Public Health

Sexual Exploitation and Safety in Ridehailing: Rider Perceptions, Precautionary Behaviors, Associations with Victimization Characteristics, Taxi Comparisons and the Prevention Mismatch

Koss, Mary P.
McGray, Taren
Peterson, Zoe D.
Tillewein, Heather
Susan Shaheen
2026

Uber, Lyft, and some taxi safety systems include driver screening, trip monitoring, emergency tools, complaint response, and driver deactivation. Their safety reports historically emphasized five of 21 industry-wide sexual-misconduct and sexual-assault categories. After Lyft disclosed all 21 in May 2026, its 2020–2022, the total was approximately 40 times greater. We examined whether ridehailing-related victimization history was associated with riders’ safety concerns, precautionary burden, company safety-feature use, and reporting. A quota-based opt-in survey of 638 U.S. ridehailing users...

Disentangling Associations Between Vegetation Greenness and Dengue in a Latin American City: Findings and Challenges

Dronova, I
Ribeiro, S
Bruhn, F
Sales, D
Schultes, O
Daniel Rodriguez
Cunha, M
Lima, L
Caiffa, W
Morais, MHF
Ju, Y
2021

Being a Re-emerging Infectious Disease, dengue causes 390 million cases globally and is prevalent in many urban areas in South America. Understanding the fine-scale relationships between dengue incidence and environmental and socioeconomic factors can guide improved dieses prevention strategies. This ecological study examine the association between dengue incidence and satellite-based vegetation greenness in 3826 census tracts nest in 474 neighborhoods in Belo Horizonte, Brazil during the 2010 dengue epidemic.

Shared Mobility Services: Prioritizing Social Good

Susan Shaheen
Adam Cohen
2024

Access to transportation is integral to enhancing opportunities for employment, education, health care, and recreation. SAVs will not fundamentally solve today's transportation challenges. To solve them, AVs require thoughtful planning and public policies that balance societal goals with commercial interests. To harness and maximize the social and environmental benefits of highly automated vehicles, we need to prepare for a multiphase transition toward highly automated vehicles today. If driver-less vehicles are thoughtfully implemented with access and social/racial equity in mind,...

A Systematic Review of Fast Food Access Studies

Fleischhacker, SE
Evenson, KR
Daniel Rodriguez
Ammerman, AS
2011

The frequent consumption of energy-dense fast food is associated with increased body mass index. This systematic review aims to examine the methodology and current evidence on fast food access and its associations with outcomes. Six databases were searched using terms relating to fast food. Only peer-reviewed studies published in English during a 10-year period, with data collection and analysis regarding fast food access were included. Forty articles met the aforementioned criteria. Nearly half of the studies (n = 16) used their own set of features to define fast food....

A Research Roadmap for Transportation and Public Health

Sandt, LS
West, A
Johnson, S
Brookshire, K
Evenson, K
Blackburn, L
Peach, K
Tartala, M
Ricklin, A
Shah, S
Daniel Rodriguez
Coburn, J
2019

States and localities are beginning to recognize and act on the connection between health and transportation. A growing number of entities have produced a number of resources, guidance documents, and strategic plans on the topic.

The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 932: A Research Roadmap for Transportation and Public Health builds upon this body of work to provide a plan for funding research over the next decade that can lead to greater consideration of health issues in transportation contexts.

A Method for Estimating the Associations of Neighborhood Type with Availability of Sit-down Restaurants and Supermarkets

Peng, K
Daniel Rodriguez
Hirsch, JA
Gordon-Larsen, P
2020

Although neighborhood-level access to food differs by sociodemographic factors, almost all research on neighborhoods and food access has used a single construct of neighborhood context, such as income or race. Neighborhoods possess many interrelated built environment and sociodemographic characteristics, a condition that obscures relationships between neighborhood factors and food access. Methods: To account for the effects of many interrelated aspects of neighborhoods in food access, we developed a generally applicable method that used multiple measures (e.g., population density, mix of...

The Impacts of Shared and Automated Mobility

Susan Shaheen
Adam Cohen
2024

This chapter reviews findings from shared mobility studies including ride-sharing (carpooling and vanpooling), carsharing, (bikesharing and scooter sharing), and TNCs. We conclude with a discussion of shared automated vehicles (SAVs) and their potential impacts.

Considerations for Social Distancing on Public Transportation During the COVID-19 Recovery

Adam Cohen
2020

COVID-19 has presented public transit agencies with unprecedented operational and fiscal challenges. In the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, public transit ridership remains approximately 90% below pre-pandemic levels as of November 10, 2020, according to Transit App. It is generally agreed that personal protective measures (i.e., masks, face shields, gloves), sanitation, and air ventilation — combined with social distancing — reduces the spread of COVID-19. However, experts do not agree on the minimum...

COVID-19’s Potential Impact on Cities: Five Trends and Indicators to Watch

Adam Cohen
2020

Unlike prior crises where cities recovered out of necessity, the first global pandemic of the digital age changes things. With the advent of a post-modern digital economy enabled by telecommuting, teleconferencing, telelearning, and e-commerce, the pandemic has accelerated a digital transformation where cities no longer need to be physical places to foster innovation and economic activity. This MTI perspective explores the potential risks of a K-shaped where suburban communities recover and urban centers do not. Demographics, home sales, housing affordability, telework, and e-...

Strategies for Improving Pedestrian Safety: Cases from Jalisco and Michoacán, Mexico

Carolyn McAndrews
Elizabeth Deakin
Alfredo Celis De la Rosa
2008

In developing countries, the growing use of autos is creating a clash with pedestrians. Pedestrian-vehicle collisions clearly have immediate negative consequences on public health. In the longer run, if walking is not safe, comfortable, and convenient, it is likely to decline as a mode of travel in countries where households and individuals increasingly have the means to choose alternatives. Even so, most people will continue to walk for many trips, and with increasing motorization will be at risk of harm unless the safety and comfort of the walking environment is improved. We use data...