Dana R Thomson
Biographic Data
| ID | 3562570 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Dana R Thomson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Dana R |
| FAMILY NAME | Thomson |
| SIGNATURE | THOMSON D R |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Twente |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-9507-9123 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 19 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 40 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 19 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Intersectional forces of urban inequality and the global HIV pandemic
To determine how the intersection of increased urban growth and poverty has impacted HIV incidence and prevalence, given growing HIV inequalities globally. Retrospective analysis using combined data from five publicly available, population-level datasets to determine city- and within-urban countrywide estimates of 95-95-95 treatment targets, prevalence and incidence rates from 2015 to 2019. For city-level estimates, we analysed combined data from…
Data Are Power
Data4HumanRights’ training materials have been developed as open-source and tailored to limited-resource settings, where community data collectors often live and work. Access to training on data collection, analysis, and visualisation to support the advocacy of vulnerable groups is essential, particularly in the context of increasing human rights challenges such as land rights, adequate housing, conflicts, and climate justice. This paper provides…
Head Start’s Family Services
Research Findings: Very little research has examined whether the contributions of Head Start’s Family Service Workers (FSWs) and family partnership services influence family and child outcomes. Using data from 215 families in the 2014 Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), this study used structural equation models to examine associations between FSWs’ relationship, empowerment, and communication practices; families’ receipt of i…
Towards a scalable and transferable approach to map deprived areas using Sentinel-2 images and machine learning
African cities are growing rapidly and more than half of their populations live in deprived areas. Local stakeholders urgently need accurate, granular, and routine maps to plan, upgrade, and monitor dynamic neighborhood-level changes. Satellite imagery provides a promising solution for consistent, accurate high-resolution maps globally. However, most studies use very high spatial resolution images, which often cover only small areas and are cost …
Mapping Deprived Urban Areas Using Open Geospatial Data and Machine Learning in Africa
Reliable data on slums or deprived living conditions remain scarce in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Global high-resolution maps of deprived areas are fundamental for both research- and evidence-based policies. Existing mapping methods are generally one-off studies that use proprietary commercial data or other physical or socio-economic data that are limited geographically. Open geospatial data are increasingly available for large…
“Domains of deprivation framework” for mapping slums, informal settlements, and other deprived areas in LMICs to improve urban planning and policy
The majority of urban inhabitants in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) cities live in deprived urban areas. However, policy efforts and the monitoring of global goals and agendas such as the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN-Habitat New Urban Agenda are hindered by the unavailability of statistical and spatial data at metropolitan, city and sub-city scales. Deprivation is a complex and multidimensional concept, and p…
Improving the accuracy of gridded population estimates in cities and slums to monitor SDG 11
Spatial Information Gaps on Deprived Urban Areas (Slums) in Low-and-Middle-Income-Countries
Routine and accurate data on deprivation are needed for urban planning and decision support at various scales (i.e., from community to international). However, analyzing information requirements of diverse users on urban deprivation, we found that data are often not available or inaccessible. To bridge this data gap, Earth Observation (EO) data can support access to frequently updated spatial information. However, a user-centered approach is urge…
Evaluating the Accuracy of Gridded Population Estimates in Slums
Low- and middle-income country cities face unprecedented urbanization and growth in slums. Gridded population data (e.g., ~100 × 100 m) derived from demographic and spatial data are a promising source of population estimates, but face limitations in slums due to the dynamic nature of this population as well as modelling assumptions. In this study, we compared field-referenced boundaries and population counts from Slum Dwellers International in La…
Understanding the Influence of Latino Diversity over Child Poverty in the United States
The U.S. Latino population is diverse in terms of countries of heritage, citizenship status, languages spoken, generational status, and geographic settlement patterns. The likelihood of Latino children living in poverty is often associated with these features of Latino diversity; we challenge that view with analyses showing that the underlying economic conditions of families across demographic groups explain much of the likelihood that a child wi…
Addressing Unintentional Exclusion of Vulnerable and Mobile Households in Traditional Surveys in Kathmandu, Dhaka, and Hanoi
The methods used in low- and middle-income countries' (LMICs) household surveys have not changed in four decades; however, LMIC societies have changed substantially and now face unprecedented rates of urbanization and urbanization of poverty. This mismatch may result in unintentional exclusion of vulnerable and mobile urban populations. We compare three survey method innovations with standard survey methods in Kathmandu, Dhaka, and Hanoi and summ…
Need for an Integrated Deprived Area "Slum" Mapping System (Ideamaps) in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)
Ninety percent of the people added to the planet over the next 30 years will live in African and Asian cities, and a large portion of these populations will reside in deprived neighborhoods defined by slum conditions, informal settlement, or inadequate housing. The four current approaches to neighborhood deprivation mapping are largely siloed, and each fall short of producing accurate, timely, and comparable maps that reflect local contexts. The …
Extending Data for Urban Health Decision-Making
Area-level indicators of the determinants of health are vital to plan and monitor progress toward targets such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Tools such as the Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (Urban HEART) and UN-Habitat Urban Inequities Surveys identify dozens of area-level health determinant indicators that decision-makers can use to track and attempt to address population health burdens and inequalities. However,…
Assessing the twinning model in the Rwandan Human Resources for Health Program
BACKGROUND: Because of the shortage of health professionals, particularly in specialty areas, Rwanda initiated the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Program. In this program, faculty from United States teaching institutions (USF) "twin" with Rwandan Faculty (RF) to transfer skills. This paper assesses the twinning model, exploring USF and RF goal setting, satisfaction and perceptions of the effectiveness of skill transfer within the twinning model…
Rainfall variation and child health
Our finding that children in households with unimproved toilets were less likely to report diarrhea during periods of high runoff highlights the vulnerabilities of those living without adequate sanitation to the negative health impacts of environmental events
How consistent are associations between stunting and child development? Evidence from a meta-analysis of associations between stunting and multidimensional child development in fifteen low- and middle…
Objective Despite documented associations between stunting and cognitive development, few population-level studies have measured both indicators in individual children or assessed stunting’s associations with other developmental domains. Design Meta-analysis using publicly available data from fifteen Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS-4) to assess the association between stunting and development, controlling for maternal education, family w…
Addressing Inequities in Urban Health
Rapid and uncontrolled urbanisation across low and middle-income countries is leading to ever expanding numbers of urban poor, defined here as slum dwellers and the homeless. It is estimated that 828 million people are currently living in slum conditions. If governments, donors and NGOs are to respond to these growing inequities they need data that adequately represents the needs of the urban poorest as well as others across the socio-economic sp…
Community-Based Accompaniment and Psychosocial Health Outcomes in HIV-Infected Adults in Rwanda
Modelling strategic interventions in a population with a total fertility rate of 8.3
To meet women's need and desire for fertility control, we recommend adding family planning services at health centers with NGO support, pursuing a community health worker program, promoting extended breastfeeding, and implementing programs to end sexual- and gender-based violence toward women
Need for an Integrated Deprived Area "Slum" Mapping System (Ideamaps) in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)
Ninety percent of the people added to the planet over the next 30 years will live in African and Asian cities, and a large portion of these populations will reside in deprived neighborhoods defined by slum conditions, informal settlement, or inadequate housing. The four current approaches to neighborhood deprivation mapping are largely siloed, and each fall short of producing accurate, timely, and comparable maps that reflect local contexts. The …
Mapping Deprived Urban Areas Using Open Geospatial Data and Machine Learning in Africa
Reliable data on slums or deprived living conditions remain scarce in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Global high-resolution maps of deprived areas are fundamental for both research- and evidence-based policies. Existing mapping methods are generally one-off studies that use proprietary commercial data or other physical or socio-economic data that are limited geographically. Open geospatial data are increasingly available for large…
Evaluating the Accuracy of Gridded Population Estimates in Slums
Low- and middle-income country cities face unprecedented urbanization and growth in slums. Gridded population data (e.g., ~100 × 100 m) derived from demographic and spatial data are a promising source of population estimates, but face limitations in slums due to the dynamic nature of this population as well as modelling assumptions. In this study, we compared field-referenced boundaries and population counts from Slum Dwellers International in La…
Extending Data for Urban Health Decision-Making
Area-level indicators of the determinants of health are vital to plan and monitor progress toward targets such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Tools such as the Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (Urban HEART) and UN-Habitat Urban Inequities Surveys identify dozens of area-level health determinant indicators that decision-makers can use to track and attempt to address population health burdens and inequalities. However,…
Understanding the Influence of Latino Diversity over Child Poverty in the United States
The U.S. Latino population is diverse in terms of countries of heritage, citizenship status, languages spoken, generational status, and geographic settlement patterns. The likelihood of Latino children living in poverty is often associated with these features of Latino diversity; we challenge that view with analyses showing that the underlying economic conditions of families across demographic groups explain much of the likelihood that a child wi…
Addressing Unintentional Exclusion of Vulnerable and Mobile Households in Traditional Surveys in Kathmandu, Dhaka, and Hanoi
The methods used in low- and middle-income countries' (LMICs) household surveys have not changed in four decades; however, LMIC societies have changed substantially and now face unprecedented rates of urbanization and urbanization of poverty. This mismatch may result in unintentional exclusion of vulnerable and mobile urban populations. We compare three survey method innovations with standard survey methods in Kathmandu, Dhaka, and Hanoi and summ…
Addressing Inequities in Urban Health
Rapid and uncontrolled urbanisation across low and middle-income countries is leading to ever expanding numbers of urban poor, defined here as slum dwellers and the homeless. It is estimated that 828 million people are currently living in slum conditions. If governments, donors and NGOs are to respond to these growing inequities they need data that adequately represents the needs of the urban poorest as well as others across the socio-economic sp…
Improving the accuracy of gridded population estimates in cities and slums to monitor SDG 11
Spatial Information Gaps on Deprived Urban Areas (Slums) in Low-and-Middle-Income-Countries
Routine and accurate data on deprivation are needed for urban planning and decision support at various scales (i.e., from community to international). However, analyzing information requirements of diverse users on urban deprivation, we found that data are often not available or inaccessible. To bridge this data gap, Earth Observation (EO) data can support access to frequently updated spatial information. However, a user-centered approach is urge…
Modelling strategic interventions in a population with a total fertility rate of 8.3
To meet women's need and desire for fertility control, we recommend adding family planning services at health centers with NGO support, pursuing a community health worker program, promoting extended breastfeeding, and implementing programs to end sexual- and gender-based violence toward women
Community-Based Accompaniment and Psychosocial Health Outcomes in HIV-Infected Adults in Rwanda
Assessing the twinning model in the Rwandan Human Resources for Health Program
BACKGROUND: Because of the shortage of health professionals, particularly in specialty areas, Rwanda initiated the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Program. In this program, faculty from United States teaching institutions (USF) "twin" with Rwandan Faculty (RF) to transfer skills. This paper assesses the twinning model, exploring USF and RF goal setting, satisfaction and perceptions of the effectiveness of skill transfer within the twinning model…
Rainfall variation and child health
Our finding that children in households with unimproved toilets were less likely to report diarrhea during periods of high runoff highlights the vulnerabilities of those living without adequate sanitation to the negative health impacts of environmental events
How consistent are associations between stunting and child development? Evidence from a meta-analysis of associations between stunting and multidimensional child development in fifteen low- and middle…
Objective Despite documented associations between stunting and cognitive development, few population-level studies have measured both indicators in individual children or assessed stunting’s associations with other developmental domains. Design Meta-analysis using publicly available data from fifteen Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS-4) to assess the association between stunting and development, controlling for maternal education, family w…
Addressing Inequities in Urban Health
Rapid and uncontrolled urbanisation across low and middle-income countries is leading to ever expanding numbers of urban poor, defined here as slum dwellers and the homeless. It is estimated that 828 million people are currently living in slum conditions. If governments, donors and NGOs are to respond to these growing inequities they need data that adequately represents the needs of the urban poorest as well as others across the socio-economic sp…
Extending Data for Urban Health Decision-Making
Area-level indicators of the determinants of health are vital to plan and monitor progress toward targets such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Tools such as the Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (Urban HEART) and UN-Habitat Urban Inequities Surveys identify dozens of area-level health determinant indicators that decision-makers can use to track and attempt to address population health burdens and inequalities. However,…
Addressing Unintentional Exclusion of Vulnerable and Mobile Households in Traditional Surveys in Kathmandu, Dhaka, and Hanoi
The methods used in low- and middle-income countries' (LMICs) household surveys have not changed in four decades; however, LMIC societies have changed substantially and now face unprecedented rates of urbanization and urbanization of poverty. This mismatch may result in unintentional exclusion of vulnerable and mobile urban populations. We compare three survey method innovations with standard survey methods in Kathmandu, Dhaka, and Hanoi and summ…
Need for an Integrated Deprived Area "Slum" Mapping System (Ideamaps) in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)
Ninety percent of the people added to the planet over the next 30 years will live in African and Asian cities, and a large portion of these populations will reside in deprived neighborhoods defined by slum conditions, informal settlement, or inadequate housing. The four current approaches to neighborhood deprivation mapping are largely siloed, and each fall short of producing accurate, timely, and comparable maps that reflect local contexts. The …
Spatial Information Gaps on Deprived Urban Areas (Slums) in Low-and-Middle-Income-Countries
Routine and accurate data on deprivation are needed for urban planning and decision support at various scales (i.e., from community to international). However, analyzing information requirements of diverse users on urban deprivation, we found that data are often not available or inaccessible. To bridge this data gap, Earth Observation (EO) data can support access to frequently updated spatial information. However, a user-centered approach is urge…
Evaluating the Accuracy of Gridded Population Estimates in Slums
Low- and middle-income country cities face unprecedented urbanization and growth in slums. Gridded population data (e.g., ~100 × 100 m) derived from demographic and spatial data are a promising source of population estimates, but face limitations in slums due to the dynamic nature of this population as well as modelling assumptions. In this study, we compared field-referenced boundaries and population counts from Slum Dwellers International in La…
Understanding the Influence of Latino Diversity over Child Poverty in the United States
The U.S. Latino population is diverse in terms of countries of heritage, citizenship status, languages spoken, generational status, and geographic settlement patterns. The likelihood of Latino children living in poverty is often associated with these features of Latino diversity; we challenge that view with analyses showing that the underlying economic conditions of families across demographic groups explain much of the likelihood that a child wi…
“Domains of deprivation framework” for mapping slums, informal settlements, and other deprived areas in LMICs to improve urban planning and policy
The majority of urban inhabitants in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) cities live in deprived urban areas. However, policy efforts and the monitoring of global goals and agendas such as the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN-Habitat New Urban Agenda are hindered by the unavailability of statistical and spatial data at metropolitan, city and sub-city scales. Deprivation is a complex and multidimensional concept, and p…
Improving the accuracy of gridded population estimates in cities and slums to monitor SDG 11
Mapping Deprived Urban Areas Using Open Geospatial Data and Machine Learning in Africa
Reliable data on slums or deprived living conditions remain scarce in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Global high-resolution maps of deprived areas are fundamental for both research- and evidence-based policies. Existing mapping methods are generally one-off studies that use proprietary commercial data or other physical or socio-economic data that are limited geographically. Open geospatial data are increasingly available for large…
Head Start’s Family Services
Research Findings: Very little research has examined whether the contributions of Head Start’s Family Service Workers (FSWs) and family partnership services influence family and child outcomes. Using data from 215 families in the 2014 Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), this study used structural equation models to examine associations between FSWs’ relationship, empowerment, and communication practices; families’ receipt of i…
Towards a scalable and transferable approach to map deprived areas using Sentinel-2 images and machine learning
African cities are growing rapidly and more than half of their populations live in deprived areas. Local stakeholders urgently need accurate, granular, and routine maps to plan, upgrade, and monitor dynamic neighborhood-level changes. Satellite imagery provides a promising solution for consistent, accurate high-resolution maps globally. However, most studies use very high spatial resolution images, which often cover only small areas and are cost …
Intersectional forces of urban inequality and the global HIV pandemic
To determine how the intersection of increased urban growth and poverty has impacted HIV incidence and prevalence, given growing HIV inequalities globally. Retrospective analysis using combined data from five publicly available, population-level datasets to determine city- and within-urban countrywide estimates of 95-95-95 treatment targets, prevalence and incidence rates from 2015 to 2019. For city-level estimates, we analysed combined data from…
Data Are Power
Data4HumanRights’ training materials have been developed as open-source and tailored to limited-resource settings, where community data collectors often live and work. Access to training on data collection, analysis, and visualisation to support the advocacy of vulnerable groups is essential, particularly in the context of increasing human rights challenges such as land rights, adequate housing, conflicts, and climate justice. This paper provides…
Geography (12 works) · Economic growth (8 works) · Medicine (8 works) · Population (8 works) · Environmental health (7 works) · Economics (6 works) · Land Use and Ecosystem Services (6 works) · Cartography (5 works) · Computer Science (5 works) · Demography (5 works)