Objective Neighborhood Research Articles

Where and when adolescents are physically active: Neighborhood environment and psychosocial correlates and their interactions

Female adolescents are less active than male peers in certain contexts including the neighborhood. Adolescents' physical activity can be explained by interactions between environmental and psychosocial factors, but few studies have tested such interactions in relation to context-specific behaviors. This study tested interactions between neighborhood environmental and psychosocial factors in relation to adolescents' context-specific physical activity. Data were collected in 2009–11 from 910 adolescents and a parent/guardian residing in the Baltimore/Seattle regions. Measures included adolescent-reported neighborhood leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and non-neighborhood LTPA, accelerometer-based non-school moderate-to vigorous-physical activity (MVPA), psychosocial factors, and objective and parent-perceived neighborhood environmental factors. Gender-stratified mixed effects linear models tested associations of 6 environmental and 4 psychosocial factors and their interactions in relation to each physical activity outcome. The psychosocial factors had consistent associations with the physical activity outcomes but the environmental correlates were context-specific. Decisional balance (weighing of pros and cons of physical activity) moderated the association between recreation facility density and neighborhood LTPA among females, with a negative association only among those with high decisional balance (pros outweighed cons). Decisional balance also moderated associations of neighborhood walkability with non-school MVPA among females and non-neighborhood LTPA among males, with positive associations only among those with high decisional balance. Results support context-specific ecological models of physical activity. Targeting environmental factors that may promote opportunities for physical activity in specific contexts as well as adolescent decision-making may help promote their physical activity in those contexts, potentially leading to increased overall physical activity.

Neighborhood Characteristics and Adolescent Suicidal Behavior: Evidence from a Population-based Study.

Research on the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and adolescents' risk of nonfatal suicidal behavior is scarce. We used California survey data to examine associations between measures of objective neighborhood quality (levels of violent crime, property crime, and socioeconomic disadvantage) and subjective neighborhood quality (perceptions of neighborhood safety and social cohesion) and adolescents' self-reported suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Objective measures of neighborhood quality were unrelated to adolescents' risk of suicidal behavior. However, adolescents who perceived their neighborhoods to be less safe and less cohesive were 20%-45% more likely than nonsuicidal peers to report suicidal ideation and attempt.

Finding HOPE: Changes in depressive symptomology following relocation from distressed public housing

Many public housing residents suffer from poor mental health and depression, which may be a function of both socioeconomic deprivation and residing in disorderly, unstable, and disadvantaged neighborhoods. While not explicitly targeting mental health, the HOPE VI program may improve public housing residents’ mental health by relocating them from distressed developments and into less-disadvantaged and disorderly neighborhoods. This paper examines post-relocation depressive symptomology among residents relocated from the Boulevard Homes public housing development in Charlotte, NC. Drawing on pre- and post-relocation surveys, as well as interviews with staff and case managers, we examine whether depressive symptomology – measured by the CES-D-10 – is associated with whether tenants relocate to other public housing or to private-market housing through the Housing Choice Voucher program. Further, we investigate whether social support, perceptions of safety, or objective neighborhood measures result in improvements in post-relocation depressive symptomology.We find that depressive symptomology substantially decreased following relocation, and those with higher CES-D-10 scores were more likely to move to other public housing rather than through the voucher program. Interviews with case managers suggest that some residents were fearful of leaving public housing and assuming the responsibilities of a private-market rental unit – e.g., basic maintenance and utility payments. Further, we find that reductions in post-relocation depressive symptomology are associated with greater perceptions of safety, greater social support in their new neighborhoods, and length of tenure at Boulevard Homes. Policy recommendations include expanding community-based mental health services, conducting pre-relocation mental health screenings, and providing additional relocation counseling to those suffering from depression.

Individual, peer, and family factor modification of neighborhood-level effects on adolescent alcohol, cigarette, e-cigarette, and marijuana use

BackgroundNeighborhood factors reported subjectively by residents and measured objectively at the census tract are both associated with adolescent alcohol, tobacco (cigarette and electronic cigarette), and other drug (marijuana) (ATOD) use. Less clear is how these neighborhood factors are longitudinally associated with each substance. Equivocal findings may be due to lack of consideration of individual, peer, and family effect modifiers, which could help adolescents overcome exposure to stressful neighborhood environments. MethodsWe used multivariate logistic regressions with interaction terms to test whether parental monitoring, resistance self-efficacy (RSE) and being around peers who use ATOD modified the association between four subjective and objective neighborhood measures and odds of using each substance measured one year later among 2539 high school students and college freshmen originally recruited from middle schools in Southern California. ResultsCensus tract-level disadvantage was not longitudinally associated with ATOD use. However, perceptions of higher neighborhood disorganization, less social cohesion, and more neighborhood problems with alcohol and drug use were associated with higher odds of ATOD use. Higher RSE and weaker affiliations with peers who use ATOD consistently buffered negative effects of neighborhood disorganization and neighborhood problems with alcohol and drugs on past year ATOD use. ConclusionsCommunity-level programs that increase social cohesion among neighbors, neighborhood monitoring of deviant behaviors, and better policing of open drug selling may prevent ATOD use. Programs should also target RSE and minimize affiliations with peers who use ATOD, which could reduce the magnitude of the association with ATOD, even for adolescents living in the most at-risk neighborhoods.

A New Look at Public Services Inequality: The Consistency of Neighborhood Context and Citizens’ Perception across Multiple Scales

A challenge in regional inequality is to identify the relative influence of objective neighborhood context on subjective citizens’ attitudes and experiences of place. This paper first presents six groups of hierarchal neighborhoods in optimizing public service inequality (PSI) indicators based on census blocks collected in Quito, Ecuador. Multilevel models were then applied to understand the relative influence of neighborhood-level PSI on citizens’ perceptions of place, including individual-level perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion and neighborhood safety, and self-perceived health status. Our results show that the internal variability of the individual perceptions that is explained by neighborhood context is strongly influenced by the scale of neighborhood units. A spatial consistency between objective neighborhood context and subjective individual perception of place plays a crucial role in propagating mixed-methods approaches (qualitative-quantitative) and improves the spatial interpretation of public services inequality. Neighborhood context and citizens’ perception of place should be integrated to investigate urban segregation, thereby providing insights into the underlying societal inequality phenomenon and quality of life.

Effects of Perceived Neighbourhood Environments on Self-Rated Health among Community-Dwelling Older Chinese.

In response to the growing number of older people living in cities, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the concept of “Age-Friendly Cities” (AFC) to guide the way in designing physical and social environments to encourage active ageing. Limited research has studied the effects of neighbourhood age-friendliness on elderly health outcomes. Using the example of a highly urbanized city in Asia, this study examined the effects of perceived age-friendliness of neighbourhood environments on self-rated health (SRH) among community-dwelling older Chinese. A multi-stage sampling method was used to collect views of community-dwelling older people from two local districts of Hong Kong. A structured questionnaire covering the WHO’s eight AFC domains was developed to collect information on the perceived neighbourhood environments, SRH and individual characteristics. Age-friendliness of neighbourhood was assessed by mean scores of AFC domains, which was used to predict SRH with adjustment for individual and objective neighbourhood characteristics. Furthermore, 719 respondents aged ≥60 years completed the questionnaire, of which 44.5% reported good SRH. Independent of individual and objective neighbourhood characteristics, multiple logistics regressions showed that higher satisfaction on outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, and respect and social inclusion was significantly associated with increased odds of reporting good SRH by more than 20% (p < 0.05). Individuals aged 70–79 years, being female, lower education and residents of public or subsidized housing were less likely to report good SRH, after controlling for individual and neighbourhood characteristics. In addition to age, gender, education and housing type, AFC environments have important contributive influence on SRH, after controlling for individual and objective neighbourhood characteristics.

The Influence of Neighbourhoods and the Social Environment on Sedentary Behaviour in Older Adults in Three Prospective Cohorts.

Sedentary behaviour is an emerging risk factor for poor health. This study aimed to identify ecological determinants of sedentary behaviour, for which evidence is currently scarce. The study participants were community dwelling adults from, respectively, the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (n = 271, mean age 79) and the 1930s (n = 119, mean age 83) and 1950s (n = 310, mean age 64) cohorts of the West of Scotland Twenty-07 study. The outcome measure, percentage of waking time spent sedentary (sedentary time), was measured using an activPAL activity monitor worn continuously for seven days. Potential determinants included objective and subjective neighbourhood measures such as natural space, crime, social cohesion and fear of crime. Other determinants included measures of social participation such as social support, social group membership and providing care. Results from multivariable regression analyses indicated that providing care was associated with reduced sedentary time in retired participants in all cohorts. Fear of crime and perceived absence of services were associated with increased sedentary time for retired 1950s cohort members. Higher crime rates were associated with increased sedentary time in all cohorts but this was not significant after adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics. Most other neighbourhood and social participation measures showed no association with sedentary time.

Impacts of objective neighborhood built environment on older adults’ walking: literature review

ABSTRACTAs the number of older adults who want to age in place increases, communities have faced with new opportunities and challenges. Many local governments have to ensure age-friendly environments that allow older residents to be independent and to fully participate in their community. Walkability is used to measure the built environmental aspects of age-friendly environments to enable our communities to support active aging. In this research note, the author examines existing studies that assessed the association between the impacts of objectively measured neighborhood built environment and older adults’ walking. Although the relationship between the built environment and walking has been widely examined in school-age children and working-age adults, research focusing on older adults is relatively recent. The articles reviewed for this research note are mainly cross-sectional and used geographic information system-calculated residential density, proximity to destination, presence of sidewalks, street connectivity and intersections, and traffic volume. The neighborhood levels varied from a smaller street segment to city and there was inconsistency in terms of measuring how objective neighborhood built environment affected older adults’ walking. For future studies, it is suggested to use more comprehensive measurements of walkability and to conduct multiple geographic and cross-cultural studies.

Examination of neighborhood disadvantage and sleep in a multi-ethnic cohort of adolescents

PurposeNeighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage and lower individual-level socioeconomic status are associated with poorer sleep health in adults. However, few studies have examined the association between neighborhood-level disadvantage and sleep in adolescents, a population at high-risk for sleep disturbances. MethodsThe current study is the first to examine how objective (i.e. via census tract-level data) and subjective measures of neighborhood disadvantage are associated with sleep in a racially/ ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of 2493 youth [Non-Hispanic White (20%), Hispanic (46%), Asian (21%), and Multiracial/ Other (13%)]. ResultsFindings indicated that greater perceived neighborhood-level social cohesion and lower neighborhood-level poverty were associated with better sleep outcomes in adolescents. However, there was some evidence that the magnitude of the associations differed according to family-level socioeconomic status and race/ ethnicity. ConclusionsFindings suggest that subjective and objective neighborhood characteristics may affect the sleep health of older adolescents, with certain demographic subgroups being particularly vulnerable.

Semi‐automated detection of eagle nests: an application of very high‐resolution image data and advanced image analyses to wildlife surveys

AbstractVery high‐resolution (VHR) image data, including from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms, are increasingly acquired for wildlife surveys. Animals or structures they build (e.g. nests) can be photointerpreted from these images, however, automated detection is required for more efficient surveys. We developed semi‐automated analyses to map white‐bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) nests in VHR aerial photographs of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia, an important breeding site for many seabird species. Nest detection is complicated by high environmental heterogeneity at the scale of nests (~1–2 m), the presence of many features that resemble nests and the variability of nest size, shape and context. Finally, the rarity of nests limits the availability of training data. These challenges are not unique to wildlife surveys and we show how they can be overcome by an innovative integration of object‐based image analyses (OBIA) and the powerful machine learning one‐class classifier Maxent. Maxent classifications using features characterizing object texture, geometry and neighborhood, along with limited object color information, successfully identified over 90% of high quality nests (most weathered and unusually shaped nests were also detected, but at a slightly lower rate) and labeled &lt;2% of objects as candidate nests. Although this overestimates the occurrence of nests, the results can be visually screened to rule out all but the most likely nests in a process that is simpler and more efficient than manual photointerpretation of the full image. Our study shows that semi‐automated image analyses for wildlife surveys are achievable. Furthermore, the developed strategies have broad relevance to image processing applications that seek to detect rare features differing only subtly from a heterogeneous background, including remote sensing of archeological remains. We also highlight solutions to maximize the use of imperfect or uncalibrated image data, such as some UAV‐based imagery and the growing body of VHR imagery available in Google Earth and other virtual globes.

EXEGESIS: Extreme Edge Resource Harvesting for a Virtualized Fog Environment

Currently there is an active debate about how the existing cloud paradigm can cope with the volume, variety, and velocity of the data generated by end devices (e.g., Internet of Things sensors). It is expected that there will be over 50 billion of these devices by 2020, which will create more than two Exabytes worth of data each day. Additionally, the vast number of edge devices create a huge ocean of digital resources close to the data source, which, however, remain so far unexploited to their full extent. EXEGESIS proposes to harness these unutilized resources via a three-layer architecture that encompasses the mist, fog, and cloud. The mist network is located at the very bottom, where interconnected objects (Internet of Things devices, small servers, etc.) create neighborhoods of objects. This arrangement is enhanced by a virtual fog layer, which allows for dynamic, ad hoc interconnections among the various neighborhoods. At the top layer resides the cloud with its abundant resources that can also be included in one or more virtual fog neighborhoods. Thus, this article complements and leverages existing cloud architectures, enabling them to interact with this new edge-centric ecosystem of devices/resources, and benefit from the fact that critical data are available where they can add the most value.

Inter-relationships between objective and subjective measures of the residential environment among urban African American women

PurposeThe inter-relationships between objective (census based) and subjective (resident reported) measures of the residential environment is understudied in African American (AA) populations. MethodsUsing data from the Life Influences on Fetal Environments Study (2009–2011; n = 1387) of AA women, we quantified the area-level variation in subjective reports of residential healthy food availability, walkability, safety, and disorder that can be accounted for with an objective neighborhood disadvantage index (NDI). Two-level generalized linear models estimated associations between objective and subjective measures of the residential environment, accounting for individual-level covariates. ResultsIn unconditional models, intraclass correlation coefficients for block-group variance in subjective reports ranged from 11% (healthy food availability) to 30% (safety). Models accounting for the NDI (vs. both NDI and individual-level covariates) accounted for more variance in healthy food availability (23% vs. 8%) and social disorder (40% vs. 38%). The NDI and individual-level variables accounted for 39% and 51% of the area-level variation in walkability and safety, respectively. Associations between subjective and objective measures of the residential environment were significant and in the expected direction. ConclusionsFuture studies on neighborhood effects on health, especially among AAs, should include a wide range of residential environment measures, including subjective, objective, and spatial contextual variables.

The Impact of Neighborhood Conditions and Psychological Distress on Preterm Birth in African-American Women.

Prior research suggests that adverse neighborhood conditions are related to preterm birth. One potential pathway by which neighborhood conditions increase the risk for preterm birth is by increasing women's psychological distress. Our objective was to examine whether psychological distress mediated the relationship between neighborhood conditions and preterm birth. One hundred and one pregnant African-American women receiving prenatal care at a medical center in Chicago participated in this cross-sectional design study. Women completed the self-report instruments about their perceived neighborhood conditions and psychological distress between 15-26weeks gestation. Objective measures of the neighborhood were derived using geographic information systems (GIS). Birth data were collected from medical records. Perceived adverse neighborhood conditions were related to psychological distress: perceived physical disorder (r=.26, p=.01), perceived social disorder (r=.21, p=.03), and perceived crime (r=.30, p=.01). Objective neighborhood conditions were not related to psychological distress. Psychological distress mediated the effects of perceived neighborhood conditions on preterm birth. Psychological distress in the second trimester mediated the effects of perceived, but not objective, neighborhood conditions on preterm birth. If these results are replicable in studies with larger sample sizes, intervention strategies could be implemented at the individual level to reduce psychological distress and improve women's ability to cope with adverse neighborhood conditions.

Objective and self-reported neighbourhood risk factors for sedentary behaviour in older adults

Background There is increasing recognition that sedentary behaviour (defined as any waking activity with an energy expenditure <1.5 METs in a seated or reclining posture) is a risk factor for poor health. However, neighbourhood influences on sedentary behaviour are poorly understood. Methods Participants were drawn from 1930s and 1950s birth cohorts of the West of Scotland Twenty-07 study and the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. Data are …

Does the social environment moderate associations of the built environment with Latinas' objectively-measured neighborhood outdoor physical activity?

Favorable perceptions of the built and social neighborhood environment may promote outdoor physical activity (PA). However, little is known about their independent and interactive effects on neighborhood-specific outdoor PA. We examined associations of perceived built and social neighborhood environment factors, and their interactions, with objectively-measured neighborhood outdoor moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among a sample of Latina women in San Diego, CA. Analyses included baseline data collected in 2011-2013 from 86 Latinas with ≥ 2 days of combined accelerometer and global positioning system data and complete survey measures. We examined objective neighborhood outdoor MVPA within 500-meter home buffers. Generalized linear mixed models examined associations of 3 perceived built (e.g., sidewalk maintenance) and 3 social environmental (e.g., safety from crime) factors with engaging in any daily neighborhood outdoor MVPA. Models tested interactions between the built and social environmental factors. Although the perceived neighborhood environmental factors were not significantly related to daily neighborhood outdoor MVPA, we found 2 significant interactions: perceived sidewalk maintenance x safety from crime (p = 0.05) and neighborhood aesthetics x neighborhood social cohesion (p = 0.03). Sidewalk maintenance was positively related to daily neighborhood outdoor MVPA only among Latinas that reported low levels of safety from crime. Neighborhood aesthetics was positively related to daily neighborhood outdoor MVPA only among Latinas with high neighborhood social cohesion. Findings suggest several built and social environmental factors interact to influence Latinas’ neighborhood outdoor MVPA. Interventions are needed targeting both built and social neighborhood environmental factors favorable to outdoor PA in the neighborhood.

A Systematic Review of Agreement Between Perceived and Objective Neighborhood Environment Measures and Associations With Physical Activity Outcomes

A number of review studies document associations between the perceived and objectively measured neighborhood environment and physical activity. However, current evidence does not discern whether perceived or objective variables more consistently predict physical activity. A review is needed to examine the comparability of these variables and the consistency of their respective associations with the same physical activity outcome. We systematically searched three databases for studies that examined agreement between perceived and objective measures and/or associations between comparable variables and physical activity. We abstracted 85 relevant peer-reviewed studies published between 1990 and 2015, synthesized agreement coefficients, and compared these variables’ associations with physical activity. Perceived neighborhood environment variables were significantly associated with physical activity ( p &lt; .05) at slightly higher rates than objective neighborhood environment variables (20.1% and 13.7%). Comparably defined variables exhibited low agreement and only 8.2% were associated with the same outcome. The perceived neighborhood environment and objectively measured neighborhood environment are related but distinct constructs that account for unique variance in physical activity.

Is the association between neighborhood characteristics and sleep quality mediated by psychological distress? An analysis of perceived and objective measures of 2 Pittsburgh neighborhoods

BackgroundLiving in disadvantaged neighborhood environments is associated with poorer physical and mental health outcomes and higher overall mortality. However, the specific mechanisms underlying associations of neighborhood characteristics with health are not fully understood. Sleep quality represents an important potential mediator of these associations. ObjectivesThe objectives were to investigate associations of perceived and objective neighborhood characteristics with sleep and the extent to which associations are explained by psychological distress. DesignThe sample includes randomly selected households from 2 racially/ethnically and socioeconomically similar Pittsburgh communities. MethodsParticipants included 873 African American adults (77% female) with a median per capita household income of $13,300. Data were collected from in-person household surveys (sociodemographics, psychological distress, perceived neighborhood characteristics), daily sleep diaries, objective neighborhood street segment audits, and city crime data. We analyzed perceived and objective neighborhood characteristics and their association with sleep quality, and the degree to which psychological distress explained observed associations. ResultsPerceived neighborhood characteristics, including perceived safety (β = 0.13), neighborhood satisfaction (β = 0.14), social cohesion (β = 0.08), and perceived infrastructure (β = 0.07), were significantly associated with sleep quality (P values < .05), but objective neighborhood characteristics were not. Once psychological distress was considered, associations with perceived social cohesion and neighborhood infrastructure were fully attenuated. Associations of perceived safety and neighborhood satisfaction with sleep were attenuated by 20%-30% but remained significant.

The neighbourhood environment and use of neighbourhood resources in older adults with and without lower limb osteoarthritis: results from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study

This study aimed to examine the associations of perceptions of neighbourhood cohesion and neighbourhood problems and objectively measured neighbourhood deprivation with the use of neighbourhood resources by older adults with and without lower limb osteoarthritis (LLOA), and to assess whether these relationships are stronger in older persons with LLOA than in those without the condition. Data from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study were used. American College of Rheumatology classification criteria were used to diagnose clinical LLOA (knee and/or hip osteoarthritis). Use of neighbourhood resources was assessed using the Home and Community Environment instrument. Participants were asked about their perceptions of neighbourhood cohesion and neighbourhood problems. Objective neighbourhood deprivation was assessed using the Index of Multiple Deprivation score based on 2010 census data. Of the 401 participants (71–80 years), 74 (18.5 %) had LLOA. The neighbourhood measures were not significantly associated with use of resources in the full sample. A trend for a negative association between use of public transport and perceived neighbourhood problems was observed in participants with LLOA (OR = 0.77, 99 % CI = 0.53–1.12), whereas a trend for a positive association between perceived neighbourhood problems and use of public transport was found in participants without LLOA (OR = 1.18, 99 % CI = 1.00–1.39). The perception of more neighbourhood problems seems only to hinder older adults with LLOA to make use of public transport. Older adults with LLOA may be less able to deal with neighbourhood problems and more challenging environments than those without the condition.

The Relation of Perceived and Objective Environment Attributes to Neighborhood Satisfaction

There is growing evidence that communities can be designed to support physical activity, but it is important to understand whether neighborhood features related to health are also considered satisfactory by residents. The study aimed to determine if there is an association between perceived and objective neighborhood environment variables and neighborhood satisfaction. Adults ( N = 1,726) were recruited from neighborhoods in two regions of the United States selected to vary on walkability and income. Perceived neighborhood environment was assessed using a validated scale, objective measures were constructed using geographic information system (GIS), and satisfaction was assessed using a 17-item survey. Participants reported greater satisfaction when they perceived their neighborhood as having greater pedestrian/traffic safety, crime safety, attractive aesthetics, access to destinations, diversity of destinations, park access, and lower residential density. Objective measures were not significant. The discrepant findings between perceived and objective environmental measures indicate that neighborhood satisfaction is a complex construct.

Race and Place: Exploring the Intersection of Inequity and Volunteerism Among Older Black and White Adults

ABSTRACTAlthough the historical impact of racial segregation and ongoing health and economic inequities between older Black and White adults is well documented, little is known about the relationships among race, individual- and neighborhood-resources, and formal volunteering in later life. This study explores this intersection. Individual-level data from 268 respondents aged 55+ were collected in the St. Louis metropolitan area through paper-based mail surveys. Objective neighborhood data were obtained at the zip code level from secondary sources and matched with respondents. Using exploratory factor analysis, we constructed a 14-item environmental scale with 3 neighborhood dimensions (economic, social, and built environment). Older Black adults had lower levels of education; had fewer financial assets; lived in neighborhoods with less economic resources and lower built environment scores; and fewer formally volunteered when compared to older White adults. Individual resources (financial assets, health) and neighborhood resources (social and built environment) were positively associated with formal volunteering among older Black adults. Only individual resources (age, marital status, financial assets, health) were associated with formal volunteering among older White adults. A coherent set of policies that bolsters individual and environmental capacities may increase the rate of volunteerism among older black adults.