subdistrict Shanghai geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) |
| title | Investigating the Spatiotemporal Relationship between the Built Environment and COVID-19 Transmission |
| title_full | Investigating the Spatiotemporal Relationship between the Built Environment and COVID-19 Transmission |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the Spatiotemporal Relationship between the Built Environment and COVID-19 Transmission |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Spatiotemporal Relationship between the Built Environment and COVID-19 Transmission |
| title_short | Investigating the Spatiotemporal Relationship between the Built Environment and COVID-19 Transmission |
| title_sort | investigating the spatiotemporal relationship between the built environment and covid 19 transmission |
| topic | COVID-19 sustainable development goals built environment subdistrict Shanghai geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/12/10/390 |
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