Low Socioeconomic Status Neighborhoods Research Articles

Sex differences in saliva-based DNA methylation changes and environmental stressor in young African American adults.

Low socioeconomic status neighborhood exposure to stress and violence may be sources of negative stimuli that poses significant health risks for children, adolescents and throughout the life course of an individual. The study aims to investigate if aberrant epigenetic DNA methylation changes may be a potential mechanism for regulating neighborhood exposures and health outcomes. Exposure to environmental stressors identified in 98 young African American (AA) adults aged 18-25 years old from the Washington D.C., area were used in the study. We correlated the association between stress markers; cortisol, CRP, IgG, IGA, IgM, and self-reported exposure to violence and stress, with quantitative DNA methylation changes in a panel of gene-specific loci using saliva DNA. In all participants studied, the exposure to violence was significant and negatively correlated with DNA methylation of MST1R loci (p = 0.032; r = -0.971) and nominally significant with NR3C1 loci (p = 0.053; r = -0.948). In addition, we observed significant and negative correlation of DNA methylation changes of LINE1 (p = 0.044; r = -0.248); NR3C1 (p = 0.017; r = -0.186); MSTR1 (p = 0.022; r = -0.192); and DRD2 (p = 0.056; r = -0.184; albeit nominal significant correlation) with IgA expression. On the other hand, we observed a significant and position correlation of DNA methylation changes in DRD2 (p = 0.037; r = 0.184) with IgG expression. When participants were stratified by sex, we observed in AA young male adults, significant DNA methylation changes of MST1R (p< 0.05) and association with exposure to violence and IgG level. We also observed significant DNA methylation levels of DRD2 (p< 0.05) and association with IgA, IgG, and cortisol level. Furthermore, we observed significant DNA methylation changes of NR3C1 (p< 0.05) with stress, IgA, and IgG in the male participants only. On the other hand, we only observed significant and a positive association of IgG with DNA methylation levels of ESR1 (p = 0.041) in the young AA female participants. Our preliminary observation of significant DNA methylation changes in neuronal and immune genes in saliva samples supports our recently published genome-wide DNA methylations changes in blood samples from young AA male adults indicating that saliva offers a non-invasive means for DNA methylation prediction of exposure to environmental stressors in a gender-specific manner.

Opening the black box of the relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic status and mental health: Neighborhood social-interactive characteristics as contextual mechanisms.

Previous studies have linked low neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES) to mental health problems. However, few studies have investigated the mechanisms underlying this association and most focused on the association with negative indicators of mental health, such as symptoms of depression or anxiety. This paper investigated whether neighborhood social characteristics (social interaction, trust, safety, organization participation, and attachment) mediate the association between NSES and mental health. We combined Danish register data with survey data from the North Denmark Region Health Survey 2017. Mental health was assessed with the Rand 12-item Short-form Survey (SF-12). The sample consisted of 14,969 individuals nested in 1047 neighborhoods created with an automated redistricting algorithm. We fitted multilevel structural equation mediation models and used a Monte Carlo simulation method to estimate confidence intervals for the indirect effects. NSES was positively associated with mental health. Neighborhood trust significantly mediated this relationship, accounting for 34% of the association after controlling for other mediators. These results indicate that higher levels of mental health in more affluent neighborhoods are partially explained by higher levels of trust. Improving neighborhood trust could mitigate sociogeographic inequalities in mental health.

Associations of parks, greenness, and blue space with cardiovascular and respiratory disease hospitalization in the US Medicare cohort

Natural environments have been linked to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and respiratory disease (RSD) mortality. However, few cohort studies have looked at associations of natural environments with CVD or RSD hospitalization. The aim of this study was to evaluate these associations in a cohort of U.S. Medicare beneficiaries (∼63 million individuals). Our open cohort included all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries (2000–2016), aged ≥65, living in the contiguous U.S. We assessed zip code-level park cover based on the United States Geological Survey Protected Areas Database, average greenness (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI), and percent blue space cover based on Landsat satellite images. Cox-equivalent Poisson models were used to estimate associations of the exposures with first CVD and RSD hospitalization in the full cohort and among those living in urban zip codes (≥1000 persons/mile2). NDVI was weakly negatively correlated with percent park cover (Spearman ρ = −0.23) and not correlated with percent blue space (Spearman ρ = 0.00). After adjustment for potential confounders, percent park cover was not associated with CVD or RSD hospitalization in the full or urban population. An IQR (0.27) increase in NDVI was negatively associated with CVD (HR: 0.97, 95%CI: 0.96, 0.97), but not with RSD hospitalization (HR: 0.99, 95%CI: 0.98, 1.00). In urban zip codes, an IQR increase in NDVI was positively associated with RSD hospitalization (HR: 1.02, 95%CI: 1.00, 1.03). In stratified analyses, percent park cover was negatively associated with CVD and RSD hospitalization for Medicaid eligible individuals and individuals living in low socioeconomic status neighborhoods in the urban population. We observed no associations of percent blue space cover with CVD or RSD hospitalization. This study suggests that natural environments may benefit cardiorespiratory health; however, benefits may be limited to certain contexts and certain health outcomes.

P03-14 Barriers to sports participation among adolescent girls from deprived neighbourhoods

BackgroundA gender-based disparity in physical activity, where girls are less physically active than boys, is a persistent finding in the literature. Participation in organised sport plays a significant role for adolescents' physical activity habitsand provides an important means to achieve the recommended amount of daily physical activity. Nevertheless, participation in sport decreases with age, and to a higher degree among girls. Moreover, girls living in low socio-economic status neighbourhoods are even less represented in organised sport. This upholds a social inequality as a range of physical, mental and social benefits are associated with regular participation in sport. Empowering girls as experts on their own needs and preferences toward sport is critical. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences and perceived barriers to sports participation among adolescent girls living in low socio-economic status neighbourhoods.MethodsDuring July-October 2021 eleven semi-structured focus groups were carried out with adolescent girls (10-16 years) who were not engaged in organised sport. The participating girls (n = 44) were recruited through purposive sampling via four Danish schools placed in areas with high deprivation. A thematic analysis was conducted from verbatim transcripts using NVivo.ResultsSix themes were identified; 1) Competing priorities, 2) Social aspects of sports participation, 3) Perceived lack of sporting abilities, 4) Feeling discomfort, 5) Gender stereotypes and 6) Physical Education as introduction to sport. Even though there were many similarities among the girls' perceived barriers to sports participation, the data showed variations in the way these barriers were experienced.ConclusionsThe results provide insight into barriers to sports participation among adolescent girls living in low socio-economic status neighbourhoods. The findings correspond with other studies among adolescent girls in general. However, the findings among this underrepresented group will be useful to shed light on how interventions should be designed to promote sports participation among adolescent girls living in low socio-economic status neighbourhoods. As this is perceived as a hard-to-reach group, the findings will be a contribution to the field and are highly needed to illuminate the different perspectives on gender-based disparities that exist in relation to sports participation.

Developing and testing the senior park environment assessment in Korea (SPEAK) audit tool

Given the rapidly aging population in Korea and the critical role of neighborhood parks in the health of seniors, it is essential to understand how park environments impact physical activity in this age group. This study outlines the development and testing of an audit tool, Senior Park Environment Assessment in Korea (SPEAK), to assess park characteristics and culture-specific features that may promote physical activity in Korean seniors. Additionally, it investigated disparities in park quality and characteristics in high- and low socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods. The 36-item, single-page audit tool was developed and field-tested in 42 parks in four districts of two Korean cities, purposely selected for their differences in SES. Cohen’s kappa and percent agreement assessed the inter-rater reliability of each item. The Kruskal–Wallis test and a Mann–Whitney test evaluated differences in the percent scores among five domains (Access, Amenities, Safety, Aesthetics, and Recreation) and compared scores between the two SES areas. SPEAK was generally reliable: 72% of the items had over 75% agreement, and 70.4% had kappa coefficients between 0.4 and 1. Access to parks had the lowest scores among the five domains. Results indicated a significant disparity in three domains (Access, Amenities, and Safety) regarding parks between the two SES areas, suggesting that parks in low-SES areas are of lower quality and less safe than high-SES park areas. SPEAK would provide Korean municipalities with a feasible park assessment of factors impacting physical activity in the elderly.

The association between the presence of fast-food outlets and BMI: the role of neighbourhood socio-economic status, healthy food outlets, and dietary factors

BackgroundEvidence on the association between the presence of fast-food outlets and Body Mass Index (BMI) is inconsistent. Furthermore, mechanisms underlying the fast-food outlet presence-BMI association are understudied. We investigated the association between the number of fast-food outlets being present and objectively measured BMI. Moreover, we investigated to what extent this association was moderated by neighbourhood socio-economic status (NSES) and healthy food outlets. Additionally, we investigated mediation by frequency of fast-food consumption and amount of fat intake.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we used baseline data of adults in Lifelines (N = 149,617). Geo-coded residential addresses were linked to fast-food and healthy food outlet locations. We computed the number of fast-food and healthy food outlets within 1 kilometre (km) of participants’ residential addresses (each categorised into null, one, or at least two). Participants underwent objective BMI measurements. We linked data to Statistics Netherlands to compute NSES. Frequency of fast-food consumption and amount of fat intake were measured through questionnaires in Lifelines. Multivariable multilevel linear regression analyses were performed to investigate associations between fast-food outlet presence and BMI, adjusting for individual and environmental potential confounders. When exposure-moderator interactions had p-value < 0.10 or improved model fit (∆AIC ≥ 2), we conducted stratified analyses. We used causal mediation methods to assess mediation.ResultsParticipants with one fast-food outlet within 1 km had a higher BMI than participants with no fast-food outlet within 1 km (B = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.21). Effect sizes for at least two fast-food outlets were larger in low NSES areas (B = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.57), and especially in low NSES areas where at least two healthy food outlets within 1 km were available (B = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.19, 1.31). Amount of fat intake, but not frequency of fast-food consumption, explained this association for 3.1%.ConclusionsParticipants living in low SES neighbourhoods with at least two fast-food outlets within 1 km of their residential address had a higher BMI than their peers with no fast-food outlets within 1 km. Among these participants, healthy food outlets did not buffer the potentially unhealthy impact of fast-food outlets. Amount of fat intake partly explained this association. This study highlights neighbourhood socio-economic inequalities regarding fast-food outlets and BMI.

Drivers of racial, regional, and socioeconomic disparities in late-stage breast cancer mortality.

The authors identified tumor, treatment, and patient characteristics that may contribute to differences in breast cancer (BC) mortality by race, rurality, and area-level socioeconomic status (SES) among women diagnosed with stage IIIB-IV BC in Georgia. Using the Georgia Cancer Registry, 3084 patients with stage IIIB-IV primary BC (2013-2017) were identified. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing mortality among non-Hispanic Black (NHB) versus non-Hispanic White (NHW), residents of rural versus urban neighborhoods, and residents of low- versus high-SES neighborhoods by tumor, treatment, and patient characteristics. The mediating effects of specific characteristics on the association between race and BC mortality were estimated. Among the study population, 41% were NHB, 21% resided in rural counties, and 72% resided in low SES neighborhoods. The authors observed mortality disparities by race (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.13, 1.41) and rurality (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.00, 1.30), but not by SES (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.91, 1.19). In the stratified analyses, racial disparities were the most pronounced among women with HER2 overexpressing tumors (HR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.53, 3.45). Residing in a rural county was associated with increased mortality among uninsured women (HR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.31, 3.86), and the most pronounced SES disparities were among younger women (<40 years: HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 0.88, 2.42). There is considerable variation in racial, regional, and socioeconomic disparities in late-stage BC mortality by tumor, treatment, and patient characteristics.

The Pathway to Enrolling in a High-Performance High School: Understanding Barriers to Access

Abstract In 2017, Chicago Public Schools adopted an online universal application system for all high schools with the hope of providing more equitable access to high-performance schools. Despite the new system, black students and students living in low socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods remained less likely than their peers to enroll in a high-performance high school. In this paper, we characterize various constraints that students and families may face in enrolling in a high-performance high school, including eligibility to programs based on prior academic achievement, distance from high-performance options, elementary school performance ratings, and neighborhood SES. After adjusting for differences in these access factors, we find the gap between black and Latinx students’ likelihood of enrolling in a high-performing high school is reduced by about 80 percent. We find a similarly large reduction in the enrollment gap between students from low and middle SES neighborhoods after adjusting for eligibility and distance factors. These findings have implications for policies that may help equalize access to high-performance schools through changes to eligibility requirements and improved transportation options.

Abstract 3678: Drivers of racial, regional, and socioeconomic disparities in metastatic breast cancer mortality

Abstract Despite an overall decline in breast cancer (BC) mortality due to advancements in cancer therapy, mortality disparities by race, rurality, and socioeconomic status (SES) persist among women diagnosed with metastatic disease in the US. Women residing in high-poverty or rural areas or who are non-Hispanic Black (NHB) experience higher rates of BC mortality relative to their counterparts. Although mortality disparities among late-stage BC patients are well-documented, few studies have examined the drivers of these disparities, which are likely multifactorial. We sought to identify tumor, treatment, and patient characteristics that may contribute to differences in BC mortality by race, rurality, and SES among women diagnosed with a first primary stage IIIB - IV BC in Georgia.Using the Georgia Cancer Registry, we identified 3085 patients with an initial diagnosis of stage IIIB-IV primary BC between January 2013 and December 2017. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to compare NHB vs. non-Hispanic White (NHW), rural vs. urban residents, and residents of low- vs. high-SES neighborhoods by tumor (stage, grade, ER status, and molecular subtype), treatment (surgery type, receipt of chemotherapy, radiation, hormonal, neoadjuvant, and immunotherapy), and patient (race, insurance, age group, marital status, region, SES) characteristics. Using an extension of the counterfactual framework, we estimated the mediating effects of subtype, stage, SES, rurality, and insurance on the association between race and BC mortality. Among the study population, 41% were NHB, 21% resided in rural counties, and 72% resided in low SES neighborhoods. Overall, we observed mortality disparities by race (HR=1.27, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.41) and rurality (HR=1.14, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.30), but not by SES (HR=1.04, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.19). In the stratified analyses, racial disparities were the most pronounced among women with HER2 overexpressing tumors (HR=2.30, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.45). Residing in a rural neighborhood was associated with increased mortality among uninsured women (HR=2.25, 95% CI: 1.31, 3.86) or receipt of breast-conserving surgery (HR=2.21, 95 CI%: 1.32, 3.71). The most pronounced socioeconomic disparities were among younger women (&amp;lt;40 years: HR=1.46, 95% CI: 0.88, 2.42) and patients who received neoadjuvant therapy (HR=1.44, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.05). The mediation analysis demonstrated that 48% of the effect between race and BC mortality was mediated by subtype.There is considerable variation in racial, regional, and socioeconomic disparities in metastatic BC mortality by tumor, treatment, and patient characteristics. For each, we’ve identified patient groups where disparities are most pronounced. Understanding specific barriers within these patient groups will inform future interventions aimed at reducing disparities in metastatic BC mortality. Citation Format: Leah Moubadder, Lindsay J. Collin, Rebecca Nash, Jeffrey Switchenko, Jasmine Miller-Kleinhenz, Keerthi Gogineni, Kevin C. Ward, Lauren E. McCullough. Drivers of racial, regional, and socioeconomic disparities in metastatic breast cancer mortality [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 3678.

Relations of the neighbourhood socio-economic and physical environment with 3-year changes in health-related quality of life among community-dwelling older adults in Belgium

Current evidence on the relations between neighbourhood environments and older adults' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) relies mainly on cross-sectional studies. This longitudinal study aimed to examine the relations of neighbourhood socio-economic status (SES) and objective and perceived physical environmental factors with 3-year changes in physical and mental HRQoL. Baseline and three-year follow-up data were collected in 503 Belgian older adults. Generalized linear mixed models were applied. Participants living in low compared to high SES neighbourhoods experienced stronger decreases in physical and mental HRQoL. Shorter objective distances to the nearest private recreational facility and park and better perceived aesthetics were associated with weaker decreases in physical HRQoL. Independent of time, higher perceived safety from crime was related to better physical and mental HRQoL. Unexpectedly, higher levels of perceived access to recreational facilities, land use mix diversity, connectivity and traffic safety were associated with stronger decreases in HRQoL. To prevent decreases in HRQoL, policies should prioritize older adults living in low SES neighbourhoods and provide aesthetically pleasing and safe neighbourhoods with nearby parks and private recreational facilities. Future research is needed to clarify the observed unanticipated effects and mediating pathways in the relations between neighbourhood environments and HRQoL.

Associations between the built environment and emotional, social and physical indicators of early child development across high and low socioeconomic neighbourhoods

Emerging evidence indicates that the built environment influences early child development. Access to, and the quality of, built environment features vary with the socioeconomic status (SES) of neighbourhoods. It has not yet been established whether the association between built environment features and early child development varies by neighbourhood SES. We sought to identify built environment features associated with neighbourhood-level variations in the early child development domains of physical health and wellbeing, social competence, and emotional maturity, and how these associations differ among high and low SES neighbourhoods where child development patterns follow expected outcomes ("on-diagonal" neighbourhoods) and where child development patterns differ from expected outcomes ("off-diagonal" neighbourhoods). This cross-sectional study analysed data from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) for children residing in 3839 neighbourhoods in the Perth and Peel metropolitan areas of Western Australia. Children's AEDC scores were aggregated at the area-level and merged with Geographic Information Systems derived measures of neighbourhood residential density, parks, walkability, community facilities and public transport. Multivariate logistic regressions modelled the odds of low and high SES neighbourhoods having a higher proportion of children developmentally "on-track" (scores in the 26th to 100th percentile of the AEDC) or "not on-track" (scores in the bottom 25th percentile of the AEDC) for each built environment feature. In high SES neighbourhoods, better development across all three domains was associated with greater residential density and improved access to parks, public transport, learning, childcare and health services. Conversely, in low SES neighbourhoods, greater residential density was associated with better physical, but poorer social and emotional development; increased traffic and street connectivity were associated with poorer physical and emotional development; shorter distances to parks, learning, childcare and health services were associated with poorer physical and emotional development; and more services and public transport stops were associated with poorer emotional development. The mixed findings in low SES neighbourhoods suggest that positive associations with built environment features seen in one domain of early child development may be negative in other domains. The reasons for the mixed findings in low SES neighbourhoods are likely multifactorial and may include parental neighbourhood perceptions, as well as quality and usage of built environment features. These findings can be used to inform state and local governments to establish child-friendly town planning and urban design features. Further research is needed to confirm the interplay between SES, early child development, the built environment and other unmeasured factors to better inform public health policy.

Effect of socioeconomic status as measured by Neighborhood Deprivation Index on survival in metastatic breast cancer.

1013 Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) and race are major determinants of health outcomes in the United States. We aim to assess the effect of SES as measured by the Neighborhood Deprivation Index (NDI) and race on outcomes in metastatic breast cancer patients at our center. Methods: The NDI scores for patients with metastatic breast cancer who were treated at our center between 2000 and 2017 were obtained from the Neighborhood Atlas using their Zip-Code (N = 1246). The SES groups were defined as low deprivation with an NDI score in the bottom tertile and high deprivation with NDI in the top or middle tertiles. Baseline characteristics were compared between the SES groups with Bonferroni correction. Univariate and multivariate survival analysis were performed using the R packages “survival” and “survminer”. Results: Race was the only baseline characteristic that was significantly different between the SES groups, the high deprivation group had a higher proportion of African Americans (10.5%) than the low deprivation group (3.7%, P = 9.3e-05). In univariate Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, both SES and race had significant effect on overall survival such that the high deprivation group had worse survival than low deprivation (Log Rank P = 0.01) and African Americans had worse survival than Caucasians (P = 0.008). In multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, SES, but not race, had a significant effect on overall survival (hazard ratio for high deprivation was 1.19 [95% Confidence interval 1.04 - 1.37], P = 0.01; Table). Progression-free survival on first-line chemotherapy was not different between the SES groups or racial groups in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusions: The current study shows that patients from the high deprivation group (i.e., low SES), have worse survival in metastatic breast cancer. Race was no longer a significant predictor of survival when SES was accounted for in the analysis. This possibly suggests that poor outcomes in the African American population is explained by the association between low SES and African American race. Based on these results, there is an urgent need for healthcare investments in the low SES neighborhoods. [Table: see text]

Neighborhood deprivation and obesity: Sex-specific effects of cross-sectional, cumulative and residential trajectory indicators

Obesity is a long-term health issue that is becoming increasingly prevalent. Very few studies have considered the life course effects of neighborhood characteristics on obesity. In a sample of 35,856 adult participants (representative of the population of the Province of Quebec in Canada), we measured the association between neighborhood deprivation and obesity using logistic modelling on indicators of cross-sectional neighborhood deprivation, cumulative neighborhood deprivation and trajectories of neighborhood deprivation. For cross-sectional exposure, we found that females in our sample had higher odds of being affected by obesity when living in high-deprivation (OR 1.73, CI 1.41–2.13) or medium-deprivation neighborhoods (OR 1.27, CI 1.07–1.51) compared to females living in low-deprivation neighborhoods. Males also had higher odds of being affected by obesity when living in medium or high deprivation. For cumulative exposure to neighborhood deprivation, only females in the second highest category for longitudinal exposure to deprived neighborhoods had significantly higher odds of living with obesity (OR 1.89 CI 1.12–3.19) compared to females in the low cumulative exposure category. Using sequence analysis to determine neighborhood deprivation trajectories for up to 17 years, we found that females with a Deprived upward (OR 1.75 CI 1.10–2.78), an Average downward (OR 1.75 CI 1.08–2.84) or a Deprived trajectory (OR 1.81 CI 1.45–2.86) had higher odds of living with obesity compared to the Privileged trajectory. For males, there were no significant associations. Using trajectory indicators was beneficial to our analyses because this method shows that not only are individuals in low socioeconomic status neighborhoods at the end of their trajectory more susceptible to living with obesity, but so are those exposed to neighborhood deprivation at the beginning of their trajectory. These results could help to more precisely identify individuals at higher risk of developing obesity-related health issues.

Survival of Patients With Primary Osseous Malignancies of the Mobile Spine Is Associated With Access to "Standard Treatment" Protocols.

Malignancies of the mobile spine carry high morbidity and mortality. This study sought to examine factors associated with receipt of "standard" treatment and survival for patients with primary mobile spine tumors in the California Cancer Registry (CCR). The CCR (1988 to 2016) data were obtained for patients with primary tumors of the mobile spine and at least 1-year follow-up. Sacrum/pelvis tumors were excluded. Age at diagnosis, sex, race, neighborhood socioeconomic status, insurance, Charlson Comorbidity Index, histologic diagnosis, stage at diagnosis, and treatment at a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center (NCICC) were collected. Multivariate analyses were done to identify factors associated with all-cause mortality and receipt of "standard" treatment. Four hundred eighty-four patients (64% White, 56% low neighborhood socioeconomic status, and 36% privately insured) were included. Chordoma (37%) was the most common diagnosis. Only 16% had metastatic disease at presentation. Only 29% received treatment at an NCICC. Lower age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, less extensive stage of disease, and private insurance were associated with lower all-cause mortality (all P < 0.05). Medicaid/public insurance (hazard ratio [HR], 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13 to 2.41) and Medicare (HR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.25 to 2.59) were associated with higher mortality compared with private insurance. Patients who received no known treatment (HR, 2.41; CI, 1.51 to 3.84) or treatment other than the "standard" (HR, 1.45; CI, 1.11 to 1.91) had higher mortality compared with those who received the standard protocols. A critical predictor of receiving the standard treatment protocol was being treated at an NCICC. If patients did not receive care at such institutions, they received optimal treatment only 40% of the time (HR, 0.5; P = 0.004). Receipt of defined "standard treatment" protocols was associated with care received at an NCICC and lower all-cause mortality in patients with primary osseous malignancies of the mobile spine. Patients with public insurance are vulnerable to worse outcomes, regardless of age, disease burden, or receipt of standard treatment. III.

Sleep deserts: a key determinant of sleep inequities.

Sleep deserts: a key determinant of sleep inequities.

Dopamine D2‐Like Receptor Signaling and Downregulation of Filamin‐A May Drive the Association Between Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and CCR2 Expression on Monocytes

Social determinants of health (SDoH) include socioeconomic, environmental, and psychological factors that impact health. Low neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) is a SDoH that associates with cardiovascular mortality in longitudinal studies. While nSES as a chronic stress contributes to adverse health outcomes, the molecular mechanisms and pathogenesis are poorly understood. Previously, we found that residing in lower nSES areas may alter monocyte expression of C‐C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2), a regulator of monocyte recruitment during atherogenesis. To explore the effects of nSES as a chronic stress on monocyte CCR2 expression, we treated monocytes in vitro for 4 hours with catecholamines (epinephrine [Epi], norepinephrine [NE], or dopamine [DA]) used as stress biomarkers. Only DA increased CCR2 expression in a dose‐dependent manner (p&lt;0.01), especially on non‐classical monocytes (NCM). In our current study, we investigated DA receptor signaling to learn which pathways may contribute to increases in CCR2 expression. Dopamine acts on five known receptors, the D1‐like receptors (D1 and D5) and D2‐like receptors (D2, D3, and D4). First, we performed flow cytometry on untreated monocytes and found D2 receptors were most abundant on the surface of all monocyte subsets (ie., classical monocytes [CM], intermediate monocytes [IM], and NCM as determined by CD14/CD16 expression). Furthermore, spearman correlation between D2‐like receptor surface expression and surface CCR2 expression in NCM suggested D2‐like receptor signaling (R2=0.79, p=0.04). Because the D2‐like receptor response is known to decrease cAMP levels compared to a D1‐like receptor response, a cAMP assay was performed on monocytes with DA treatment. Indicative of D2‐signaling, cAMP levels were found to be lower in DA‐treated monocytes compared to untreated controls (ctr 29.78pmol/ml vs DA 22.97 pmol/ml; p=0.038). We then investigated downstream mechanisms following DA signaling that could result in increased CCR2 expression. Filamin A (FlnA), a prominent actin‐cross‐linking protein, is known to regulate CCR2 recycling. We examined the expression of FlnA by flow cytometry and RT‐qPCR on flow sorted monocytes with and without DA treatment. There was a significant decrease in FlnA expression in NCM (p &lt; 0.05), indicating a slowing of CCR2 recycling. Expression of an associated scaffold protein mRNA, b‐arrestin 1, was decreased by 66% in NCM (p= 0.008). Overall, we provide a novel immunological mechanism, driven by DA signaling and CCR2, for how nSES may contribute to atherogenesis. Future studies should investigate the importance of DA in CVD development and progression in populations disproportionately experiencing chronic stress due to SDoH.

Active Commuting and Healthy Behavior among Adolescents in Neighborhoods with Varying Socioeconomic Status: The NESLA Study

(1) Background: The World Health Organization recommends active commuting as a source of physical activity. Active commuting is determined by various factors, including the socioeconomic status (SES) of families and neighborhoods, distance to schools, perceived neighborhood safety, lifestyles and availability of walkways and biking paths. This study aimed to assess factors associated with modes of transportation to and from school among adolescents aged 16–19 living in a middle-sized city in Sweden. (2) Method: Three hundred and fourteen students, of whom 55% were females, from schools in the city of Västerås participated in the study. Printed as well as web-based self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data. (3) Results: Adolescents living in high SES neighborhoods were 80% more likely to bike or walk to school (OR = 1.80; CI: 1.01, 3.20) than adolescents living in low SES neighborhoods. Furthermore, active commuting was associated with higher consumption of fruits and vegetables (OR = 1.77; CI: 1.05, 2.97) and less consumption of junk foods (OR = 0.43; CI: 0.26, 0.71), as compared to passive commuting. (4) Conclusions: Active commuting is a cost-effective and sustainable source of regular physical activity and should be encouraged at a societal level.

Association of Rurality and Neighborhood Level Socioeconomic Deprivation with Perioperative Health Status in Total Joint Arthroplasty Patients: Analysis from a Large, Tertiary Care Hospital

BackgroundIndividual socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with disparities in access to care and worse outcomes in total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Neighborhood-level SES measures are sometimes used as a proxy for individual-level SES, but the validity of this approach is unknown. We examined neighborhood level SES and rurality on perioperative health status in TJA. MethodsThe study population comprised 46,828 TJA surgeries performed at a tertiary care hospital. Community area deprivation index (ADI) was derived from the 2015 American Census Survey. Logistic regression was used to examine perioperative characteristics by ADI and rurality. ResultsCompared to patients from the least deprived neighborhoods, patients from the most deprived neighborhoods were likely to be female (odds ratioOR 1.46, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.33-1.61), non-white (OR 1.36, 95% CI: 1.13-1.64), with education high school or less (OR 4.85, 95% CI: 4.35-5.41), be current smokers (OR 2.20, 95% CI: 1.61-2.49), have BMI>30 kg/m2 (OR 1.43, 95% CI: 1.30-1.57), more limitation on instrumental activities of daily living (OR 1.75, 95% CI: 1.55-1.97) and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score > II (OR 2.0, 95% CI: 1.11-1.37). There was a progressive association between the degree of area level deprivation with preexisting comorbidities. Patients from rural communities were more likely to be male, white, have body mass index (BMI)>30 kg/m2 and lower education levels. However, rurality was either not associated or negatively associated with comorbidities. ConclusionTJA patients from lower SES neighborhoods have worse behavioral risk factors and higher comorbidity burden than patients from higher SES neighborhoods. Patients from rural communities have worse behavioral risk factors but not comorbidities.

Fishing for health: Neighborhood variation in fish intake, fish quality and association with stroke risk among older adults in the Cardiovascular Health Study

Background and aimsFish consumption has been associated with better health outcomes. Dietary patterns may vary substantially by neighborhood of residence. However, it is unclear if the benefits of a healthy diet are equivalent in different communities. This study examines associations of fish consumption with stroke incidence and stroke risk factors, and whether these differ by neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES). Methods and resultsWe studied 4007 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study who were 65 years or older and recruited between 1989 and 1990 from 4 US communities. Outcomes included fish consumption type (bakes/broiled vs. fried) and frequency, stroke incidence, and stroke risk factors. Multilevel regressions models were used to estimate fish consumption associations with clinical outcomes. Lower NSES was associated with higher consumption of fried fish (aOR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.10–1.98) and lower consumption of non-fried fish (0.64, 0.47–0.86). Frequent fried fish (11.9 vs. 9.2 person-years for at least once weekly vs. less than once a month, respectively) and less frequent non-fried fish (17.7 vs. 9.6 person-years for less than once a month vs. at least once weekly, respectively) were independently associated with an increased risk of stroke (p-values < 0.05). However, among those with similar levels of healthy fish consumption, residents with low NSES had less benefit on stroke risk reduction, compared with high NSES. ConclusionFish consumption type and frequency both impact stroke risk. Benefits of healthy fish consumption differ by neighborhood socioeconomic status.

Disparities in self-reported exposure to tobacco marketing among youth and young adults from low-socioeconomic status neighbourhoods in Mexico City

ABSTRACT Exposure to tobacco marketing is positively associated with smoking initiation and behaviours. There is limited literature examining disparities among reported exposure in low- and middle-income countries. This study sought to fill this gap with a survey among 1427 adolescents and 889 adult smokers in Mexico City in 2020. Data were analysed using chi-square and hierarchical regression models. Two-thirds of adolescents noticed cigarette pack displays in stores. Participants from low- and mid-socioeconomic status (SES) neighbourhoods were more exposed to tobacco marketing than their counterparts through several channels. After addressing the shared variance among participants from the same household nested in neighbourhood SES level and controlling for gender, adolescent non-smokers and adult smokers who noticed pack displays were more likely to be susceptible to smoking (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.4–2.4) and to smoke more (OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.21–2.47); adult smokers who noticed tobacco marketing at more places were less likely to be certain about smoking risks (OR = 0.9, 95% CI 0.8–0.9). The results suggest that the tobacco industry targets youth and individuals from low-SES neighbourhoods through several channels. Greater exposure to tobacco marketing was associated with increased susceptibility to smoking and decreased risk perception. These findings support a comprehensive ban on tobacco marketing in Mexico.