Broward County Research Articles

Modeling evacuation activities amid compound hazards: Insights from hurricane Irma in Southeast Florida

Given the destructive nature of hurricanes in tropical regions, pre-disaster evacuation has emerged as a critical approach for hurricane preparedness. Nevertheless, the compounding effects of natural hazards and the outbreak of infectious diseases, such as Covid-19, significantly challenge hurricane evacuation management. To investigate emergency responses under compound hazards, this study develops an activity-based model to measure the evacuation behaviors of individuals, using Hurricane Irma as a case study. Four scenarios are designed, including a single hurricane hazard, Hurricane Irma compounded with a pandemic like Covid-19, Hurricane Irma compounded with flood damage to the transportation network, and a combination of all these hazards. The metropolis-hasting algorithm is utilized to generate a population with socioeconomic attributes, which is then allocated to census block groups covering Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties in Florida. Datasets from multiple sources are used to measure evacuation decisions, which are subsequently simulated using MATSim. The results highlight the potential impacts of compound hazards on transportation systems, including increased congestions in scenarios involving compounded hurricanes and floods, especially between 10 a.m. and 7p.m. Moreover, a higher proportion of socially vulnerable populations is observed in scenarios involving compounded hurricanes and pandemics, particularly in the Key West area. The developed model could be further applied to measure the indirect impacts of natural hazards on transportation systems.

Election administration harms and ballot design: A study of Florida's 2018 United States Senate race

AbstractWe introduce a typology of election administration harms and apply it to empirically study the consequences of ballot design. Our typology distinguishes between individual, electoral, and systemic harms. Together, it clarifies why ballot design can be a particular vulnerability in election administration. Using both ballot‐level and precinct‐level data, we revisit Florida's 2018 United States Senate race, in which Broward County's ballot design flouted federal guidelines and, according to critics, was pivotal to the outcome. We estimate that Broward's ballot design induced roughly 25,000 voters to undervote in a race determined by about 10,000 votes and that these excess undervotes were concentrated among low‐information voters. Broward's ballot did not, however, affect the outcome of the election. Nonetheless, flawed ballot designs are still concerning in an age of voter distrust. Given the risk that flawed ballots can cause systemic harm, we offer a roadmap for procedural reforms to improve ballot design.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors Trends Among Black High School Students, 2009–2019

ABSTRACT Purpose: Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors are key contributors to the rising rates of childhood obesity. Though many adolescents are aware of the benefits of exercise, youth in America are not sufficiently active. This study examined changes in physical activity (PA), physical education (PE), and sedentary behaviors among Black adolescents. Methods: Pooled data from Black high school students (n = 2,233) who completed the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) from 2009–2019 in Broward County, Florida, were analyzed. Logistic and linear regression models examined trends in selected physical activity indicators. Results: There were no significant changes in recommended physical activity levels (p = .829), daily physical activity (p = .44), PE class attendance (p = .054), or the average number of days of PA engagement (p = .304) for this time period. However, there was a significant decline in daily PE class attendance, the average number of days of PE attendance, and excessive television watching (p < .001). There were also increases in excessive video gaming and computer usage (p = .002). Conclusion: Adolescents’ physical activity behaviors have not declined substantially over the past decade. However, sedentary behaviors, such as computer use and video gaming, have markedly increased. Results presented here should assist in broadening the understanding of Black adolescents’ views on weight and physical activity and developing local programs and interventions to promote regular physical activity aimed at this population.

Examining the epidemiology of AIDS-defining and HPV-associated cancers in HIV endemic areas of south Florida for development of targeted intervention.

e22522 Background: The Miami-Dade and Broward Counties in South Florida (SF) have the highest incidence of HIV infection in the United States, with over 47,000 people living with HIV as of 2021. The epidemiology and burden of cancers associated with HIV in SF have not been fully described, hampering efforts for effective cancer control. This study examines the regional epidemiology of AIDS-defining cancers and HPV-associated cancers, for which HIV+ patients face higher risk. The results are used to develop education and community screening events targeting communities with high incidences of these cancers. Methods: The catchment area of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, consisting of Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Monroe Counties for a total population of six million was studied. Using the 2015-2019 data from Florida’s official cancer registry, age-adjusted incidences (AAI) for AIDS-defining cancers and HPV-associated cancers were calculated for all census tracts in SF. Geospatial hot spot analysis was then applied to identify statistically significant clusters (hot spots) of census tracts with high AAI of these cancers. Results: We identified two clusters of hot spots for AIDS-defining and HPV-associated cancers in SF. Except for penile cancer in one cluster, both clusters have HPV-associated cancer incidences that are significantly higher than the state averages. Specifically, one cluster has the highest incidence of anal cancer in SF, while the other has a notable concentration of penile cancer. Conclusions: Using the results, we have developed targeted educational and screening events for communities within the hot spots. A screening summit was recently held in a hot spot community where several screening and educational events were offered on a single day. By sharing information about the epidemiology of these cancers, we were able to facilitate community buy-in and develop working relationships with community partners to provide culturally competent and targeted intervention for a population who are less likely to undergo screening. [Table: see text]

Understanding the Health Impacts of Vehicular Emissions in South Florida: A Comprehensive Analysis

South Florida is famous for its diverse cultural scene and year-round sunshine. This success, however, has not been without its consequences. While the region enjoys economic prosperity, the hidden cost of deteriorating air quality and adverse health effects from vehicle emissions necessitates urgent attention. Electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a potential solution, promising reduced emissions, and increased energy efficiency. However, the intricate life cycle emissions associated with EV energy production raise questions about their net benefits. Using predictive modeling and historical data, the study forecasts emissions trajectories and assesses their health implications. Results indicate a substantial reduction in pollutants like PM2.5 and NOx by 2050, particularly in counties with higher vehicle miles traveled (VMT). However, challenges remain, such as Broward County’s heightened dependence on polluting electricity sources for EV charging, leading to increased SO2 emissions and public health costs. The analysis underscores the importance of transitioning to cleaner energy sources, highlighting the potential benefits of renewable resources in reducing emissions and improving public health outcomes. By incorporating comprehensive data and predictive models, this study provides valuable insights for policymakers and communities, advocating for a concerted effort towards sustainable transportation solutions. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the necessity of proactive measures to mitigate the adverse effects of vehicle emissions and foster a healthier, more sustainable future for South Florida.

Abstract PO2-10-10: Developing a Continuum of Care Model to Address Healthcare Disparities in Breast and Cervical Cancer: The Promise Fund's Approach

Abstract The Promise Fund is creating a systemic change in healthcare service delivery through its Continuum of Care model in which patients are provided health education, navigation for breast and cervical health, affordable early detection screenings, diagnostics, treatment, and/or support services through an established network of providers, reducing healthcare costs, alleviating the burden of our complex healthcare system, and improving patient outcomes. This model, established in Palm Beach County, has potential to be scaled across Florida and beyond. The Promise Fund's primary focus is to eliminate preventable deaths and stop the progression of breast and cervical cancer among women in South Florida. The region faces significant healthcare disparities, with over 80,000 uninsured women in Palm Beach County alone. Disproportionately affecting minority groups, these women often experience delayed diagnoses and higher mortality rates compared to White women. Barriers such as transportation, translation, education, and childcare further contribute to suboptimal survival rates, despite high cure rates exceeding 95% for breast and cervical cancer. Through public and private partnerships, the Promise Fund established a Women's Health Center co-located at a Palm Beach County Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). FHQCs are community-based facilities that provide comprehensive primary care services to uninsured or low-income individuals in areas of high need. At this strategically selected FQHC, the Promise Fund supplies state-of-the-art equipment for breast and cervical cancer screenings, such as a 3D Genius Mammography Machine, donated by Hologic, Inc., ultrasounds, LEEP, and colposcopy. To facilitate access, the Promise Fund employs over 20 patient navigators positioned in FQHCs, free clinics, and community-based organizations across South Florida. These navigators connect women to resources, engage in outreach, and enroll at-risk individuals into the program. The impact of the navigators is significant, with over 20,000 women engaged, over 80 cancers treated, more than 5,000 women finding medical homes, and over 19,000 women receiving education and outreach. Additionally, the program has facilitated over 4,000 mammograms and 2,000 pap tests, all provided at little to no cost to the patients. Promise Fund Patient Navigators are well-trained, culturally competent, and bilingual. They help patients overcome barriers to care, arranging transportation, childcare, and translation services. Our navigators are carefully selected from the community and undergo rigorous training in breast and cervical health, navigation, and reporting. Moreover, the Promise Fund supports patients throughout their cancer journey by brokering low-cost or free treatment from private hospitals. Despite the prevailing healthcare disparities, the Promise Fund's patient-centered approach has yielded positive outcomes. Over 98% of women navigated by the organization comply with receiving their screening mammogram, drastically surpassing the national average. Research has consistently demonstrated that patient navigators significantly improve patient outcomes by facilitating early screening and timely access to treatment, thus reducing disease progression and healthcare costs. Additionally, the Promise Fund’s expansive Continuum of Care model effectively decreases the time patients have to wait between diagnosis and starting treatment, as well as decreases the overall treatment time for patients. The success of the Promise Fund's inaugural Women's Health Center has led to the replication of this model in three additional FQHCs in Palm Beach and Broward County, ensuring that no woman in these areas should go without essential breast and cervical cancer resources. Citation Format: Nancy Brinker, Donna Shalala, Edith Mitchell, Haywood Brown, Wayne Frederick, Jane Mendez, Deeptee Jain, David Dodson, David Brodsky, Lillie Shockney. Developing a Continuum of Care Model to Address Healthcare Disparities in Breast and Cervical Cancer: The Promise Fund's Approach [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-10-10.

Weight misperception and weight-related behaviors in non-Hispanic Black youth.

Current literature is conflicting regarding whether accurate weight perception encourages healthy weight-related behaviors. This study examined the prevalence of weight misperception and explored associations between weight misperception and weight-related behaviors among 353 Black adolescents in Broward County, Florida. Overall, 44.8% of participants misperceived their weight, with boys more often misperceiving their weight than girls (52.2% vs 40.2%). Students who misperceived their weight were more likely to try to lose weight but less likely to be adequately physically active. Adolescents who underestimated their weight were less likely to be physically active and excessively play video or computer games or use a computer. There was no association between weight misperception and daily physical education attendance or excessive television watching. Weight misperception appears to be a risk factor for obesity in adolescents, as weight misperception was associated with lower engagement in physical activity.

NEW MULTIPLEX SNP GENOTYPING ASSAY TO SIMUTANEOUSLY SCREEN FOR EIGHT VOLTAGE-GATED SODIUM CHANNEL MUTATIONS IN AEDES AEGYPTI

Aedes aegypti has been implicated as the vector responsible for transmission of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses during disease outbreaks in Florida within the past 15 years. Recently, locally acquired dengue cases have increased dramatically, with more than 450 cases documented in Florida since 2019. This mosquito is known to be resistant to pyrethroid-based insecticides in Florida. Resistance of insects to pyrethroids due to knockdown resistance (kdr) is the result of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene (vgsc). Recently, two novel SNPs, F174I and E478K, and four known SNPs, V410L, S723T, D1763Y, and Q1853R were reported circulating in Floridian Ae. aegypti populations for the first time. The present study provides a more comprehensive estimate of these SNP frequencies through the screening of a larger number of Floridian Ae. aegypti samples using a new custom multiplex SNP assay we developed using the Agena Biosciences iPLEX Assay platform to facilitate the rapid screening of multiple SNPs at an affordable cost. Our assay was successful in screening 162 Ae. aegypti mosquitoes for 8 SNPs from 4 counties in Southern Florida (Broward, Collier, Palm Beach, and Monroe Counties). This new assay can be used for studies examining the association between genetic mutations and pyrethroid-resistant phenotypes in Ae. aegypti populations such as increased time of survival after insecticide exposure.

Advancing equitable stormwater management: A decision support tool integrating best practices for nutrient removal and environmental justice

Stormwater runoff is a significant contributor to nutrient pollution, leading to water quality degradation and ecological imbalances. The management of stormwater runoff and nutrient pollution faces significant challenges due to inadequate assessment tools for evaluating nutrient loads across multiple watersheds at the state level and the absence of an open-source tool that can comprehensively assess the effectiveness of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) in nutrient removal while incorporating environmental justice (EJ) considerations. To address these challenges, we developed an innovative online statewide tool that identifies areas where BMP planning needs to be prioritized to address environmental disparities resulting from high pollutant loads intersecting with disadvantaged communities, alongside tracking pollutant loads after various BMP implementations. In doing so, we estimated pollutant loads including total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and total suspended solids (TSS) from urban land use in 1378 HUC-12 watersheds across Florida using EPA's pollutant load estimate tools (PLET), which calculates loads based on factors such as land use, septic systems and wastewater discharge, soil characteristics, and precipitation. To integrate BMP implementation with EJ considerations, a social vulnerability index was developed to identify tiers of sociodemographic disparities using racial/ethnicity metrics (e.g., % black, % Hispanic, etc.) and socioeconomic metrics (e.g., median household income, educational attainment, etc.). We then investigated the effectiveness of 28 urban stormwater BMPs in reducing pollutant loads and estimated post-BMP loads for each watershed. Hotspots of nutrient pollution were primarily identified in coastal areas, with residential land use as the main contributor. Miami-Dade, Broward, and Hillsborough counties had the highest sociodemographic disparities. In addition, central and southern Florida exhibited a disproportionate exposure of disadvantaged communities to pollutant loads. The developed online tool contributes significantly to holistic watershed management by features including visualizing the distribution of nutrient pollution loads across state watersheds, identifying areas with high pollutant loads intersecting with disadvantaged communities, and quantifying pollution load reductions post-BMP implementation. This research promotes equitable outcomes and empowers stakeholders in Florida to adopt sustainable and inclusive practices for water quality improvement.

Broadscale coral disease interventions elicit efficiencies in endemic disease response

The presence and abundance of reef-building corals are crucial to the long-term existence of Caribbean coral reef ecosystems, providing both direct and indirect, local and global, ecological, economic, and social benefits. In 2014, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) was first identified in southeast Florida and remains endemic to the region, while continuing to spread throughout the Caribbean. Effective in situ intervention treatments using antibiotic paste can halt lesion progression on Montastraea cavernosa up to 90% of the time. This study investigated intervention activities over a three-year period to identify efficiencies in disease response. Since May 2019, 1,037 corals, &amp;gt;85% of which were M. cavernosa, were treated during disease intervention dives in southeast Florida. Treated coral density, the number of treated corals per meter along a dive track, was significantly higher in the first year compared to subsequent years and displayed annual peaks in late summer each year. Season significantly influenced treatment density, leading to higher values in the wet season across all years, 2019 to 2022. Areas of highest treatment density were identified between Haulover Inlet and Government Cut near Miami and Hillsboro Inlet in northern Broward County. Areas with the highest treatment density were only identified in the first year, suggesting that broadscale interventions may have decreased disease prevalence in subsequent years. Results indicate that in endemic areas with sporadic and dynamic disease prevalence, intervention efforts should be weighted proportionally across space and time to maximize intervention efficiency. This study provides optimistic results for the potential of interventions reducing disease prevalence and supports that disease interventions are an effective coral restoration tool that can decrease the increasing burden on post hoc coral restoration.

Mental Health Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Aging Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Populations.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected numerous subpopulations of people in unique ways. This study evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health status of Broward County's aging lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) seniors and identified strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for interventions to enhance positive mental health outcomes. The study was performed from April 2021 through July 2021. Online surveys measuring anxiety, depression, social support, and resilience were delivered by email to 47 residents of Wilton Manors, Florida. Study data were collected and collated using research electronic data capture tools with bivariate analysis using the Mann-Whitney test and generalized linear regression. Bivariate analysis showed that males scored significantly higher on the social interactions subscale of the Duke Social Support Index, indicating greater social support, yet there was not a significant difference with sexual orientation or living situation. Multivariate analysis revealed differences for several dependent variables including anxiety and depression reporting being lower in LGBTQ individuals. This study provides important insight into specific mental health challenges faced by Broward County's LGBTQ seniors, which can be applied to other LGBTQ populations across the globe. Using the results, targeted interventions can be developed to help improve mental health outcomes during periods of isolation for all individuals.

Abstract C035: Impact of South Florida environmental chemicals on breast cells derived from women of different ancestries

Abstract Breast Cancer (BC) occurrence is due to an interplay of ancestry-based and environmental factors. In order to study BC disparities in South Florida, our group initially focused on 7 Broward County zip codes where the proportion of BC identified at late stage is much higher (55%) than the national average (30-35%), and where there is a high percentage of people of African Ancestry (AA). Thus, we are investigating the interaction of ancestry and the environment in BC. Our hypothesis is that there are unique environmental sensitivities leading to BC that are associated with specific ancestral groups. We expect that some of the carcinogenic chemicals that cause BC may cause more advanced or aggressive BC in AA women. We are studying 2 environmental pollutants, one in water (arsenic) and one in soil (glyphosate) that are prevalent in S. Florida, and these local zip codes, and analyze the specific impact of these pollutants on unique breast reduction mammoplasty cultures derived from women of AA vs. Non-Hispanic White (NHW) ancestry. We have developed a unique tissue engineering system for non-diseased breast that allows us to establish cultures with high success (95%) using a stem cell-based medium and Matrigel. From primary cultures, we have established 38 extended explants (&amp;lt;13 passages) or cell lines (&amp;gt;13 passages). 10 are from AA women and 28 are from women of NHW ancestry, thus far with Hispanic samples in the works. We hypothesize that these groups will show significant differences in their gene expression patterns after exposure to environmental carcinogens. We have previously shown that there is a significantly higher proportion of breast stem cells in AA cultures (N=5) compared with the NHW cultures (N=5) (p= 0.028). This difference in size of the stem cell compartment may help to explain why the age of breast development in these two groups is significantly different and why their subtypes of BC are different based on ancestry. We are using 5 AA and 5 NHW breast reduction mammoplasty cultures, as well as stem cells derived from them, to test arsenic and glyphosate for their ability to alter the transcriptome of these cells using RNA sequencing. Analyses of gene expression using both supervised and unsupervised strategies will be performed (KEGG Pathways and single genes). We expect to see changes that are consistent with pre-invasive malignancy that have been established in endocrine disruptor studies. Because our group is one of the few that has successfully cultured stage 0 BC (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ), we have existing databases of transcriptomic changes from 6 DCIS cell lines as well as from 6 stage I BC cell lines for comparison. Preliminary data from the Nanostring BC360 and RNA sequencing show 8 genes involved in DNA damage and repair that are downregulated in AA breast reduction mammoplasty explants relative to NHW explants. This study will fill an important void in our understanding of how the environment affects pre-cancerous development in specific demographic populations. Citation Format: Jean J. Latimer, Yousef N. Alharbi, Colton R. Simmons, Stephen E. Zimberg, Essie K. Yates. Impact of South Florida environmental chemicals on breast cells derived from women of different ancestries [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C035.

Effectiveness, Acceptability, and Feasibility of a Telehealth HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Care Intervention Among Young Cisgender Men and Transgender Women Who Have Sex With Men: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Despite its promise for HIV prevention, the uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been slow, and there have been substantial inequities in PrEP access. Young men who have sex with men and transgender women of color are most in need of PrEP and least likely to have that need fulfilled. PrEP telehealth care, which provides remote PrEP care via electronic communication, seems well suited to address several of the challenges of PrEP provision, including discomfort with stigmatizing and difficult-to-access health care systems, transportation challenges, and privacy concerns, and address disparities in PrEP access. Research suggests that PrEP telehealth care has promise and is a favored option for many prospective recipients of PrEP. However, despite growing attention to telehealth approaches as an avenue for increasing access to PrEP amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been no published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on PrEP telehealth care to date, making it difficult to draw strong conclusions about the advantages or disadvantages of telehealth compared with usual PrEP care. We developed PrEPTECH, a telehealth intervention that focuses specifically on alleviating issues of stigma, access, cost, and confidentiality for young people with risk factors for HIV infection who are seeking PrEP care. Leveraging data from the 2017 observational pilot study, we redesigned and enhanced PrEPTECH. This study aims to assess the effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of a telehealth HIV PrEP care intervention, PrEPTECH, in increasing PrEP uptake. This is the protocol for an RCT of young cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men in 4 regions within the United States: the San Francisco Bay Area, California; Los Angeles County, California; Miami-Dade County, Florida; and Broward County, Florida. Participants in the intervention arm received access to a web-based telehealth program, PrEPTECH, which offers a fully web-based pathway to PrEP, whereas those in the control arm received access to a dynamic web page containing publicly available informational resources about PrEP. Follow-up data collection occurred at 3 and 6 months. An analysis will be conducted on outcomes, including PrEP initiation, persistence, adherence, coverage, and medication prescription, as well as PrEPTECH acceptability and feasibility. The study was funded in 2019 and received institutional review board approval in 2020. The PrEPTECH intervention was developed over the next 1.5 years. Study recruitment was launched in February 2022 and completed in September 2022, with 229 participants recruited in total. Data collection was completed in April 2023. The results of this RCT will offer valuable evidence regarding the effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of telehealth HIV PrEP care interventions among young cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04902820; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04902820. PRR1-10.2196/47932.

Whether a Criminal is Likely to Re-offend? A Statistical Analysis Using Crimes Data from Broward County Florida

Security issues have always been a significant threat to the safety of citizens in every country, and many of these re-arrested criminals have negatively impacted social security. Therefore, predicting and studying the factors of a criminal's re-entry to prison will significantly help maintain social order and improve the civil society happiness index. This study, it will show what elements are predicted to influence a criminal's return to prison and what aspects will have a higher proportion and weight based on the collected data set. In the dataset, each re-admission inmate is categorized according to gender, age range, race, records, etc. Use the Logistics model and OLS model to build a model to predict what factors most directly lead to a criminal being arrested and imprisoned again. Data research has proved that the "number of priors" is the factor that most affects the recidivism rate of criminals.

Hurricane Vulnerability and Constrained Choices among Mobile Home Park Residents in South Florida

Abstract South Florida experiences some of the highest coastal hurricane vulnerability in the United States. Mobile home communities in south Florida are particularly vulnerable to hurricanes due to the weaker structural integrity of the home or land and a mix of structural and sociodemographic factors. A mixed-methods study was conducted to assess hurricane risk perceptions, experiences, and decision-making among permanent mobile home park (MHP) residents in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Return-by-mail surveys were distributed in July 2016 after several years of nominal hurricane activity in south Florida (and before Hurricane Matthew’s formation in September 2016), and focus groups were conducted at MHPs in May 2018, eight months after Hurricane Irma’s September 2017 landfall. Quantitative analysis of 44 in-person and 57 return-by-mail survey responses revealed that respondents tended to be older, retired, or unemployed and had modest levels of education, with many expressing forms of social- and structural-level hurricane risk before Hurricane Matthew. Qualitative analysis of six focus group discussions conducted after Hurricane Irma revealed that the constraints and vulnerabilities experienced by residents coalesced into several primary themes related to preparation, evacuation, assistance, stress and anxiety, tree concerns, and recovery. Participants specifically highlighted their concerns about tree hazards, damages, and maintenance issues arising before, during, and after hurricanes in MHPs. These results build on the scholarship on hurricane risk by underscoring the structural and social vulnerability of residents living in MHPs that constrain building resilience, adaptive capacity, community restoration efforts, and advocating for policy changes. Significance Statement This study aims to understand local hurricane risk perceptions, experiences, and vulnerabilities among residents of mobile home parks after a decade-long hurricane drought in south Florida and also to understand the barriers residents faced after a major hurricane. A hurricane drought is critical to study because it can erode individual and community-level preparedness. Residents of mobile home parks may experience more flooding, higher winds, tornadoes, and other dangers during hurricanes. Residents also face county-, neighborhood-, and household-level structural vulnerabilities that restrict their options related to hurricane preparedness, safety during a storm, and resilience in its aftermath. Our study uses various forms of data collection to obtain insights from permanent residents of mobile home parks in south Florida. In addition, it discusses the social and economic disadvantages and opportunities that policy makers can address in climate change risk management.

The Most Vulnerable User: Examining the Role of Income, Race, and the Built Environment on Pedestrian Injuries and Deaths

This study examined the incidence of injurious and fatal pedestrian crashes for lower-income and affluent communities in Broward and Palm Beach counties, FL, finding notable differences in the environmental risk factors for these populations. In lower-income areas, pedestrian deaths and injuries increased with traffic volumes, multilane streets, and restaurants and shopping centers. They decreased with the presence of raised medians, which can serve as a refuge island for crossing pedestrians. These variables all suggest that, at least in lower-income areas, pedestrian death and injury was associated with difficulties safely accessing household-supporting destinations. For affluent areas, the factors associated with increased pedestrian death and injury were those relating to recreation and nightlife—specifically, bars and clubs, hotels, and restaurants. Neither traffic volumes nor multilane roads proved to be meaningfully related to increased pedestrian death or injury in affluent areas. Perhaps most notably, higher concentrations of Black populations were strongly related to increased pedestrian death and injury, even after accounting for differences in income. Considered as a whole, these results suggest that pedestrian crash risk, like much else in U.S. society, is strongly intertwined with broader issues of racial and income inequality. Attempts to address the safety of the transportation system’s most vulnerable users need to move beyond asserting that any pedestrian project constitutes a safety enhancement, and to begin to more meaningfully account for social vulnerabilities associated with race and income.

Transspecies liminality: unpacking the politics and patchy legitimization of urban human-cat relations

ABSTRACT Urban human-cat relations depend on complex and contingent systems of overlapping policies, ordinances, and laws. Cats defy anthropocentric binaries and boundaries. In response to the problematic use of the term ‘feral’, a term rife with negative associations, many government agencies, including those in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties in Florida, have rebranded this population as ‘community’ cats. This investigation explores the transspecies liminality experienced by both free-roaming, or ‘community’, cats and their urban caretakers. While government-run animal shelters boast the successes of trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs and the concomitant increase in ‘live-releases’ from the shelters, the experiences of cats who live in perilous urban spaces, facing vehicular injury, animal cruelty, and even death, subverts these politically-driven narratives. The uneven acceptance and treatment of these cats results in the development of informally organized networks of cat caretakers whose experiences share the challenging, contentious, and often dangerous experiences of the cats for whom they care. Sociolegal constructions and rituals produce the experience of liminality for more than just human or animal individuals. The result is a transspecies liminality of shared experiences, struggles, and relations beyond the targeted population or species, which has implications for how researchers approach the implementation of nonhuman governance policies.

Trusted Sources of Information and COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in a Sample of Latinx Sexual and Gender Minorities in South Florida.

To examine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake in a sample of Latino/a/x sexual and/or gender minority (SGM) individuals in South Florida. Data were collected via an online survey from March 2021 to August 2022, as part of the Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities. A multivariate regression analysis was fit using completion of a COVID-19 vaccine regimen as the outcome. Key covariates included trusted sources of information (eg, doctor, media), COVID-19-related challenges (eg, accessing medication, transportation), and dominant wave of SARS-CoV-2 at the time of data collection. Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Florida. White Latino/a/x, bachelor's educated respondents, and those with high levels of trust in community organizations had significantly greater odds of vaccination. Community organizations may be key to improving vaccine uptake among marginalized Latino/a/x SGM for COVID-19 and other emerging communicable diseases, such as meningitis and Mpox (monkeypox). The results of this study suggest that tailored public health messaging and additional funding for vaccine distribution are needed to better equip community organizations with the resources they need to serve this population.

The power of teachers’ perceptions

Florida’s Broward County Public Schools and the University of Chicago engaged in a Research-Practice Partnership (RPP) to scale teacher practices that support students’ critical thinking. As part of the RPP, Jeanne Century’s research team conducted research to determine what barriers might limit the spread of these practices. The findings show that teacher biases about students’ ability to engage in critical thinking, as well as their self-efficacy, might limit the extent to which teachers are willing to change their practices. Because teacher perceptions have been linked to students’ race, gender, and socioeconomic status, these perceptions may have consequences for efforts to promote equity. To improve teacher perceptions, districts can change their messaging about student abilities, boost teacher self-efficacy, and directly address teacher perceptions.

Trends in 2-1-1 Calls During Public Health Emergencies, Overall and By Gender: Hurricane Irma and COVID-19 in Broward County, Florida.

Trends in 2-1-1 calls reflect evolving community needs during public health emergencies (PHEs). The study examined how changes in 2-1-1 call volume after 2 PHEs (Hurricane Irma and the coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19] pandemic declaration) in Broward County, Florida, varied by PHE type and whether variations differed by gender and over time. Examining 2-1-1 calls during June to December 2016, June to December 2017, and March 2019 to April 2021, this study measured changes in call volume post-PHEs using interrupted time series analysis. Hurricane Irma and the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with increases in call volume (+81 calls/d and +84 calls/d, respectively). Stratified by gender, these PHEs were associated with larger absolute increases for women (+66 and +57 calls/d vs +15 and +27 calls/d for men) but larger percent increases above their baseline for men (+143% and +174% vs +119% and +138% for women). Calls by women remained elevated longer after Hurricane Irma (5 wk vs 1 wk), but the opposite pattern was observed after the pandemic declaration (8 vs 21 wk). PHEs reduce gender differences in help-seeking around health-related social needs. Findings demonstrate the utility of 2-1-1 call data for monitoring and responding to evolving community needs in the PHE context.