Higher Neighborhood Research Articles

A Qualitative Study of High Substance Abuse Neighborhood in a Rural College Town

Criminal opportunity and its relation to crime has been the focus of criminological research over the past several decades; other studies have shown that substance abuse also influences crime. However, limited attention has been paid to how substance abuse increases criminal opportunity especially in rural communities and among college populations. Drawing on theoretical discussion, the researcher conducted a qualitative study by examining the behavioral characteristics of substance abuse amongst college-aged students in Hays, Kansas, a rural college town in Northwest Kansas. Hays has a neighborhood close to the Fort Hays State University (FHSU) campus that is highly populated with college students and yields the highest crime rates. This area is perceived by the public as having frequent incidents of substance abuse responsible for crime. The student population in this area was studied to determine behaviors indicative of substance abuse and how criminal opportunity relates to these behaviors. Systematic qualitative observations were used to collect data for this study.

Associations Between Neighborhood Problems and Sexual Behaviors Among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in the Deep South: The MARI Study.

There is a disproportionately high HIV incidence among Black men who have sex with men (MSM) despite equal or lower levels of HIV risk behaviors compared to White MSM. Due to high levels of racial segregation in the U.S., Black MSM have an elevated likelihood of living in neighborhoods that contain psychosocial stressors, which, in turn, may increase behaviors promoting HIV infection. We examined associations between perceived neighborhood problems and sexual behaviors among Black MSM in the Deep South, a population at highest risk of HIV. Data came from the MARI Study, which included Black MSM ages 18-66years recruited from the Jackson, MS, and Atlanta, GA, metropolitan areas (n = 377). Participants completed questions about neighborhood problems (e.g., excessive noise, heavy traffic/speeding cars and trash/litter) and sexual behaviors (e.g., condomless sex and drug use before or during sex). We used Poisson's regression model with robust standard errors to estimate the adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR; 95% confidence intervals [CI]) of neighborhood problems (coded as tertiles [tertile 1 = low neighborhood problems, tertile 2 = medium neighborhood problems, tertile 3 = high neighborhood problems] as well as continuously) with sexual behaviors, after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics and other variables. About one-fourth of the sample reported at least one neighborhood problem, with the most common (31.6%) being no/poorly maintained sidewalks, which indicates an infrastructural problem. In multivariable models, compared to those in the lowest tertile, those reporting more neighborhood problems (tertile 2: aPR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.04, 2.14 and tertile 3: aPR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.05, 2.24) reported more drug use before or during sex (p for trend = .027). Neighborhood problems may promote behaviors (e.g., drug use before or during sex) conducive to HIV infection. Structural interventions could improve community infrastructure to reduce neighborhood problems (e.g., no/poorly maintained sidewalks and litter). These interventions may help to reduce HIV incidence among Black MSM in the Deep South.

800: Area deprivation index and adverse obstetric outcomes

Preterm birth and low birth weight continue to be vexing obstetric and pediatric problems, complicating many pregnancies, with few effective interventions, and troubling racial disparities. Our objective was to examine the associations between area deprivation index (ADI), race, and adverse obstetric outcomes to target populations at highest risk. This is a prospective cohort study enrolling pregnant women early in pregnancy and following them longitudinally at a tertiary care center in Missouri. ADI was calculated using the “Neighborhood Atlas” (University of Wisconsin), which uses census data to rank areas based on multiple measures of socioeconomic disadvantage such as income, education, employment, housing quality etc. ADI was calculated using Missouri state data based on the woman’s residential address at enrollment. Preterm birth < 37 weeks and low birth weight (birthweight < 2500 grams) were compared across ADI quartiles from the least (1st quartile) to the most (4th quartile) disadvantaged. The analysis was stratified by race to explore the effect of race on the relationship between deprivation and adverse obstetric outcomes. 848 pregnant women were included. Low birth weight significantly increased as ADI increased, from 7% in areas of lowest deprivation to 20% in areas of highest deprivation (Table). Preterm birth less than 37 weeks and less than 34 weeks increased as deprivation increased with a 2 times higher risk for PTB < 37 and and nearly 3 times the risk for PTB < 34 weeks at the highest quartile of neighborhood deprivation. Notable disparities exist with nonblack women even at the most highly disadvantaged ADI still having a lower risk for LBW (8.3%) than black women at low ADI (17.4%). Increasing ADI is associated with a significant increase in risk for LBW and to a smaller extent risk for preterm birth, with notable racial disparities. Future studies testing actionable screening and prevention interventions targeted specifically for populations living in high neighborhood disadvantage should be performed to minimize risk for LWB and PTB outcomes.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)

Changes in perceived neighborhood ethnic density among racial and ethnic minorities over time and psychotic-like experiences

BackgroundResearch primarily conducted in Europe find high neighborhood ethnic density (i.e., proportion of own ethnic group) lessens risk of psychotic symptoms among racial and ethnic minorities; however, most studies measure ethnic density through crude demarcations in geographic data only at illness onset which may miss meaningful variation from the perspective of residents. The present study is the first in the U.S. to examine whether changes in perceived ethnic density from childhood are associated with psychotic-like experiences (PLE). MethodsA Northeastern U.S. urban undergraduate sample of 1330 racial and ethnic minorities completed a self-report inventory of PLE, the Prodromal Questionnaire, and indicated their racial and ethnic neighborhood composition before and after age 12. One way analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusted for age, family poverty, racial and ethnic group, immigrant status, and lifetime cannabis use, compared PLE across ethnic density categories and change. ResultsRacial and ethnic minorities who grew up in a neighborhood (before age 12) predominantly inhabited by a different group of color (e.g., being Black in a predominantly Asian neighborhood) endorsed significantly more PLE than those who grew up in racially concordant, mixed, or predominantly White neighborhoods. In addition, those reporting a change in perceived neighborhood ethnic density after age 12 endorsed significantly more PLE than those reporting no change. ConclusionRacial dynamics among people of color in urban neighborhood U.S. contexts may create psychological challenges in the social environment. The developmental timing of demographic changes in neighborhoods may influence stress processes that enhance risk for PLE.

High Density Impulse Noise Removal using Advanced Median Filter for Preserving Image Quality Metrics

In this work, a procedure to remove the high density salt and pepper noise from a corrupted image is developed and to compare the output image with the original image through the image quality metrics. As a common practice the corrupted pixels are replaced by the median of neighboring pixel values by considering a constant number of neighboring pixels. But in this proposed method the corrupted pixels are identified and are replaced by the median of the neighboring pixel values which are adjustable, to preserve and improve the image quality metrics. This method makes a comparison between the corrupted and uncorrupted pixels and performs the median filtering process only on the corrupted ones. In this work a 3x3, 5x5 and 7x7 square neighborhood are used. The output images are observed with low neighborhood as well as high neighborhood pixel values. The calculation of PSNR (Peak Signal to Noise Ratio) and MSE (Mean square error) value for each dimension with different percentages are considered for the comparative analysis.

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS AND SITTING PATTERNS IN OLDER ADULTS

Neighborhood characteristics are associated with self-reported sedentary behavior (SB) in older adults. However, self-report measures are not able to accurately assess total sitting time nor detailed patterns of SB. This analysis explores the relationship between device-based SB variables from activPAL and neighborhood characteristics (demographics) in the ACT cohort. Neighborhood characteristics were assessed with the modified Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Scale (PANES; scored 1.0-4.0, higher score, higher walkability). Data were analyzed using linear regression models adjusted for demographic factors. Higher PANES score was associated with higher daily steps (+1180 daily steps/point on PANES, p<0.001) and sit-to-stand transitions (+2.7 daily transitions/point on PANES, p=0.004). Confirming other studies, neighborhood walkability promotes physical activity. A novel finding was that sitting interruptions, which can only be assessed with devices, were also associated with higher neighborhood walkability, while total sitting time was not.

PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIAL COHESION ON ELDER ABUSE IN INDIAN OLDER ADULTS

It is estimated that elder abuse impacts 16% of older persons globally. There is a need to understand factors that protect older persons. In this study, we examined whether neighborhood social cohesion, or the mutual support, trust, and interaction among neighbors, could be such a factor. As it has been found to be protective of child abuse and domestic violence, we hypothesized that higher neighborhood social cohesion would extend to reduce the risks of elder abuse. Our cohort consisted of participants aged 60 and over in the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) pilot survey. Elder abuse was measured by asking participants if they experienced ill-treatment by family members. Neighborhood social cohesion was measured by a five-item instrument that captured perceived support and trust among neighbors. The final sample consisted of 541 participants with a mean age of 69 who largely (72.9%) resided in rural area. The hypothesis was supported. Compared to older persons with low neighborhood social cohesion, older persons with high neighborhood social cohesion were significantly less likely to experience elder abuse (OR= 0.57, 95% CI=0.35-0.92), after controlling for socio-demographics, health, and neighborhood contextual covariates. This study, for the first time, suggests that neighborhood social environment may exert a protective effect on risks of elder abuse. Neighborhood resources may both prevent family members from being abusive and may help older persons stop abuse. Incorporating structural factors such as neighborhood cohesion may be critical in devising elder abuse preventions that increase the safety and well-being of older persons.

HEARING LOSS AND SOCIAL ISOLATION: THE ROLE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIAL COHESION AND DISORDER

Social isolation is a critical public health issue that socially isolated individuals are at increased risk for mortality and deteriorated health. Those who acquire hearing loss in later life experience difficulties with communication, potentially leading to social isolation. However, less is known about the social consequences of age-related hearing loss, and few studies have assessed the influence of environmental factors on hearing loss and social isolation. The aims of this study are to examine: (1) the association between hearing loss and social isolation of older adults over time, and (2) the moderating effects of perceived neighborhood social cohesion and disorder on this relationship. We analyzed 2,080 community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 or above from Round 1 to 3 of National Health and Aging Trends Study. We conducted random coefficient models, entering hearing loss as a random coefficient. Older adults with hearing loss were less socially isolated than those without hearing loss. However, the effect of hearing loss on social isolation varied depending on perceived neighborhood social cohesion. Older adults with hearing loss who reported high neighborhood cohesion had significantly lower social isolation compared to those without hearing loss, while those with hearing loss who perceived low social cohesion had significantly higher social isolation. Our findings suggest neighborhood social cohesion can serve as a potential protective factor for older adults with hearing loss. This poster will propose neighborhood-level interventions that could supplement other services for those with hearing loss, such as assistive devices that are rarely covered by health insurance.

Preference, knowledge and utilization of midwives, childbirth education classes and doulas among U.S. black and white women: implications for pregnancy and childbirth outcomes

ABSTRACTThis secondary analysis explored preference, knowledge and utilization of midwifery care, childbirth education and doula care among 627 black and white women at three Midwestern U.S. health clinics. Women who were white, more educated, not living in a high crime neighborhood, and privately insured were more likely to attend childbirth classes. Sociodemographic factors that predicted having heard about doula care included being more educated and having a partner. None of the sociodemographic variables predicted midwifery care. Education about existing childbearing resources and availability of low-cost options should be expanded, particularly for black women and those with low resources.

Exploring Racial Disparities in Mental Health Diagnoses and Neighborhood Disorganization Among an Urban Cohort of Children and Adolescents with Chronic Medical Conditions.

Objective: This article describes the demographic distribution of, and association between, neighborhood disorganization and mental health diagnosis by race in a large cohort of urban children with chronic medical conditions.Methods: Data for this study were from Coordinated Healthcare for Complex Kids (CHECK), a health care demonstration project funded by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. We conducted regression analyses to examine the relationship between neighborhood disorganization and mental health diagnosis among 6,458 children enrolled in CHECK.Results: The most common mental health diagnoses were mood disorders (8.6%), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (7.4%), conduct disorders (6.1%), and anxiety disorders (4.8%). Black children had the highest neighborhood disorganization scores compared with other racial/ethnic categories. However, Black children had the lowest proportion of mental health diagnoses. Lower neighborhood disorganization was associated with having a mental health diagnosis; however, when adding race/ethnicity to the model, neighborhood disorganization no longer was significant.Conclusions: Level of neighborhood disorganization was highly correlated with racial/ethnic composition of the neighborhoods, and Black children disproportionately resided in highly disorganized neighborhoods compared with other groups. Neighborhood disorganization may not have sufficient variability within the racial/ethnic categories, which may explain the absence of an interaction between race/ethnicity and mental health diagnosis.

Socioeconomic status and alcohol use disorders across the lifespan: A co-relative control study.

ObjectivesAlcohol use disorders (AUD) is well known to aggregate in families and is associated with socioeconomic status (SES). The objective was to study the effect of education, income and neighborhood SES in adulthood on AUD, and to explore whether the potential associations were confounded by shared familial factors, by using a co-relative control design.MethodsData on AUD was drawn from the Swedish inpatient and outpatient care registers; prescription drug register; and crime data. Through national population registers we collected information on income, education and neighborhood SES at age 25, 30, 35 and 40 years in all individuals born in Sweden between 1950 and 1980. Each sex-specific stratum consisted of approximately 750,000–1,200,000 individuals, who were followed for AUD for a mean follow-up time ranging between 10 and 15 years until the end of 2013. Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the risk of AUD as a function of income, education and neighborhood SES in the general population and in pairs of first cousins and full siblings within the same sex, who differed in their exposure to the SES measure.ResultsHigher educational level, higher income and higher neighborhood SES were all associated with a reduced risk for AUD for both males and females in all ages. The potentially protective effect remained but was attenuated when comparing pairs of first cousins and full siblings.ConclusionsHigh educational level and income in adulthood, as well as high neighborhood socioeconomic status, may represent protective factors against alcohol use disorders, even when shared familial factors, e.g. childhood socioeconomic status and genetic factors, have been taken into account.

The effect of neighbourhood social capital on child injuries: A gender-stratified analysis.

We designed a longitudinal retrospective cohort study to analyse the associations between neighbourhood social capital and child injures. Register data from the Umeå Simsam Lab in Sweden was used to measure child injuries and demographic and socioeconomic factors at individual, household and neighbourhood level. A social capital score from a previous survey was used to measure neighbourhood social capital. We conducted a three-level multilevel negative binomial regression analysis, with children (level 1, N = 77,193) nested within households (level 2, N = 10,465), and households nested within neighbourhoods (level 3, N = 49). The incidence rate of child injuries was lower in high social capital neighbourhoods. When controlling for factors at individual, household and neighbourhood levels, living in a high social capital neighbourhood was protective of injuries among girls, but not among boys. Promoting social capital in local neighbourhoods could be seen as a prevention strategy for injuries among girls.

Do children really acquire dense neighbourhoods?

Children learn high phonological neighbourhood density words more easily than low phonological neighbourhood density words (Storkel, 2004). However, the strength of this effect relative to alternative predictors of word acquisition is unclear. We addressed this issue using communicative inventory data from 300 British English-speaking children aged 12 to 25 months. Using Bayesian regression, we modelled word understanding and production as a function of: (i) phonological neighbourhood density, (ii) frequency, (iii) length, (iv) babiness, (v) concreteness, (vi) valence, (vii) arousal, and (viii) dominance. Phonological neighbourhood density predicted word production but not word comprehension, and this effect was stronger in younger children.

More Diminutive Scale, Small And Medium Enterprises In Madhya Pradesh-An Inter-District Analysis

The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises are head in the upliftment of the economies completely. They are fundamental part for the social and money related improvement of a country or a state. The present appraisal deals with the course of MSMEs in Madhya Pradesh. This evaluation endeavours to analyze the expansive database to consider the degree of industrialization in M.P. by doing region quick appraisal. Finally, the paper find there is high neighbourhood contrast being made of MSMEs to the degree full scale number of enrolled units, work and excitement for post development period.

The association between neighborhood social cohesion and sleep duration in Latinos

ABSTRACT Objectives To examine the association between neighborhood social cohesion and sleep duration among Latinos, and whether this association varies by Latino subgroup. Design We used cross-sectional data from the 2013–2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) on 13,537 Latino adults aged ≥18 years originating from 5 countries/regions (i.e. Latinos of Mexican/Mexican-American, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Central or South American, and Cuban/Cuban-American origin). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between neighborhood social cohesion and sleep duration, and whether associations varied by Latino subgroup. Results Among Mexicans/Mexican-Americans, medium and high levels of neighborhood social cohesion were associated with normal sleep duration, relative to short sleep duration (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.31; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.08–1.57, and OR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.26–1.69, respectively). Among Puerto Ricans, Cubans/Cuban Americans, and Central or South Americans, high neighborhood social cohesion was significantly associated with normal sleep duration (OR: 1.53; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.10–2.11, OR: 1.94; 95% CI: 1.10–3.42, and OR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.35–2.34, respectively). Conclusions The variation in the contribution of neighborhood social cohesion to sleep duration by Latino subgroup should be considered in health promotion programs aimed at improving sleep among Latinos.

Built environment and leisure satisfaction: The role of commute time, social interaction, and active travel

Leisure satisfaction is an important life domain with significant contribution to health and well-being. However, little evidence exists on how the built environment influences leisure satisfaction. This paper develops, applies, and tests a new model on the built environment and leisure satisfaction. The paper relies on survey, interview, and spatial data collected within Oslo metropolitan area and employs structural equation modeling (SEM) combined with qualitative analysis. Findings suggest that built environment characteristics can significantly affect leisure activities and leisure satisfaction. Urban greenness and local amenities are found to positively influence leisure satisfaction. High neighborhood density and proximity to city center are also found to influence leisure satisfaction, but they do it indirectly. Compact built environments exert a negative indirect impact on leisure satisfaction via reduced urban green space, and positive indirect impacts via higher access to local amenities, shorter commutes, and increased social interaction. Short commute time, social interaction, active travel such as walking and cycling, and overall physical activity are all found to positively contribute to leisure satisfaction. Based on all these findings, the paper finally discusses land use and transport policy implications for improving leisure satisfaction, health, and well-being in urban regions.

Neighborhood Material Deprivation Is Associated with Childhood Asthma Development: Analysis of Prospective Administrative Data.

Rationale Material deprivation has been proposed as a more comprehensive measure of socioeconomic status than parental income. Stronger associations between childhood emergency department visits for asthma and air pollution have been demonstrated among children living in neighborhoods with high levels of deprivation, but the associations with asthma development and ongoing asthma are not known. Objectives We determined the associations between neighborhood material deprivation and the development of new and ongoing childhood asthma. Methods Prospectively collected administrative data housed at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences were examined for Toronto children born from 1997 to 2003. Neighborhood material deprivation, comprising no high school graduation, lone parent families, government transfers, unemployment, low income, and homes needing major repairs, was reported in the Ontario Marginalization Index. Incident asthma was defined by the time of entry into the Ontario Asthma Surveillance Information System (OASIS) database. We measured the risk of incident asthma using Cox proportional hazards models and the associations between ongoing asthma visits and deprivation by year of life with generalized linear mixed models. Results OASIS asthma criteria were met for 21% of the 326,383 children. After adjustment for characteristics strongly associated with asthma, including male sex, prematurity, obesity, and atopic conditions other than asthma, children with high birth neighborhood deprivation were at increased risk of incident asthma (HR 1.11; 95% CI, 1.09–1.13). High deprivation in a given year of life was associated with increased odds of ongoing asthma during that year of life (OR 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02–1.05). Conclusions Children living in high-deprivation neighborhoods are at increased risk of incident and ongoing asthma. This study suggests that neighborhood material deprivation may represent a helpful tool for evaluating the effects of disparities in health and social advantages on the likelihood of developing and continuing to need healthcare visits for ongoing childhood asthma.

P114: Geographies of sexual assault: using geographic information system analysis to identify neighbourhoods affected by violence

Introduction: Emergency Departments are a common point of access for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), but very little is known about where survivors live and the characteristics of the neighbourhoods. The objective of this study was to use hospital-based data to characterize sexual and domestic assault cases and identify geographic distribution across the Ottawa-Gatineau area. Methods: Data for this study were extracted from the Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care Program (SAPACP) case registry (Jan 1-Dec 31, 2015) at The Ottawa Hospital. Spatial analyses were conducted using 6-digit postal codes converted to Canadian Census Tracts to identify potential geographic areas where SGBV cases are clustered. Hot-spots were defined as Census Tracts with seven or more assaults within a single calendar year.Data for this study were extracted from the Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care Program (SAPACP) case registry (Jan 1-Dec 31, 2015) at The Ottawa Hospital. Spatial analyses were conducted using 6-digit postal codes converted to Canadian Census Tracts to identify potential geographic areas where SGBV cases are clustered. Hot-spots were defined as Census Tracts with seven or more assaults within a single calendar year. Results: In 2015, there were 406 patients seen at the SAPACP, 348 had valid postal codes from Ottawa-Gatineau and were included in the analyses. Over 90% of patients were female and 152 (43.68%) were below 24 years of age. Eight hot-spots were identified including 3 in the downtown entertainment district, 3 lower income areas, 1 high income neighbourhood, and 1 suburb more than 20km from downtown. Conclusion: This study is of the first to use hospital-based data to examine the geographic distribution of SGBV cases, with key findings including the identification of high-income neighbourhoods and suburbs as SGBV hot-spots. Alongside efforts like the #MeToo movement, this evidence challenges stereotypes of assault survivors and highlights the breadth and widespread nature of SGBV.

Early exposure to neighborhood crime and child internalizing and externalizing behaviors.

This paper examines the relationship between exposure to neighborhood crime and child mental health. We merge restricted contextual data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study with the National Neighborhood Crime Study, a nationally representative neighborhood sample containing tract-level Uniform Crime Report data for large U.S. cities and clustered OLS regression models to examine how objective measures of robbery or burglary rates at or around birth influence the health and behavior of 566 girls and 646 boys in urban neighborhoods. Findings demonstrate that living in a high crime neighborhood is associated with higher levels of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems for preschool-aged boys and girls. However, these patterns differ for boys and girls and across measures of violent (robbery) and property crime (burglary).

Mortgage Foreclosures, Race, and Postrecession Lending

This article examines the effect of high foreclosure rates on postrecession lending. Our hypothesis is that high neighborhood foreclosure rates will have a significant and positive effect on the likelihood of mortgage loan denial. In a case study on Toledo, Ohio, we explore the role of foreclosure activity, race, and racial disparities in lending practices and how they differ across neighborhoods. Our results suggest that applicants in high-foreclosure neighborhoods have a greater likelihood of loan denial (ceteris paribus). We also find that minority applicants face a higher probability of loan denial in high-foreclosure minority neighborhoods. Overall, the results depict highly variable lending practices where race seems to make a difference albeit in a small subset of neighborhoods deeply affected by the foreclosure crisis. There is also some indication of a chilling effect on minority loan applicants in Toledo during the postrecession period. Key Words: foreclosure, logistic regression, mortgage lending, neighborhood contingency, race discrimination.