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This exploratory analysis investigates relationships of place characteristics to HIV testing among people who inject drugs (PWID). We used CDC's 2012 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) data among PWID from 19 US metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs); we restricted the analytic sample to PWID self-reporting being HIV negative (N = 7477). Administrative data were analyzed to describe the 1. Sociodemographic Composition; 2. Economic disadvantage; 3. Healthcare Service/Law enforcement; and 4. HIV burden of the ZIP codes, counties, and MSAs where PWID lived. Multilevel models tested associations of place characteristics with HIV testing. Fifty-eight percent of PWID reported past-year testing. MSA-level per capita correctional expenditures were positively associated with recent HIV testing among black PWID, but not white PWID. Higher MSA-level household income and imbalanced sex ratios (more women than men) in the MSA were associated with higher odds of testing. HIV screening for PWID is suboptimal (58%) and needs improvement. Identifying place characteristics associated with testing among PWID can strengthen service allocation and interventions in areas of need to increase access to HIV testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between individual psychosocial wellbeing and place characteristics in Mexico, using multi-level models and nationally representative survey data. We explore psychosocial wellbeing in terms of self-reported depression symptoms, feelings of sadness and experience of stress; analyse place characteristics at the level of municipality and at the level of locality; and investigate individual-level heterogeneities in the relationship by gender, age, wealth and employment status. Our results suggest the existence of a significant relationship between individual psychosocial wellbeing and place characteristics, and provide evidence of heterogeneity in how place characteristics affect the psychosocial wellbeing of different groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates internal migration decisions in Mexico. It analyses, first, the associations between migration decisions and pre-migration individual characteristics, testing the hypothesis of positive selection; second, whether and how the characteristics of the place of origin affect migration decisions; and third, whether the relationship between place characteristics and migration decisions varies depending on individual traits. Results indicate positive selection of emigrants in terms of both quantity and quality of human capital; and an important role of origin characteristics, consistent with migration transition theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temple of local land god is a kind of traditional sacrificial architecture in China's village, and is cultural landscape generated under special farming system of China, which reflects the spiritual world of the working people and bears the history of the village. Its protection and continuity must take inheriting the cultural spirit as the most important prerequisite, and "place spirit" established by Norbetg Schultz provides important theoretic basis for it In this paper, based on "place spirit", "place spirit" of temple of local land god is interpreted, and important role of "place spirit" in its protection and continuity and the ways to create "place spirit" of temple of local land god are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper reviewed child behavior in Chinese residential landscapes. A field survey was used to investigate place characteristics, whereas fixed-point observation and visualization records were utilized to analyze child behavior. Children were then classified into two categories, namely, those with action capacity and those with little capacity. Based on the classification and comparative analysis of place characteristics, along with the quantitative and visualized analysis of child behavior, the relationship between these two aspects was determined, and the effect of spatial elements in the selected residential areas on such a relationship was clarified. Additionally, the designing of a comprehensive landscape space that satisfies children''s needs was also discussed. The conclusions are as follows: (1) Waterside is the element that most significantly affects child behavior. Children who can act on their own prefer to play along the waterside. (2) Open spaces attract children with action capacity, whereas children with little capacity tend to choose more private spaces. (3) Despite the presence of facilities for various activities, an extremely open space or one that is separated by a road still affects child behavior. (4) A comprehensive space with a water landscape, fitness facilities, high accessibility, and a number of cultural events may significantly affect child behavior. Both types of children were found to enjoy a place with such characteristics. Therefore, the evaluation of residential landscape space should be integrated with landscape design. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Research examining police use of force at micro places appears scant and largely absent from past studies is the consideration of the contextual and ecological dynamics at street segments. Context is a key factor in understanding use of force, but far less is known about whether micro-level attributes contribute to the frequency of force incidents. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential effects of street-, and neighborhood-level characteristics on the Prevalence of force incidents. The current study draws on police use of force reports data and employs multilevel negative binomial regression equations to examine the impact of place dynamics on force frequency at street segments and census tracts. The analyses show that calls for service, crime incidents, and nonresidential land uses are more significantly likely to drive variation in force frequency at street segments. The results at the level-two unit of analysis (census tracts) demonstrate that the odds of using force become significantly higher in commercial, concentrated disadvantage, and violent crime tracts. Findings emphasize the need for using street segments as a theoretical-based unit of analysis and separating which specific types of calls for service, crime, and land uses affect police use of force. • Street segments with higher levels of violent crime and social/physical disorder tend to have more force incidents. • Calls for service, especially violent and social/physical calls affect the number of force incidents at street segments. • Commercial activities on street segments are more likely to drive police use of force. • Crime events and calls for service are consistently important to force incidents at census tracts. • Higher levels of concentrated disadvantage and residential instability show a positive trend with force frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]