Search

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article provides a detailed analysis of the Spanish context in relation to the independent living of people with disabilities. It emphasises the importance of accessibility, deinstitutionalisation, and personal assistance as key factors. Four years after Spain’s review by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a thorough examination of the policies and laws implemented by the Spanish government is conducted from a human rights perspective. The article updates and delves into the debates on achieving independent and autonomous living for people with disabilities in Spain, offering a comprehensive view of the legal and political environment that facilitates this essential transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The depopulation of rural areas in both developed and developing countries has become a complex problem with important implications for issues of equality and sustainability. We present a spatial exploratory analysis of the multidimensional factors related to the depopulation of Spain's rural areas. Using highly granular population data to estimate experienced population density allows us to highlight significant differences compared to the conventional administrative boundary in terms of the usual definition of densities. Based on this, we develop a new typology of declining rural areas that takes into account access to urban areas. While most rural areas have been suffering depopulation over the last decades, our results also show that rural areas themselves are not a homogeneous group and that rural areas show strong heterogeneity along different dimensions associated with growth and decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to understand how people with disabilities (PwDs) interpret the dimensions that they consider important when on holiday. By understanding these dimensions, it becomes possible to identify and remove barriers to holiday-making and improve customer satisfaction. In particular, the study focuses on (a) what having a holiday means for PwDs and how travelling affects their lives; (b) the process of decision-making when PwDs organise a tourist experience; and (c) the roles played by travelling companions, associations and tourism companies. To that end, rich qualitative data were collected through 25 in-depth interviews with people with reduced mobility. Findings suggest that tourist experiences had a decisive impact on the perspective that PwDs have of their disability in their daily lives, with the feeling of independence being a crucial aspect. Factors such as limited negotiating scope, necessity of a care assistant, knowledge of the destination language or availability of state aid influence the decision-making process. Due to a particular service provided at Spanish stations, It is found that the train is the most valued transport for PwDs within Spain. This study contributes to accessible tourism theory by providing insights into the complexity of travelling with a disability and its impact on people's daily lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we aim to determine the topics and languages of information materials for foreign patients in Spain that are currently available in open access as well as to compile good practices in this regard. In addition, we aim to develop a multilingual corpus of health information texts useful for translators and interpreters in public services. The results show a general inclusive trend and there are several examples of good practices regarding the variety of health topics approached and languages in which the translated materials are available online. They also show the important work done especially by associations and foundations. However, there are very few texts with information on how the Spanish health system works and especially on the patients' rights and obligations. Moreover, the inclusion of more topics would also be helpful. Furthermore, the level of representation of the different languages is still unequal within the same autonomous community and between the different autonomous communities. The same applies regarding the topics approached and the number of translated texts that should be available. Our article proposes a basic work plan, a list of materials to be translated in the Madrid region, and a corpus of texts that can be manipulated for thematic research and to generate terminological materials for translators and interpreters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Subtitling for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH) is well established as a modality of audiovisual translation, many questions remain to be answered about viewers' real needs. Despite the improvements in UNE standard 153010:2012, Spanish digital television broadcasters still do not offer equal SDH services. This limits the audience's access to the multimedia content on their channels. This study aims to discover the needs and wishes of Spanish viewers regarding the subtitling services currently offered by Spanish digital television, to highlight the subtitle features that should be modified to enhance the accessibility of subtitling services. To collect this data, a survey was created and distributed among both the d/Deaf and hearing audiences of Spanish digital television. A total of 104 volunteers took part in the study: 42 d/ Deaf and Hard of Hearing and 62 hearers. The results show that the two groups have similar opinions about the Spanish SDH service, which might benefit all users. Indeed, the new goal is to offer the best solutions for subtitling services to the widest audience possible. The study also confirms many of the findings of the Long questionnaire in Spain by Arnáiz-Uzquiza, and in the UK by Romero-Fresco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spanish legislation obliges the public administration to ensure equal opportunities and support for access to higher education for people with disabilities. This work has one central goal: to analyse and understand the causes for the potential inequality for people with disabilities in accessing higher education in Spain and the barriers they encounter during their academic life. This paper focuses on the differences in inclusive education between people with disabilities and people without disabilities by sex, age, and type of university. A mixed research design is used: qualitative research of two focus groups and fourteen interviews to sixteen students with disabilities; and statistical analysis of the Social Integration and Health Survey 2012, using two-way and multi-way cross-tables. There are significant differences between presence of disability and learning variables. Controlling by sex and age, almost every age-group is significant. Using sex as independent variable, and controlling by disability, there is no relationship with the variables relating to barriers to accessing education; therefore, the larger differences by sex are in the group of people without disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development and evaluation of an in-class intervention based on persona cards, an accessibility kit created to introduce users with diverse needs to postsecondary students and motivate them to adopt accessibility guidelines. The cards created include 16 profiles of users with visual, hearing, motor, cognitive, and multiple impairments. To assess the effect of the intervention on the students' knowledge about accessibility, five in-class interventions with 134 students were conducted in the USA and in Spain. The intervention aimed at encouraging the discussion about how future designers can make interactive solutions more accessible for users with diverse needs. To assess the acceptability of the intervention materials among instructors, an online survey was utilized, and 30 respondents rated the usefulness, impact, ease of use, and their willingness to adopt the cards. They also provided suggestions to facilitate adoption. The statistical analysis of the results using Mann–Whitney tests indicates that the usage of personas during the intervention had a positive effect, improving the students' understanding about accessibility. Instructors who responded to the survey considered the persona cards to be easy to use, diverse, and useful. The intervention increased the students' interest and motivation to apply accessibility principles in their work practices and employ universal design in their lives. Also, instructors reported a positive acceptance regarding the adoption of the cards in their technology-related courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing awareness of the importance of nature-based recreation to human wellbeing. Given its significant benefits, natural-protected area management has not always provided equitable access to all potential users. Limited research till now has been focused on how the outdoor barriers impact the equal enjoyment of people with mobility/motor disabilities (PwMDs) of nature when promoting sustainable nature-based tourism. This study intends to shed light on those aspects which constrain the PwMD's enjoyment of the great outdoors at national parks (NPs). The study was carried out in Canada and Spain through an online survey on amenities needed and accessibility barriers for PwMDs in parks. It was analyzed through log-linear models for cross-frequency tables, which allow us to estimate the associations between questions/variables and, thus, ultimately, obtain insights into how the needs of amenities and accessibility barriers can affect and limit PwMDs' enjoyment of natural parks. The results show a predisposition on the part of participants to enjoy parks more frequently than they usually do, as well as a preference for forests and mountain landscapes. Information and communication technologies are the tools most chosen to prepare for their trip and visit to the park. PwMD finds barriers in NPs as impediments to benefit from nature-based recreation and adding to their wellbeing. NP managers should take into consideration that PwMD's visits to parks are related to the main obstacles they perceive such as slopes and pavement and that they require amenities such as recreation and signposting. They would also like to enjoy parks more often, with footpaths suitable for walkability/wheelability, e.g., compact pavement, low inclines, and adequate signposting. In addition to the physical barriers, managers should also consider intrapersonal and interpersonal constraints to provide outdoor activities in parks focused on PwMDs' needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, Spain has witnessed a considerable increase in railway and road transport infrastructure. The driver of this change has been investment from the central government, which has generated speculation regarding the possible distribution of new infrastructure according to partisan political interests. This paper aims to determine whether this political influence impacts the efficiency of the transport infrastructure. This study proposes an empirical model to assess the impact of the central government's investment in roads and railways in the country's 15 mainland autonomous communities. The empirical results reveal that the political factor, as a proxy of public finances, moderates the accessibility process. The empirical model analyses the impact of new infrastructure on structuring and territorial cohesion during 1995–2007, considered the golden decade in Spain. Based on the econometric results, we conclude that state investment in rail, moderated by the consideration of political factors, improves the accessibility of rail transport infrastructure. Finally, this study presents relevant policy implications, suggesting a new line of regulations to increase local transport infrastructure projects' quality regarding "network efficiency." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accessibility of library products and services for use and profitability by people with hearing impairment is related to a comprehensive set of standards, including ISO 26000, on Social Responsibility, and its association with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. In order to verify the relationship between these accessibility regulations and the practices carried out in Spanish public libraries, a quantitative study was carried out. For this purpose, a data collection instrument has been designed to identify the websites and the service charters of the libraries under study that were compliant with accessibility standards and offered specific products and services for this group, basing this information on that provided by the Directory of Spanish Libraries. The results of this research reveal shortcomings in terms of accessibility for this specific group in Spain and suggest a series of recommendations to be taken into account in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of AIS: Ars Iuris Salmanticensis is the property of Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article explores current creative practices involving the representation of sign languages, sign language interpreting, sign language translation (Napier and Leeson 2016; HBB4ALL 2017; CNLSE 2017; Tamayo 2022), and sign language live translation (Tamayo 2022) in audiovisual content. To that end, a review of the concept creative sign language and a review of previous publications on the matter will be provided. Subsequently, the implementation of creativity at different production stages, and the use of different resources when sign languages are present in audiovisual content, will be discussed by analyzing some selected innovative examples (mostly of practices in Spain). Finally, a taxonomy that takes into account not only internal creativity (that is inherent to sign languages), but also collaborative and external creativity. Conclusions will focus on how creative practices can expand our understanding of different art expressions, human communication, and inclusion, and can help establish new and meaningful connections among them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a world where the transformations that are taking place are increasingly rapid and difficult to predict -the recent global crisis associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is a case in point-there are also problems of a structural nature that affect specific territorial areas. In Europe and especially in Spain, the basic principles aimed at achieving economic, social, and territorial cohesion are hampered by the impact of phenomena such as depopulation and progressive ageing, which are very much entrenched in the most rural areas. It is therefore necessary to implement analysis tools aimed at complementing the Demographic Challenge Strategy and optimizing its results. This work provides a methodological proposal that provides a classification of the municipalities of the province of Badajoz (Spain), based on the preparation of a map to identify the most vulnerable areas to depopulation and its associated problems, according to the most significant socio-economic deficiencies. Seventy-three variables have been compiled, grouped into five thematic blocks (accessibility, demography, economy, territory and tourism), a multivariate analysis has been carried out and, finally, a map is obtained where the municipalities are classified according to their positive or negative characteristics with respect to the original variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cannabis use in the young population has undergone a significant increase in Europe. Empirical assessments of individual and contextual mediating variables in relation to cannabis use are informative for prevention actions and have yet to be conducted in Spain. Objectives: This study used the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use in Secondary Education in Spain (ESTUDES) to inform on potentially relevant cannabis prevention targets. We examined individual variables (sex, age, and cannabis risk perception), past 30-day legal and illicit substance use, substance-free activities, and contextual factors (perceived accessibility to cannabis) associated to past 30-day cannabis use. Methods: Data were drawn from 35,369 adolescents (% females: 50.1). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was implemented to identify predictors of cannabis use, and indirect paths were tested via bootstrapping to examine the mediating effects of cannabis risk perception and accessibility. Results: Demographics (male sex, higher age), and past 30-day tobacco, alcohol, and illicit substance use were associated with past 30-day cannabis use. Frequency of past-year engagement in hobbies and reading did also predict past 30-day cannabis use. The mediators worked on most of the relationships examined, except for hobbies and illegal substance use in the case of accessibility and reading and hobbies in the case of risk perception. Conclusions/importance: Cannabis use is more likely to emerge in the event of low risk perception and high accessibility. Lower frequency of past year reading and higher engagement in some hobbies that are often carried out alone represent risk factors, which could potentially influence prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Colombiana de Educación is the property of Universidad Pedaggica Nacional and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Some people have problems accessing multimedia services available on the web. Contributions to accessibility made by end users who lack institutional support in the design, production or deployment of media accommodations should be considered. The aim of our paper is to assess the quality of the captions produced using YouTube by non-professional subtitlers who only received basic training. We also identify potential improvements either in the subtitling tool or in the training resources, which could enhance the quality of the captions. We conducted a study in which 53 participants of a MOOC on digital accessibility used the automatic speech recognition (ASR) feature of YouTube to produce the captions for a video provided by the teaching staff. We assessed the quality of the captions produced by the students and then compared it with the quality of the captions produced by: (a) a human expert and (b) the ASR-based subtitling by YouTube. Students' errors occurred mainly in the number of characters per line, the speed of the captions, failing to use a new line per participant, and not including sound effects. The course should warn students to use a new line per participant, teach them how to subtitle sound effects, specify the maximum number of characters per line of text, and inform that in some countries such as Spain, captions can be edited but in other countries this may not be possible. Our recommendations for the YouTube editor include improving both the user interface and the ASR, with a view to enhancing ongoing and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase of accessibility is one of the most important strategies to achieve territorial cohesion and slow down depopulation processes in rural areas. Accessibility is a wide concept with a range of interpretations. When it comes to rural areas, usual accessibility measures introducing proximity and ease of physical connection could lead to misinterpretations and a lack of knowledge for rural areas. This study proposes an accessibility analysis based on connection and function of one of the most depopulated territories in inland Spain: the province of Guadalajara (NUTS-3) which constitutes an interesting case-study because its proximity to the Spanish capital city (Madrid) and the integration of part of the province on its dynamics and economic processes. Results show different rural accessibility levels useful for public policies and decision making on infrastructures. In addition, the accessibility model suggested can be applied in other depopulated rural areas of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to design and propose a new measurement model for social services transparency in municipalities. The model includes an empirical study of 38 municipalities in Spain. The information published on these municipalities' websites is evaluated through experimental quantitative methods using multivariate analysis. The municipalities chosen were those with the highest population that also disclosed the largest amount of information and provided the easiest access to their websites. The paper's conceptual framework was constructed by combining the Spanish legal context with a bibliographic review based on the latest transparency models. The research proposes a new Transparency Evaluation Model for Social Services to measure transparency in municipalities using the social services information published on the websites. Factors considered include degree of ease and amount of time spent by citizens in accessing the website. Some conclusions indicate that transparency remains difficult to achieve, information is less accessible to citizens than it should be, and transparency differs among the municipalities due to the legal changes implemented in recent years, as well as to other economic and social variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spanish universities must guarantee optimum accessibility to facilitate the teaching-learning process of students with disabilities. The objective of this study was to investigate how Spanish students with disabilities perceive access to Higher Education and the day-to-day of their academic life. A qualitative design was performed, using sequential discourse analysis adapted to the area of studies with people with disabilities. Two focus groups and sixteen interviews with university students with disabilities were analyzed. The discursive strategies of the students presented an asymmetry between the normative and the factual, although within a framework of inclusion and integration into university life. Six types of barriers were identified: computer, bureaucratic, and architectural -more intense in the traditional universities-, and learning, personal, and social barriers -stronger in online universities. To ensure the inclusion of students with disabilities, there is a need to increase information and training and to establish common procedures across Higher Education institutions. Despite the legislative measures regarding inclusion in Higher Education, the representativeness of students with disabilities in Spain is low. Students with disabilities found six different types of barriers in accessing university studies in Spain. Research shows that Spanish university students with disabilities consider dropping out of Higher Education due to the difficulties they encounter on a day-to-day basis. Spanish university students with disabilities detect barriers that are specific to society, in general, and to the university system, in particular, that prevent a real equality beyond the deficits of their disabilities. Improvements should be oriented towards the training and awareness of the entire university community and its standards of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Justified on territorial equity criteria, Spain has developed one of the largest high-speed rail (HSR) network in the world. This research evaluates how the opening of a new station affects the number of firms created at provincial level. We estimate differential impacts on firm creation across four different types of activities: service, tourism, knowledge intensive and manufacturing. The use of panel data makes it possible both to test for the dynamic structure in the data and to provide new insights on the territorial impact of HSR effects. Moreover, we develop a methodological procedure to improve the accuracy of small but positive effects. The results point out that being connected to a HSR network may promote firm creation, but this is not always the case. It has a larger effect in the service, tourism and knowledge intensive activities, whereas in the manufacturing sector the impact is almost null. Regarding the territorial impact, we find that the HSR can reinforce the concentration of firm creation in the biggest cities. Additionally, improving short-distance connections can strengthen agglomeration benefits by enlarging metropolitan areas. Finally, HSR would contribute to increasing the level of divergence in terms of firm creation across provinces. Therefore, our work calls for a rethinking of the strategy of basing investment decisions on territorial equity criteria. • Being connected to an HSR system may promote firm creation, but this is not always the case. • The effect of the HSR network is higher in the service, tourism and knowledge intensive activities. • HSR can reinforce the concentration of firm creation in the biggest cities. • Improving short-distance connections can strengthen agglomeration benefits by enlarging metropolitan areas. • HSR would contribute to increasing the level of divergence in terms of firm creation across provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Novedades en Población is the property of Universidad de La Habana, Centro de Estudios Demograficos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of TRANS: Revista de Traductología is the property of TRANS: Revista de Traductologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Administración Pública is the property of Centro de Estudios Politicos y Constitucionales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Information technology offers significant opportunities for communication, information, and entertainment. However, mobile and multimedia devices are not accessible to the whole population. Older adults and people with disabilities are the groups that can benefit most from ICT because it is a resource that can provide them with a better quality of life. In 2050 Spain will be the world's oldest country. However, results suggest that the access to ICT among older people is still low. This study has examined the patterns of use and barriers to access to the internet of people over sixty-five years, with special attention to those who have a disability. Microdata from the Social Integration and Health Survey developed by the National Statistics Institute from Spain (INE) in 2012 have been used. In the first part, an overview of the ageing process in Spain is offered. Also, the concepts of accessibility, universal design, and usability are introduced. Next, this article examines the exclusion from technology issues, mainly the internet, of the Spanish population over sixty-five years. Finally, future challenges in the area of technological accessibility are outlined. Results indicated a low internet penetration in the Spanish elderly population. Computer literacy and economic reasons were the main factors causing the digital gap among the elderly with or without disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the impact that Spanish road construction had on local population growth between 1787 and 1857. We find that the increase in market potential associated to road accessibility had a significant effect on local population growth. The impact was substantially higher on the municipalities that had a more diversified occupational structure. By contrast, the effect of the new network on population growth was negative in municipalities close but without direct access to the roads. We interpret these findings as evidence of a process of rural-to-rural migration due to the new roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organization of modern economies is built upon an efficient transport system and an increasing role is played by the logistics sector in overcoming the constraints of time and distance in modern supply chains. While a large body of literature is dedicated to the spatial distribution of firms and firm location choice in general, surprisingly little is still known about the location patterns of logistics firms, and more specifically about the role of accessibility in their location decisions. We use geo-referenced firm level data along with detailed information on transport infrastructure in order to investigate the geography of logistics firms in Spain. We place specific attention to the relationship between logistics firm location, accessibility, and urban structure. Our results show that these firms are located closer to highways and other transport infrastructure compared to other sectors and that the logistics sector is highly urbanized. Yet, they are also locating increasingly in suburban locations and to some extent in extra-urban locations with good accessibility while central cities of urban areas have experienced a declining share of logistics firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Diferents: Revista de Museus is the property of Diferents. Revista de Museus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper analyses the effect of location characteristics on urban growth using regression cubic splines. Our empirical analysis shows that in Spain, differences in accessibility to major urban centres and geographic isolation help explain differences in population growth rates across municipalities between 2001 and 2014. Moreover, even though physical proximity to large cities is usually assumed to be closely related to the attractiveness of a municipality, we found that urban population growth is even more related to the joint effect of distance to major centres and agglomeration. In this respect, there seems to be a threshold from which agglomeration diseconomies come into play such that a greater proximity to major cities and/or being localized within a more densely populated area goes against local growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The twentieth century witnessed the closure of many kilometres of railway lines that once came to structure their surrounding territory. Although nowadays many of them are converted in greenways, this paper supports that disused railway lines could also operate as non-motorised transport axes related to daily activities, organising their surrounding territory. In this regard, it is necessary to measure the potential of the line, studying the relations created between the disused line and its surrounding environment by means of non-motorised accessibility analyses. The presented methodology analyses accessibility around a linear system with a multilevel approach: regional, interurban and urban. Each approach provides results of different scales, but in turn provides results of the whole line areas, enabling the comprehension of the potentiality of the infrastructure as a non-motorised axis and the connection with its urban and rural environment. The proposed methodology has been applied in a case study, demonstrating the capability of non-motorised routes to structure the territory and attend several activities, giving rise to more sustainable transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement of regional transport connectivity and accessibility is a key determinant of tourism demand. This paper evaluates whether high-speed rail (HSR) connectivity and accessibility affects tourism seasonality. Using a panel dataset of 50 Spanish provinces in the period 2004–2019, we study the impact of variations in a synthetic indicator of province's connectivity and accessibility to the HSR network on the concentration of both domestic and international tourism demand. Tourism seasonality is measured using Gini and coefficient of variation indicators. Based on two-way panel fixed effects regressions and a dose-response framework, we show that access to HSR mitigates tourism seasonality in both the domestic and international segments. The effect is found to be greater at high levels of connectivity and accessibility. In the advent of forthcoming expansions of the HRS network in Spain, our findings suggest that improvements in regional connectivity and accessibility through HSR are a promising strategy to alleviate the seasonality of tourism arrivals. • We study how HSR accessibility and connectivity affects tourism seasonality at the province level. • We implement a dose-response framework to allow for non-linearities. • Improvements in HSR accessibility and connectivity decrease seasonality for both international and domestic segments. • A better HSR infrastructure increases the share of arrivals in the low season, smoothing seasonality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessibility, the relative access to markets, is a strategic concept in all economic models with a spatial dimension and its prominence has been acknowledged in many economic research fields and policy debates. This paper is based on the assumption that infrastructure drives economic accessibility and, therefore, we can assimilate a production function approach where the road network constitutes a set of inputs yielding access to markets as output. Methodologically, we originally measure the infrastructure inputs accounting for the real used network and calculate a series of new final and intermediate demand gravity-based and locational indicators, which capture a wide range of economic transactions and represent different concepts of economic accessibility outputs. The value added of this paper is translating a non-parametric frontier approach (DEA) to a dynamic scope (Malmquist indices) by connecting the regional accessibility to the productivity of the road infrastructure inputs associated with each region. Results during 1995–2005 show a low relative accessibility of the Spanish NUTS-3 regions, although improvements have been greater over the last five years. Finally, we observe a U-inverted relationship between the accessibility gains during these years and the geographical localization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People who have visual impairments exceed 250 million persons worldwide and represent an important cohort of museum visitors. However, they experience many constraints to participation in daily life. Few studies analyse the accessibility of museums to visitors with visual impairments, and many are confined to a single museum and to a small set of strategies for improving accessibility. This article aims to identify a broad set of strategies to increase the accessibility of museums to visitors with visual impairments and analyse the accessibility of museums in four European cities. Conclusions and implications for policy-makers and museum managers, designed to promote the creation of inclusive museums, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-reported underuse of medications due to procurement costs amongst older persons from seven European urban communities.Methods: The data were collected in a cross-sectional study ("ABUEL, Elder abuse: A multinational prevalence survey") in 2009. Randomly selected people aged 60-84 years (n = 4,467) from seven urban communities: Stuttgart (Germany), Athens (Greece), Ancona (Italy), Kaunas (Lithuania), Porto (Portugal), Granada (Spain) and Stockholm (Sweden) were interviewed. Response rate - 45.2%. Ethical permission was received in each country.Results: The results indicate that 3.6% (n = 162) of the respondents self-reported refraining from buying prescribed medications due to cost. The highest prevalence of this problem was identified in Lithuania (15.7%, n = 99) and Portugal (4.3%, n = 28). Other countries reported lower percentages of refraining from buying medications (Germany - 2.0%, Italy - 1.6%, Sweden - 1.0%, Greece - 0.6%, Spain - 0.3%). Females refrained more often from buying medications than males (2.6% vs. 4.4%, p < 0.0001). The prevalence of this refraining tended to increase with economic hardship.Discussion: These differences between countries can be only partly described by the financing of health-care systems. In spite of the presence of cost reimbursement mechanisms, patients need to make co-payments (or in some cases to pay the full price) for prescribed medications. This indicates that the purchasing power of people in 10.1186/s12913-015-1089-4 the particular country can play a major role and be related with the economic situation in the country. Lithuania, which has reported the highest refrain rates, had the lowest gross domestic product (at the time of conducting this study) of all participating countries in the study.Conclusions: Refraining from buying the prescribed medications due to cost is a problem for women and men in respect to ageing people in Europe. Prevalence varies by country, sex, and economic hardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the competent laws on Health and Education of the Extremaduran Government read, all the Extremaduran people have the right to their benefits, irrespective of their social, economic and cultural characteristics. Nevertheless, in the Region of Extremadura there are still differences between the rural and urban areas, so, studying how the Extremaduran people can access, with the same conditions, to those services considered basic, such as health and education, is very significant. Using techniques as Network Analyst and the interpolation method IDW, we can note that in Extremadura there are still zones with a very-far- from- laws reality, rural areas with a difficult access to the named services and equipment due to the location on low developed in population and economy areas, and very far from the main communication roads [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Azarbe is the property of Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Murcia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mobility-as-a-Service and Demand-Responsive-Transport schemes are promoting progressively a user-centered approach, made of modularity, flexibility and tailor-made travel experience, and pandemic emergency has furthermore enhanced this new way of thinking, thus representing an unprecedented occasion to develop a new paradigm for a more sustainable and resilient transport system, thus ensuring a greater level of social and territorial inclusion beyond traditional urban borders and outdated distinctions of targeted services for particular users' categories. This paper discusses the main features of MaaS and DRT schemes in order to assess if they could be able to cope with Universal Design principles and to improve metropolitan accessibility accordingly to the urgent request for social and territorial inclusion as sustainable development pre-requisites, made by different stakeholders in the international and European debate (see UNO SDGs or EU Cork Declaration 2.0), and re-launched by many national initiatives (SNAI for Italy, Espana Vacìa for Spain…). To re-think metropolitan mobility as a service that can be shaped accordingly to user's needs and to redefine transport supply as a complex puzzle made by different and complementary services could represent a unique opportunity to overcome one of traditional public transport dramatic problems: low mobility demand, whether it be due to sparsely populated areas or connected with specific demands of targeted population categories. Hence this paper recalls some of the recent DRT experiences already active in Genova Metropolitan Area -the so-called DRINBUS above all- along with the on-demand mobility strategy for Ligurian internal areas in order to discuss how this new user-centered approach is acting on the marginalization of remote territories and fragile user categories. The choice to develop a MaaS scheme could re-shape metropolitan mobility as a comprehensive and global mosaic made by multiple pieces, thus making more resilient the entire system thanks to its modularity and redundancy. This allows to make more sustainable "niche" services as well, according to the systemic nature of this mobility platform, thus opposing the present unsuccessful approach of creating ad-hoc options, focusing indeed on the user's request to travel from point A to point B, without the need to define him as urban resident, commuter, disabled or not, towards a greater social inclusion and territorial cohesion.

The objectives of the study were to describe the use of social and health services (SHS) of female sex workers (FSW) in Catalonia according to place of work and region of origin, and explore the barriers these women encountered when accessing these services. Quantitative and qualitative methods were combined. A questionnaire-based survey (n= 400) was conducted from October 2009 to January 2010, and complemented by focus group discussions technique (n= 23). More than 60% of FSW had used health services (HS) in the last 6 months (no differences by context of work and region of origin). Nevertheless, there were differences in the characteristics of health resources used. Although all women in clubs contracted the private HS provided by the club itself, they were those who least benefited from social services (SS), in particular Eastern-Europe women (24.6% in the last 6 months). The stigma and discrimination that FSW women suffer were one of the main barriers to access SHS. Women from Eastern Europe who worked in clubs were the most isolated and vulnerable women. Access to the public health system must continue to be provided for all FSW, assuring confidentiality and diminishing the burden associated with discrimination which they generally feel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investment in transport infrastructure reduces the cost of distance and enables firms to establish contacts over larger distances. Using data from a panel of Spanish manufacturing firms and geographic information system techniques, this article studies the impact of domestic transport cost reductions on firms' export market participation, taking into account the role of entry costs and other firm characteristics. We estimate dynamic probability models, controlling for the unobserved heterogeneity of firms and for the simultaneity of firms' export and location decisions. Our results demonstrate a positive effect of domestic transport infrastructure improvements on small and medium-sized firms' probability of exporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the location decisions of manufacturing firms in Spain. We analyse how agglomeration economies and transport accessibility influence the location decisions of firms at municipality level and in 10 industries. The main empirical contributions of this paper are the econometric techniques used (spatial econometric models) and some of the explanatory variables (local gross domestic product, road accessibility and the characteristics of firms in neighbouring municipalities). The results show that agglomeration economies and accessibility are important in industrial location decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Issues concerning the use of baby carriages in public buses are still pendant of international legislation that could contribute to unify provisions around accessibility and safety on this type of transportation. There is actually a lack of knowledge around the dynamic behavior and forces involved in the movement of baby carriages when on board in public transportation services. This paper focuses on an analysis of the forces transmitted to the baby carriages and their behavior during normal operation and critical maneuvers by public buses. The article presents partially the results obtained from a research project conducted by the Institute of Design and Manufacturing (IDF) of the Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain) in cooperation with the Institute for Automobile Research (INSIA) of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain). The aim was to establish the technical requirements for accessibility and safety of baby carriages (US) or prams (UK) in public buses that could help national and international community to develop standards and provisions on this type of people mobility. A series of tests with different types of baby carriages were carried out in public transportation buses in closed tracks and open roads to simulate the behavior of critical maneuvers in urban traffic. From an analysis of the testing results it was possible to identify situations where restraint systems should be used, as well as the safest orientation and location within a bus for baby carriages, and enabled the development of a ‘Code of Good Practice’ for bus operators, users, and baby carriage manufacturers. Furthermore, the analysis of the dynamic forces allowed the development of a new restraint device for securing carriages inside the vehicle’s passenger compartment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We study the spatial pattern of just-in-time (JIT) adoption for a sample of medium-sized and large Spanish manufacturing firms. JIT differs from other advanced manufacturing technologies because it relates directly to the spatial co-ordination of firms' internal production organisation with the external productive environment and depends on the quality of the transport system. Our results confirm the distinctive role of location for JIT adoption even after controlling for industry and plant-specific differences. We find that JIT adoption is greater in smaller cities but with higher transport accessibility indicating that urban congestion in larger urban areas likely reduces the benefits that firms may obtain from JIT implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of ICTs provides autonomy, equity, and social inclusion to people with visual disabilities. The National Organization of the Spanish Blind (ONCE) offers its 70,462 legally-blind people the necessary resources for the usability of ICTs. Still, most individuals with visual disabilities do not have a similar support system. This research aims to expose and make visible the importance and need for ICTs usage in this group. The qualitative approach has allowed the modeling of a contextualized inductive process through two heterogeneous discussion groups: eight individuals with legal blindness and six with moderate visual impairment, as well as three in-depth interviews with experts in typhlotechnology, accessibility, and low vision. The following has been verified: there is a lot of misinformation among people with visual disabilities outside the coverage of ONCE; accessibility is still not a priority for companies and institutions when creating and developing products and services with Design for All; the need for more professionals to advise and train users with blindness and low vision is clear. In Spain, there are almost a million visually-impaired people not affiliated with ONCE, for whom access to technical aids and digital literacy is a priority problem in which the Government should intervene.

This research aims to gauge the economic impact of the measures set out in the Strategic Infrastructure and Transport Plan, 2005–2020, as implemented by the Spanish government, on regional development. Contributing to regional development, this plan extends high capacity road networks and high performance rail networks in Spain between 2005 and 2020. To evaluate the plan, this research relies on an innovative technique based on panel data and accessibility indicators, which can quantify the plan's economic impact on regional development. Findings from the study provide a valuable tool for economic, geographic, and territorial assessments of policies implemented in the field of transport and infrastructure, whilst also pointing to guidelines for the design and development of further proposals and actions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: This paper describes the successful experience carried out by professors of the CETTICO research group of the Technical University of Madrid to incorporate accessibility in the curricula of higher education in ICT in Spain. The paper covers the legal requirements to include accessibility in curricula in Spain, the courses and modules that we have been teaching through the years and the teaching techniques and tools that we have been using. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper focuses on the differences in the levels of accessibility to public employment offices in the Spanish municipalities. Hence the main purpose is to evaluate the role of the public employment services in local labour markets by considering the physical distance to employment offices and the spatial structure of their catchment areas. First, we propose an accessibility measure and, second, we estimate a spatial model and test whether a higher accessibility to employment offices could contribute to reduce local unemployment rates. The results suggest that policy-makers should strive to improve the accessibility to employment offices so that adequate assistance to find suitable employment may be ensured to every jobseeker. Resumen Este artículo se centra en las diferencias en los niveles de accesibilidad a las oficinas públicas de empleo en los municipios españoles. El objetivo principal es por tanto evaluar el papel de los servicios públicos de empleo en los mercados laborales locales, en función de la distancia física a las oficinas de empleo y la estructura espacial de sus zonas de influencia. Primero, se propone una medida de accesibilidad y, a continuación, se estima un modelo espacial y se comprueba si una mayor accesibilidad a las oficinas de empleo podría contribuir a reducir las tasas de desempleo local. Los resultados sugieren que los responsables de formular políticas deberían esforzarse por mejorar la accesibilidad a las oficinas de empleo, a fin de poder asegurar a cada demandante de empleo la ayuda apropiada para que logre encontrar un empleo adecuado. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social studies on disability have increased in number and importance in Spain and other countries over the last few years. Nevertheless, the majority of the available sources and studies do not adequately represent this heterogeneous group, which currently makes up about 9 per cent of the Spanish population. The implementation of social measures requires representative sources and studies containing relevant information. The aim of this paper is to identify the main difficulties involved in designing and developing social research methods concerning persons with disabilities, and offer proposals and recommendations in order to advance towards a more inclusive social research using the concepts of accessibility and design for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social studies on disability have increased in number and importance in Spain and other countries over the last few years. Nevertheless, the majority of the available sources and studies do not adequately represent this heterogeneous group, which currently makes up about 9 per cent of the Spanish population. The implementation of social measures requires representative sources and studies containing relevant information. The aim of this paper is to identify the main difficulties involved in designing and developing social research methods concerning persons with disabilities, and offer proposals and recommendations in order to advance towards a more inclusive social research using the concepts of accessibility and design for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]