Philadelphia Neighborhoods Research Articles

“What is all the damage the drugs are doing to my body?” A study of the effect of internalized stigma on harm reduction information-seeking behavior of people who use opioids in Kensington

The United States is in the midst of an opioid crisis. The rate of overdose deaths rose 30% from 2019 to 2020, numbers that represent an escalation theorized to have been brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 112,000 people died of drug overdoses, mainly from synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, in 2023 (CDC, 2024). This poster will display the results of a mixed-methods survey conducted with 101 people who use opioids in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia- commonly called the epicenter of the opioid crisis. Participants were asked about their experiences with getting harm reduction information and how those experiences interacted with their own feelings of stigma. They were asked about their harm reduction information needs, experiences looking for this information, and how best to provide it to them. This poster will display current unpublished results to-date. The data analysis has revealed a meaningful impact on information-seeking behavior for participants who have heightened internalized stigma- even to their known detriment. This study is meaningful to stakeholders, including librarians, who may provide public health information to the community of people addicted to opioids. And, to the conference theme, what is more ethical that providing harm-reduction information to the addicted?

From Bilingualism to Multilingualism: Mapping Language Dynamics in the Linguistic Landscape of Hispanic Philadelphia

This study explores the linguistic landscape (LL) of three Hispanic neighborhoods in Philadelphia, PA, aiming to document and measure the presence of the Spanish language in public spaces and understand the influence of time, location, and establishment type on language use. Based on 3437 signs analyzed from 2021 to 2023, our findings reveal that English dominates the LL at 61.65%, while Spanish constitutes 24.16%. The study employs chi-squared tests to confirm the impact of time and location on language use, highlighting a rise in bilingual and monolingual Spanish signs over time. Additionally, variables were combined into clusters using a heatmap to explore language use across different establishments. Bilingualism emerges as a sustained trend, underscoring inclusivity and linguistic diversity within these contexts. Location analysis exposes unique linguistic characteristics in each neighborhood, reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of their communities. The Golden Block exhibits bilingual prevalence, indicative of evolving demographics. Olney showcases language mixtures due to diverse ethnic and sociolinguistic influences, while South Philadelphia’s Italian Market area features prevalent Spanish and multilingual signage. The study underscores the growing presence of Spanish and minority languages, emphasizing the need to recognize and revitalize linguistic diversity in urban spaces. As cities evolve, continued exploration of the LL is crucial to understanding language dynamics in relation to identity, culture, and power.

Spatial Indices for Convivial Greenstreets

Streetside gardening is an informal, resident-initiated activity undertaken in dense urban areas worldwide. Yardless urban areas with a high incidence of informal streetside gardening are called Convivial Greenstreets (CG). Site investigations in European and several U.S. cities over the last decade suggest that social, ecological, and local climate benefits may be found where CG are most intense. The aim of this research is to fill a gap in the research literature by better understanding the spatial distribution of CG and the potential benefits associated with them. Using inner-core neighborhoods in Delft, The Netherlands, and Philadelphia, USA, as test cases, we devised a Convivial Greenstreet Intensity (CGI) index to provide a consistent method for mapping and comparing levels of streetside gardening activity across neighborhoods and cities. We show that CG spatial patterning and quantification of informal gardening intensity using in situ documentation and integrated GIS and Google Earth analyses are feasible and should prove useful as a basis for further research. With the development of a reliable method for measuring and mapping informal streetside gardening activity with a focus on visually accessible biomass, we hope that opportunities for investigating links between convivial greenstreets and urban microclimatic and physical and mental health will be facilitated.

Microgreens Nutrition Outreach: A Novel Tool for Community-Wide Dietary Disease Prevention

Purpose: To investigate how microgreens educational programming impacts the relationship between nutrition attitudes and healthy eating habits. Methods: A three-part workshop in Philadelphia, PA that consisted of a pre-survey, presentation, and microgreens kit assembly session was held. A post-survey was distributed electronically 1 week after the event. Results: 9 participants voluntarily attended the workshop and completed the pre-survey, and one-third of the participants submitted post-survey feedback. Participants were middle-aged, Black women from the Allegheny West neighborhood of Philadelphia, a predominantly (97.5%) Black neighborhood. The survey showed microgreens were well-received and suited for urban communities with little space and cold weather. Microgreens garnered interest in trying new vegetables and growing fresh foods. Conclusions: Microgreens outreach serves as a novel, low-cost, sustainable tool that can effectively educate about nutrition and encourage healthy dietary habits.

Embracing self and others: encountering animals in Philadelphia murals

ABSTRACT Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has numerous murals that relate expressions of care about different culture groups, nonhuman animals, the local urban ecosystem, and the environment at large. I discuss these themes in journaled encounters with animals in murals while visiting select Philadelphia neighborhoods during several years. My autoethnographic research is based on photography and making connections with the mural subjects, their symbolism, and related urban spaces. I anchor this study in the literatures of therapeutic landscapes and animality discourses in order to examine how animal mural spaces contribute to establishing “therapeutic assemblages”. My analysis draws me to a rich sense of locals’ care about/for humans and nonhumans that are at times perceived as subaltern, and the local and global environments these animals inhabit. I conclude that Philadelphia’s dynamic landscape alternates in taking down and reaffirming therapeutic places as the city is reconfigured by both gentrification and resistance to urban renewal.

The disproportionate impact of post-George Floyd violence increases on minority neighborhoods in Philadelphia

In early 2020 the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic swept across the globe, impacting the criminal justice system in myriad ways. The effects of this significant societal upheaval were then exacerbated by unprecedented and extended protests and social unrest following the murder of George Floyd. This analysis seeks to clarify the disproportionate impacts on communities of color in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) neighborhoods. This analysis considers all acts of violence, weighted by severity, and examined across the natural societal boundaries of the city for a seven-year period, while controlling for temporal trends and seasonality. Analysis using a fixed effects cross-sectional panel design of different racial/ethnic groups in the city finds that the increase in violent harm experienced by the city disproportionately impacted Hispanic communities, and one neighborhood specifically. In other words, during and following the 2020 ‘Summer of Racial Reckoning’, violence rose across Philadelphia, but increased more so in the Upper Kensington neighborhood. Possible reasons for this are discussed.

Patrolling the largest drug market on the eastern seaboard: A synthetic control analysis on the impact of a police bicycle unit

AbstractResearch SummaryThis study employed a microsynthetic control method to evaluate the impact of the newly introduced bicycle patrol unit in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, which is well‐known as a major drug market. The findings reveal that the bicycle patrol unit led to a notable reduction in social disorder crimes, which was one of the primary objectives of the patrol officers. However, it also resulted in a significant increase in the number of narcotic crimes, violent person crimes, and shooting offenses. The amount of total crimes and property crimes remained unchanged.Policy ImplicationsBicycle patrols can effectively reduce street‐level disorder and increase police efforts to arrest drug offenders and remove drugs from the streets. However, the introduction of this police activity may disrupt the normal operation of drug markets, which can lead to increased violence from instability in the street‐level drug business. Therefore, departments should conduct detailed crime analyses and gather intelligence alongside directed patrols to better understand and respond to the potential consequences of their interventions.

Lead exposure in childhood and historical land use: a geostatistical analysis of soil lead concentrations in South Philadelphia parks.

Elevated soil lead (Pb) concentrations in public parks and outdoor spaces continue to have a significant impact on the public health of urban communities. This study evaluated the geospatial and statistical relationships between soil Pb concentrations, the urban environment, and child blood lead levels (BLLs) in the neighborhood of South Philadelphia, PA. Soil samples (n = 240) were collected from forty (40) public parks and analyzed for Pb using a field portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. Geospatial mapping was used to investigate historical land use of each park, vehicular traffic on adjacent roadways, and density of residential/commercial development. Predicted child BLLs and BLL "high-risk areas" were identified using interpolation and biokinetic modeling. Childhood BLL data for South Philadelphia (n = 10,379) was provided by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (2013-2015). Of the two hundred forty (240) soil samples collected, Pb levels for 10.8% of samples were ≥ 400ppm. Two hundred sixty-nine of 10,379 children screened were identified with BLLs ≥ 5µg/dL. Historical land use of each park was shown to be significantly correlated (p = 0.01) with soil Pb concentrations and child BLLs ≥ 5µg/dL. Approximately 13.3% of the variance in child BLLs ≥ 5µg/dL was attributed to historical site land use. Overall, undeveloped/greenspace historical land use exhibited the highest soil Pb concentrations in the study. Geospatial relationships were identified between census tracts with higher percentages of children with BLLs ≥ 5µg/dL and interpolated BLL "high-risk" areas (≥ 3.5µg/dL). The results of this study suggest soil accumulation time and historical land use may influence soil Pb concentrations and child BLLs in urban communities. Measured soil Pb concentrations were determined to effectively model community-wide contamination and childhood Pb exposure.

Implementation and Outcomes of the Trauma Ambassadors Program: A Case Study of Trauma-Informed Youth Leadership Development.

Community-based programs serve a critical need for vulnerable youth and families. In recent years, researchers and practitioners have urged programs to adopt a trauma-informed care (TIC) approach to address adversity in young people's lives. The purpose of this article is to describe the implementation and outcomes of the Trauma Ambassador (TA) Program, a pilot youth leadership program guided by a community-university partnership that utilized a TIC approach in an underserved East North Philadelphia neighborhood. Fourteen youth engaged in interactive trainings to build their understanding of trauma and develop practical tools to support encounters with individuals with trauma histories. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted to better understand program implementation and outcomes. Rich data emerged that identifies a myriad of ways that youth and their community might benefit from a program like the one described. The program successfully impacted participants, as TAs recognized their own trauma and were motivated to help others who may have trauma histories. This program provided quality youth development experiences, particularly with respect to trauma-informed care, and results support taking a holistic, healing-centered approach to foster well-being for youth and adult mentors.

Abstract C090: Associations between neighborhood green space and breast cancer outcomes among Philadelphia neighborhoods

Abstract Access to green space has been shown to be associated with decreased incidence of cancer. The goal of this study is to identify associations between neighborhood green space indicators and breast cancer outcomes at the neighborhood level in Philadelphia. Green space indicators were sourced from the National Land Cover Database (2006-2016), VT Spatial Analysis Lab (2008-2013) and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (2016), and included average percent tree cover, average tree canopy, average low vegetation, count of public parks, and percent vacant lots. Breast cancer data from the PA Cancer Registry (2005-2014) included standardized incidence ratio (SIR), standardized mortality ratio (SMR), and mean aggressiveness (MA) of cancer. Neighborhood-level covariates were gathered from U.S. Census (American Communities Survey, 2008-2012) and the Public Health Management Corporation’s Household Health Survey (2012) for Philadelphia neighborhoods. Pearson correlations were calculated to identify associations between environmental and green space indicators and breast cancer outcomes. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify if significant relationships persisted in the presence of demographic and socioeconomic disparities at the neighborhood level. Significance was determined at p-values < 0.05. SIR was significantly correlated with % of vacant lots (r=-.186), % of tree canopy cover within 50 meters from neighborhood centroid (r=.139) and the number of public parks (r=.125) per neighborhood. SMR was significantly correlated with vacant lots (r=.184) and tree canopy cover (r=-.104). MA was significantly correlated with tree canopy (r=-.124), tree canopy within fifty meters of neighborhood centroid (r=-.146), number of public parks (r=-.141), and % of vacant lots (r=.157). After controlling for covariates in multivariable linear regression models, the significant relationships between neighborhood green space indicators and breast cancer outcomes were no longer significant. For SIR, the significant associations with green space indicators suggest that Philadelphia neighborhoods with a higher incidence of breast cancer have more green space and a lower % of vacant lots. For SMR and MA, associations suggest that neighborhoods with higher breast cancer mortality and aggressiveness have less green space and a higher % of vacant lots. The direction of these relationships makes sense, given the % and quality of neighborhood green space correlate closely with indicators of socioeconomic status. The lack of significance when controlling for confounders likely represents the limitations of using neighborhood-level data, rather than patient-level data, to measure the impact of green space on breast cancer outcomes. Future studies should identify green space exposure indicators at the individual level in order to more accurately identify the impact of urban green space on breast cancer outcomes. These data could inform city planning to decrease the burden of breast cancer among vulnerable populations. Citation Format: Benjamin C. Keating, Joseph Lombardo, Charnita Zeigler-Johnson, Alex M. DesJarlais, Taylor Micua, Nicole L. Simone, Russell K. McIntire. Associations between neighborhood green space and breast cancer outcomes among Philadelphia neighborhoods [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr C090.

Spatial Integration of Urban Runoff Modeling, Heat, and Social Vulnerability for Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning and Management

Climate change exacerbates environmental challenges caused by urban growth. This study offers a multifaceted approach to understanding socioenvironmental vulnerability in cities by considering fine-scale spatial distribution of social and physical metrics overlaid with runoff and surface temperature (ST) data. Stormwater runoff depth and surface temperature data for micro-subbasins in Philadelphia were estimated and integrated to create an environmental vulnerability index. Social variables representing poverty, the elderly population, population density, and buildings with basements were used to develop a social vulnerability index. Simple analysis based on medians of combined environmental and social vulnerability indexes identified specific subbasins of the city that are most vulnerable to heat and flooding impacts of climate change. Hotspot analysis of combined social and environmental vulnerability data identified regions of the city that would benefit most from a focus on implementation of new green-blue infrastructures. Results indicated that neighborhoods in southern Philadelphia are most vulnerable to flooding and heat. The outlined approach can be used for any city, and provides city managers with a city-scale visualization for prioritizing areas in immediate need of climate mitigation practices.

Community-Based COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics in Medically Underserved Neighborhoods to Improve Access and Equity, Philadelphia, 2021-2022.

Vaccination remains key to reducing the risk of COVID-19-related severe illness and death. Because of historic medical exclusion and barriers to access, Black communities have had lower rates of COVID-19 vaccination than White communities. We describe the efforts of an academic medical institution to implement community-based COVID-19 vaccine clinics in medically underserved neighborhoods in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over a 13-month period (April 2021-April 2022), the initiative delivered 9038 vaccine doses to community members, a majority of whom (57%) identified as Black. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(12):1721-1725. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307030).

Social Determinants of Health in the Lives of Urban-Dwelling, Pregnant Puerto Rican Women and Families: Nursing Implications From a Secondary Narrative Analysis.

Urban-dwelling childbearing Puerto Rican women and families on the U.S. mainland face a myriad of social determinants that affect pregnancy and overall health outcomes. Historically, Puerto Ricans have poorest pregnancy outcomes of all Hispanic women. Acknowledgment of the cyclic, structural barriers faced by this patient population is essential to providing wholistic care. Here, we discuss family nursing implications derived from narrative analysis of a parent study that investigated ecological systems affecting 21 pregnant Puerto Rican women residing in an impoverished and crime-ridden neighborhood in Philadelphia. Content analysis of interviews revealed interwoven social determinants of health embedded in participant narratives. Furthermore, we present case vignettes based on integration of participant interviews that encapsulate the everyday experiences of these women and their families and provide clinicians with guidance and strategies for interacting with and advocating for this population.

Community solutions to food apartheid: A spatial analysis of community food-growing spaces and neighborhood demographics in Philadelphia

Black and low-income neighborhoods tend to have higher concentrations of fast-food restaurants and low produce supply stores. Limited access to and consumption of nutrient-rich foods is associated with poor health outcomes. Given the realities of food access, many members within the Black communities grow food as a strategy of resistance to food apartheid, and for the healing and self-determination that agriculture offers.In this paper, we unpack the history of Black people, agriculture, and land in the United States. In addition to our brief historical review, we conduct a descriptive epidemiologic study of community food-growing spaces, food access, and neighborhood racial composition in present day Philadelphia. We leverage one of the few existing datasets that systematically documents community food-growing locations throughout a major US city. By applying spatial regression techniques, we use conditional autoregressive models to determine if there are spatial associations between Black neighborhoods, poverty, food access, and urban agriculture in Philadelphia.Fully adjusted spatial models showed significant associations between Black neighborhoods and urban agriculture (RR: 1.28, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.59) and poverty and urban agriculture (RR: 1.27, 95% CI = 1.1, 1.46). The association between low food access and the presence of urban agriculture was generally increased across neighborhoods with a higher proportion of Black residents.These results show that Philadelphia neighborhoods with higher populations of Black people and neighborhoods with lower incomes, on average, tend to have more community gardens and urban farms. While the garden data is non-temporal and non-causal, one possible explanation for these findings, in alignment with what Philadelphia growers have claimed, is that urban agriculture may be a manifestation of collective agency and community resistance in Black and low-income communities, particularly in neighborhoods with low food access.

An environmental justice analysis of urban tree canopy distribution and change

ABSTRACT Many cities are working to increase greenspace and tree canopy to improve residents’ quality of life. However, from an environmental justice perspective, it is important to ask where greenspace is increased and whose quality of life is improved. This research investigates the environmental justice implications of urban tree canopy distribution and change in Philadelphia. Specifically, we conduct three distinct, yet interrelated analyses: (1) an evaluation of the environmental justice implications of Philadelphia’s 2018 tree canopy distribution, (2) a description of tree canopy change in the city between 2008 and 2018, and (3) an assessment of the environmental justice implications of tree canopy change during this period. Thus, our study expands upon previous urban forest environmental justice research by evaluating the environmental justice implications of current tree canopy distribution and temporal changes in tree canopy coverage. We found that neighborhoods in Philadelphia with higher proportions of racialized minorities had lower levels of tree canopy coverage in 2018 and were less likely to gain tree canopy between 2008 and 2018. We argue that cities should use past changes in urban tree canopy, along with an understanding of the current distribution, to make future cities more green and just.

Use of Community Engagement Studios to Adapt a Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Study of Social Incentives and Physical Activity for the STEP Together Study.

Physical activity is known to contribute to good health, but most adults in the United States do not meet recommended physical activity guidelines. Social incentive interventions that leverage insights from behavioral economics have increased physical activity in short-term trials, but there is limited evidence of their effectiveness in community settings or their long-term effectiveness. The STEP Together study is a Hybrid Type 1 effectiveness-implementation study to address these evidence and implementation gaps. This paper describes the process of adapting study procedures prior to the effectiveness trial using Community Engagement (CE) Studios, facilitated meetings during which community members provide feedback on research projects. Six CE Studios were held with community members from the priority population. They were conducted remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen liaisons representing 13 community organizations and 21 community members from different neighborhoods in Philadelphia participated. Three elements of the study design were modified based on feedback from the CE Studios: lowering the age requirement for an 'older adult', clarifying the definition of family members to include second-degree relatives, and adding a 6-month survey. These adaptations will improve the fit of the effectiveness trial to the local context and improve participant engagement and retention. CE Studios can be used to adapt intervention strategies and other aspects of study design during hybrid implementation-effectiveness trials. This approach was successfully used with remote online participation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and serves as a model for future community-engaged implementation research.

Xylazine Increasingly Found in Overdose Deaths

Xylazine Increasingly Found in Overdose Deaths

Estimating Eligibility for Lung Cancer Screening by Neighborhood in Philadelphia Using Previous and Current USPSTF Guidelines.

The National Lung Screening Trial established the benefits of low-dose computed tomography for lung cancer screening (LCS) to identify lung cancer at earlier stages. In February 2021, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) revised the eligibility recommendations to increase the number of high-risk individuals eligible for LCS and, in effect, expand screening eligibility for vulnerable populations. One strategy for facilitating LCS is to implement targeted screening in geographic areas with the greatest need. In Philadelphia, although neighborhood smoking rates have been defined, it is not known which neighborhoods have the greatest number of people eligible for LCS. In this study, the authors estimate eligibility for LCS within Philadelphia neighborhoods using both previous and current USPSTF guidelines. They used the Public Health Management Corporation's Household Health Survey from 2010, 2012, and 2015 to identify the number of people within ever-smoker groups (current every day, current occasional, and former smokers) by neighborhood in Philadelphia. Using the 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Cancer Supplement, they identified the percentages within ever-smoker groups that were LCS eligible using the previous and current USPSTF guidelines. Finally, they applied the percentages eligible for the ever-smoker groups from the NHIS to the numbers in these groups within Philadelphia neighborhoods. They found that the number of Philadelphians eligible for LCS increased from 41,946 to 89,231 after the revised USPSTF guidelines. The current USPSTF guidelines increased eligibility for LCS within all Philadelphia neighborhoods, with the greatest increases in the River Wards planning district. Local providers should use these results to prioritize LCS services within neighborhoods with greatest eligibility.

Spatial Analysis and Lead-Risk Assessment of Philadelphia, USA.

Childhood lead poisoning is an issue that continues to plague major U.S. cities. Despite efforts by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health to curtail systemic childhood lead poisoning, children continue to be identified with elevated blood lead levels. The persistence of elevated blood lead levels in children is concerning because lead poisoning has been linked to decreases in academic achievement and IQ, with associated repercussions for entire communities. This paper reports the results of an analysis of the spatial distribution of houses with lead paint (i.e., pre‐1978), demolitions, and occurrence of historic smelters, in West and North Philadelphia, relative to elevated blood lead level data, to determine which lead sources act as primary lead‐risk factors. The presence of lead paint in homes and the number of demolitions of older properties were found to have the highest correlations to elevated blood lead levels for children in Philadelphia. Using lead‐risk factors including lead paint, housing code violations, demolitions, and owner‐occupied housing units, a lead‐risk assessment was performed at the census tract level to identify future soil sampling sites and high‐risk neighborhoods in Philadelphia. These sites of high risk for lead exposure, and in particular the census tracts 175 and 172, should be prioritized for lead poisoning prevention initiatives.

Interweaving Computational and Tacit Knowledge to Design Nature-Based Play Networks in Underserved Communities

Children are often the most disadvantaged cohort during miserable situations of natural disaster, economic crisis, and environmental degradation. Meanwhile, children’s play is increasingly controlled, costly, and standardized with engineered structures and surfaces rather than infused with natural processes and organic materials. Access to nature-based playscapes in underserved neighborhoods is extremely limited, impacted by disparities of race, class, and gender. In these contexts, neglected vacant lots and streets and related interstitial spaces can be redesigned as playscapes that support active, engaged, meaningful, and socially interactive play. Our study addresses the ample opportunity to re-engage kids and city nature in underserved neighborhoods in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. Methodologically, we balance systemic GIS spatial data approaches with informal and experiential—or tacit—site-based analyses. This mixed-methods approach helps identify local patterns of insecurity, children’s circulation, and natural resource possibilities. Finally, a play network with eight playscape themes is revealed as an emergent pattern that we termed green play infrastructure. These themes provide examples of activities and opportunities for future programs that fit their surrounding context. The mixed-methods approach fills a gap in children’s play literature and illustrates how green play infrastructure can serve as a key strategy in improving children’s lives in disadvantaged neighborhoods.