Geospatial Analysis of Neighborhood Environmental Stress in Relation to Biological Markers of Cardiovascular Health and Health Behaviors in Women: Protocol for a Pilot Study.

Kosuke Tamura,David Berrigan,Viola Vaccarino,Brian A Tirado,Nithya P Vijayakumar,Nehal N Mehta,Yvonne Baumer,Cristhian Gutierrez-Huerta,Erika Ortiz-Chaparro,Billy S Collins,Foster Osei Baah,Sam J Neally,Tiffany M Powell-Wiley,James F Troendle,Briana S Turner,Kaveri Curlin,Shannon N Zenk,Valerie M Mitchell,Veronica Gray

doi:10.2196/29191

Kosuke Tamura, David Berrigan + Show 17 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.2196/29191

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Abstract

BackgroundInnovative analyses of cardiovascular (CV) risk markers and health behaviors linked to neighborhood stressors are essential to further elucidate the mechanisms by which adverse neighborhood social conditions lead to poor CV outcomes. We propose to objectively measure physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and neighborhood stress using accelerometers, GPS, and real-time perceived ecological momentary assessment via smartphone apps and to link these to biological measures in a sample of White and African American women in Washington, DC, neighborhoods.ObjectiveThe primary aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that living in adverse neighborhood social conditions is associated with higher stress-related neural activity among 60 healthy women living in high or low socioeconomic status neighborhoods in Washington, DC. Sub-aim 1 of this study is to test the hypothesis that the association is moderated by objectively measured PA using an accelerometer. A secondary objective is to test the hypothesis that residing in adverse neighborhood social environment conditions is related to differences in vascular function. Sub-aim 2 of this study is to test the hypothesis that the association is moderated by objectively measured PA. The third aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that adverse neighborhood social environment conditions are related to differences in immune system activation.MethodsThe proposed study will be cross-sectional, with a sample of at least 60 women (30 healthy White women and 30 healthy Black women) from Wards 3 and 5 in Washington, DC. A sample of the women (n=30) will be recruited from high-income areas in Ward 3 from census tracts within a 15% of Ward 3’s range for median household income. The other participants (n=30) will be recruited from low-income areas in Wards 5 from census tracts within a 15% of Ward 5’s range for median household income. Finally, participants from Wards 3 and 5 will be matched based on age, race, and BMI. Participants will wear a GPS unit and accelerometer and report their stress and mood in real time using a smartphone. We will then examine the associations between GPS-derived neighborhood variables, stress-related neural activity measures, and adverse biological markers.ResultsThe National Institutes of Health Institutional Review Board has approved this study. Recruitment will begin in the summer of 2021.ConclusionsFindings from this research could inform the development of multilevel behavioral interventions and policies to better manage environmental factors that promote immune system activation or psychosocial stress while concurrently working to increase PA, thereby influencing CV health.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/29191

Highlights

BackgroundPromoting physical activity (PA) is a critical public health goal because insufficient PA participation affects all age groups and various racial and ethnic groups in the United States (US) [1]
Findings from this research could inform the development of multilevel behavioral interventions and policies to better manage environmental factors that promote immune system activation or psychosocial stress while concurrently working to increase PA, thereby influencing CV health
Findings from this research could accelerate the development of multilevel behavioral interventions and environmental policies to better manage environmental factors that promote psychosocial stress or interventions that increase PA, which in turn can promote cardiovascular health. This is a cross-sectional study designed to investigate the impact of neighborhood environment on cardiovascular health and PA in African American and White women residing in Washington, DC, neighborhoods

Summary

Introduction

BackgroundPromoting physical activity (PA) is a critical public health goal because insufficient PA participation affects all age groups and various racial and ethnic groups in the United States (US) [1]. The application of a multilevel social-ecological framework to determine changes in the environment and policy that would promote PA participation has been supported by authoritative US health institutions and international organizations over the past two decades [7,8,9]. This conceptual framework identifies relevant factors at multiple levels, ranging from genetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, social, and cultural, to environmental factors [10]. We propose to objectively measure physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and neighborhood stress using accelerometers, GPS, and real-time perceived ecological momentary assessment via smartphone apps and to link these to biological measures in a sample of White and African American women in Washington, DC, neighborhoods

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