City compactness and COVID-19 

Extract from the conceptual framework of our study.

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Target audience

Urban planners, city and regional planning organizations, urban policy makers

The problem

The physical structure and layout of urban environments can have a significant impact on COVID-19 spread. There is little research being conducted on how such development condition may have different outcome during different phases of COVID-19.

What we did and why

We conducted a research study that employed multivariate regression analysis to investigate the impact of demographic characteristics, social distancing measures, healthcare capacity, and urban form indicators on COVID-19 infection and death rates. The purpose of the study was to explore the associations between these variables and COVID-19 rates to gain insights into the role of urban form in the pandemic’s outcomes.

Our study’s contribution

Our result reveal significant associations between several variables and COVID-19 rates. Notably, the compactness index, used as a measure of urban sprawl, showed mixed results, with a positive relationship observed during the lockdown phase and a negative relationship during the post-lockdown period. Additionally, a higher percentage of the black population, older age, and lower educational attainment were found to be positively correlated with case and death rates.

Impacts for city policy and practice

The research highlights the importance of considering both demographic and urban form factors when analysing the impact of COVID-19 on urban areas. City authorities and policymakers can use this information to make informed decisions about strategies for urban growth, housing policies, social distancing measures, and healthcare capacity planning.

Further information

Full research article:

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