Neighborhood Safety Research Articles

NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS AND INEQUALITIES IN SENSORY HEALTH AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract Sensory function plays a crucial role in older adults’ navigation of the environment, maintenance of personal safety, and in quality of everyday life. The residential neighborhood context is a significant social determinant of later life health and health disparities, but it has been understudied with respect to sensory function. We consider that residential neighborhoods are key sites of social and economic resources, social engagement, and environmental stimulation that could influence sensory health and inequalities in sensory impairment. We use data from 2,251 older adults who were interviewed at Rounds 1 and 2 of the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project in a series of longitudinal random effects models that examine how self-reported and objectively measured neighborhood characteristics are associated with self-rated vision and hearing. We find that older adults who reside in census tracts with higher levels of concentrated disadvantage report significantly worse self-rated vision and hearing compared with older adults who live in areas with less concentrated disadvantage. Residing in a more densely populated tract, however, is associated with better self-rated hearing. Black and Hispanic older adults’ self-rated hearing benefits significantly more from living in a densely populated tract than does White older adults’ self-rated hearing. In cross-sectional models, higher perceptions of neighborhood safety and social ties are associated with better self-rated vision. Our findings prompt a more nuanced understanding of how the social environment affects sensory health and highlight sensory function as a potential underexplored pathway through which neighborhood characteristics shape health disparities in later life.

NEIGHBORHOOD DISADVANTAGE AND PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING: EXPLORING GENDER-SPECIFIC MECHANISMS

Abstract The relationship between poverty status and functional limitation among late middle age and older adults is well-established. However, the contextual effect of neighborhood disadvantage on physical functioning is less clear. First, the potential pathways linking the two are largely unexplored. Extant evidence shows that perceived neighborhood safety and order are significant predictors of physical functioning. Moreover, stress eating is a common coping strategy for stressful life events and contexts. These three explanations potentially mediate the relationship between poverty rate and physical functioning. Second, even though existing evidence finds stark gender difference in physical functioning, the explanations for the gender difference remains largely unknown. We propose that gender-specific mechanisms can explain the gender difference in physical functioning. The goal of the study was to test the gender-specific mechanism thesis based on a nationally representative sample of adults 55 to 93 years of age in the MIDUS 2 and 3 data (N = 2099). We employed Multilevel Generalized Structural Equation Modeling to test the gender-specific mediating roles of the three mediators. Results showed that county-level poverty rate is significantly associated with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) among women and men. In contrast, perceived neighborhood safety and stress eating significantly mediate the relationship between poverty rate and physical functioning among women but not men. Furthermore, the indirect effect among women is significantly larger than among men. The important findings support gender-specific mechanisms linking neighborhood disadvantage and health and highlight the role of subjective neighborhood indicators among older women.

Making Connections: Neurodevelopmental Changes in Brain Connectivity After Adverse Experiences in Early Adolescence.

Adverse childhood experiences have been linked to detrimental mental health outcomes in adulthood. This study investigates a potential neurodevelopmental pathway between adversity and mental health outcomes: brain connectivity. We used data from the prospective, longitudinal Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (N ≍ 12.000, participants aged 9-13 years, male and female) and assessed structural brain connectivity using fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter tracts. The adverse experiences modeled included family conflict and traumatic experiences. K-means clustering and latent basis growth models were used to determine subgroups based on total levels and trajectories of brain connectivity. Multinomial regression was used to determine associations between cluster membership and adverse experiences. The results showed that higher family conflict was associated with higher FA levels across brain tracts (e.g., t (3) = -3.81, β = -0.09, p bonf = 0.003) and within the corpus callosum (CC), fornix, and anterior thalamic radiations (ATR). A decreasing FA trajectory across two brain imaging timepoints was linked to lower socioeconomic status and neighborhood safety. Socioeconomic status was related to FA across brain tracts (e.g., t (3) = 3.44, β = 0.10, p bonf = 0.01), the CC and the ATR. Neighborhood safety was associated with FA in the Fornix and ATR (e.g., t (1) = 3.48, β = 0.09, p bonf = 0.01). There is a complex and multifaceted relationship between adverse experiences and brain development, where adverse experiences during early adolescence are related to brain connectivity. These findings underscore the importance of studying adverse experiences beyond early childhood to understand lifespan developmental outcomes.

Observations of Positive Parenting from Online Parent–Child Interactions at Age 1

SYNOPSIS Objective. Brief, reliable, and cost-effective methods to assess parenting are critical for advancing parenting research. Design. We adapted the Three Bags task and Parent Child Interaction Rating System (PCIRS) for rating online visits with 219 parent–child dyads (White, n = 104 [47.5%], Black, n = 115 [52.5%]) and combined the video data with survey data collected during pregnancy and when children were aged 1. Results. The PCIRS codes of positive regard, stimulation of child cognitive development, and sensitivity showed high reliability across the three parent–child interaction tasks. A latent positive parenting factor combining ratings across codes and tasks showed good model fit, which was similar regardless of parent self-identified race or ethnicity, age, socioeconomic disadvantage, marital/partnered status, and parity, as well as methodological factors relevant to the online video assessment method (e.g., phone vs. laptop/tablet). In support of construct validity, observed positive parenting was related to parent-reported positive parenting and child socioemotional development. Finally, parent reports of supportive relationships in pregnancy but not neighborhood safety or pandemic worries, were prospectively related to higher positive parenting observed at age 1. With the exception of older parental age and married/partnered status, no other parent, child, sociodemographic, or methodological variables were related to higher overall video exclusions across tasks. Conclusions. PCIRS may provide a reliable approach to rate positive parenting at age 1, providing future avenues for developing more ecologically valid assessments and implementing interventions through online encounters that may be more acceptable, accessible, or preferred among parents of young children.

Neighborhood Safety and Perinatal Mental Health

Neighborhood safety (NS) has important implications for mental health, yet research is needed to clarify how different constructs that measure NS associate with mental health problems. Research is particularly underdeveloped on NS among low-income, postpartum individuals, who may experience greater vulnerability. This study examined two measures of NS, self-reported and coder-rated, and their associations with prenatal and postnatal depression and PTSD symptoms, and lifetime adversity. Participants were 121 perinatal individuals living in a major metro area. Both types of NS were significantly intercorrelated. Neither prenatal nor postnatal depression symptoms predicted self-reported or coder-rated NS. However, higher lifetime adversity and higher postnatal PTSD symptoms predicted lower self-reported postnatal NS (but not coder-rated NS). After controlling for prenatal PTSD symptoms, lower self-reported NS also predicted higher postnatal PTSD symptoms. Findings underscore the importance of focusing on individuals’ lived experiences in their neighborhoods to understand links between perceptions of NS and PTSD symptoms.

Locational, neighbourhood and physical characteristics of residential rental properties: A review

The residential rental market plays a crucial role in housing provision, yet our understanding of its locational, neighborhood, and physical characteristics remains limited. This paper presents a comprehensive review of existing literature pertaining to these fundamental aspects of residential rental properties. By synthesizing findings from a wide range of academic studies and reports, we aim to shed light on the key factors that influence the rental property landscape. The study strategically explores the locational attributes that impact rental property preferences and values. This includes proximity to essential amenities such as schools, hospitals, public transportation, and commercial centers. Understanding how these locational factors influence rental demand and pricing patterns can provide valuable insights for both renters and landlords., Investigate the role of neighborhood characteristics in shaping rental markets. Neighborhood safety, accessibility to recreational areas, quality of public services, and social demographics are among the key factors that influence rental property selection. By analyzing these features, we identify potential correlations between neighborhood attributes and rental property performance., the study delves into the physical characteristics of residential rental properties. This aspect involves examining the features of the properties themselves, such as property size, layout, age, and amenities. Understanding how these physical attributes affect rental values and tenant satisfaction can help property owners optimize their investments and improve tenant retention. Moreover, in this study the review addresses the dynamic interplay between locational, neighborhood, and physical factors in shaping rental property markets. By recognizing the complex relationships between these variables, policymakers, real estate developers, and investors can devise informed strategies to create sustainable and inclusive rental housing solutions. The paper concludes with a call for further research in this field, emphasizing the need for empirical studies that capture changing rental market dynamics, especially in the context of evolving urban landscapes and housing preferences. Through this comprehensive review, we aim to contribute to a deeper understanding of locational, neighborhood, and physical characteristics in residential rental properties, thus enabling more effective and evidence-based decision-making within the rental housing sector.

Abstract A077: The role of social determinants of health on beliefs around the benefits of clinical trials

Abstract Background: Individuals from diverse racial/ethnic and disadvantaged backgrounds are underrepresented in cancer clinical trials, compounding the difficulty of adequately understanding, addressing, and reversing health inequities. Social determinants of health (SDOH) factors likely contribute to disparities in cancer trial enrollment. While the presence of SDOH has shown to be associated with clinical trial participation, few studies have explored the role of SDOH in shaping beliefs around the benefits of clinical trials. Thus, this study aims to identify SDOH factors associated with beliefs around the benefits of clinical trial participation. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of data from the Community Health Assets and Resilience Measures survey. The survey was administered in Fall 2021 to community members (N=3593; 98% > 50 years of age, 68% male, 52% racial/ethnic minority) residing in three states within the Mayo Clinic catchment area. Survey items assessed SDOH factors including financial instability, childcare, transportation, food insecurity, safety, literacy, social isolation, and perceived discrimination. Participant beliefs around the benefits of clinical trial participation was measured by rating level of agreement to 4 statements: ‘People in my community can benefit from participating in clinical trials’, ‘Participation in clinical trials benefits society’, ‘Participation in clinical trials is risky’, ‘I would personally benefit’, and ‘People in my community would benefit’. Response options were dichotomized as ‘agree’ and ‘disagree’ and adjusted stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed to assess factors associated with beliefs about clinical trials. Results: Race/ethnicity was significantly associated with all beliefs with Indigenous populations being significantly more likely to agree that people in their community could benefit from clinical trials, clinical trials benefit society, participation in clinical trials is risky, and that they would personally benefit. In adjusted analyses, financial instability, food insecurity, transportation, childcare, safety, social isolation, literacy, and discrimination were significantly associated with beliefs about the benefits of clinical trial participation. Neighborhood safety was most strongly associated with the belief that ‘People in my community can benefit from participating in clinical trials’ and ‘I would personally benefit from clinical trials’. Health literacy was most strongly associated with the belief that clinical trials benefit society and the community. Finally, the experience of 'people act as if they think you are not smart' (discrimination) was most strongly associated with the belief that clinical trials are risky. Conclusion: Clinical trials are the cornerstone to advancing equitable cancer care. Innovative, multifaceted, community-driven strategies are needed that address negative beliefs around the benefits of clinical trial participation to address existing recruitment and retention shortcomings. Citation Format: Jessica D. Austin, Todd Huschka, Amelia Barwise, Megan Allyse, Sean Phelan. The role of social determinants of health on beliefs around the benefits of clinical trials [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A077.

FC36: Social determinants of modifiable dementia risk in Maori and Non-Maori: Results of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement study

Background:Dementia risk varies along the social gradient, which needs to be considered in risk reduction and prevention strategies. Revealing links of social determinants of health (SDOH) and modifiable health and lifestyle factors for dementia holds clues towards maximizing dementia risk reduction opportunities, especially for vulnerable populations. Therefore, the aim was to investigate associations of SDOH and a dementia risk score in Indigenous Māori and Non-Māori (mainly European descent) in midlife and early late-life.Method:A subsample of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement study completed standardized face-to-face cognitive assessments (adapted ‘Kiwi’ Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination/ACE-R) in 2010. We computed the Lifestyle for Brain Health (LIBRA) dementia risk score, comprising 8 risk factors (low/moderate alcohol consumption, heart disease, physical inactivity, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, depression). Higher scores indicate higher dementia risk/poorer lifestyle (range= -1;+9.2). First, we assessed associations of LIBRA and cognition. Second, we performed adjusted regression analysis for area-based (socioeconomic deprivation, health care access, neighbourhood safety) and individual SDOH (education, employment status, net income, social loneliness) with LIBRA stratified for Māori and Non-Māori.Results:In 918 participants (age: M= 62.9 years, SD= 6.7, range= 48-75; females= 52.8%; Māori= 26.2%), a higher LIBRA score (M= 1.8, SD= 1.6, observed range= -1; +7.4) was associated with lower cognitive functioning (b= -0.30, 95%CI= [-0.48;-0.11], p= .002) and cognitive impairment (OR= 1.41, 95%CI= [1.10;1.81], p= .007), adjusted for age, sex, education, ethnicity and area-based socio- economic deprivation. Higher area-based socio-economic deprivation was associated with higher LIBRA in Māori (b= .10, 95%CI= [0.02;0.18], p= .020), but not in Non-Māori (b= 0.01, 95%CI= [- .03;0.05], p= .677). Employment status and lower neighbourhood safety were associated with higher LIBRA in Non-Māori only. Health care access difficulties and social loneliness were associated with higher LIBRA in both populations, while education and net income were not.Conclusion:SODH are differentially associated with dementia risk in midlife and early late-life New Zealanders. Area-based socioeconomic deprivation was linked to dementia risk in Indigenous Māori, but not in Non-Māori. This points to systematic inequities in dementia risk, which require equity- focused policy-based public health approaches to risk reduction.

Social determinants of modifiable dementia risk in Māori and Non‐Māori: Results of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement study

AbstractBackgroundDementia risk varies along the social gradient, which needs to be considered in risk reduction and prevention strategies. Revealing links of social determinants of health (SDOH) and modifiable health and lifestyle factors for dementia holds clues towards maximizing dementia risk reduction opportunities, especially for vulnerable populations. Therefore, the aim was to investigate associations of SDOH and a dementia risk score in Indigenous Māori and Non‐Māori (mainly European descent) in midlife and early late‐life.MethodA subsample of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement study completed standardized face‐to‐face cognitive assessments (adapted ‘Kiwi’ Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination/ACE‐R) in 2010. We computed the Lifestyle for Brain Health (LIBRA) dementia risk score, comprising 8 risk factors (low/moderate alcohol consumption, heart disease, physical inactivity, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, depression). Higher scores indicate higher dementia risk/poorer lifestyle (range = ‐1;+9.2). First, we assessed associations of LIBRA and cognition. Second, we performed adjusted regression analysis for area‐based (socioeconomic deprivation, health care access, neighborhood safety) and individual SDOH (education, employment status, net income, social loneliness) with LIBRA stratified for Māori and Non‐Māori.ResultsIn 918 participants (age: M = 62.9 years, SD = 6.7, range = 48‐75; females = 52.8%; Māori = 26.2%), a higher LIBRA score (M = 1.8, SD = 1.6, observed range = ‐1; +7.4) was associated with lower cognitive functioning (b = ‐0.30, 95%CI = [‐0.48;‐0.11], p = .002) and cognitive impairment (OR = 1.41, 95%CI = [1.10;1.81], p = .007), adjusted for age, sex, education, ethnicity and area‐based socio‐economic deprivation. Higher area‐based socio‐economic deprivation was associated with higher LIBRA in Māori (b = .10, 95%CI = [0.02;0.18], p = .020), but not in Non‐Māori (b = 0.01, 95%CI = [‐.03;0.05], p = .677). Employment status and lower neighborhood safety were associated with higher LIBRA in Non‐Māori only. Health care access difficulties and social loneliness were associated with higher LIBRA in both populations, while education and net income were not.ConclusionSODH are differentially associated with dementia risk in midlife and early late‐life New Zealanders. Area‐based socioeconomic deprivation was linked to dementia risk in Indigenous Māori, but not in Non‐Māori. This points to systematic inequities in dementia risk, which require equity‐focused policy‐based public health approaches to risk reduction.

Austerity, Health and Public Safety in Low-Income Neighborhoods: Grassroots Responses to the Decline of Local Services in Southeast England

This article uses ethnographic and qualitative research to explore the health implications and social responses of a low-income neighborhood in Southeast England, to more than a decade of austerity policies and declining institutional and welfare support. Findings examine how cuts to public services and welfare programs alongside changes to the area’s social structure shape resident’s perceptions of health risks and threats. Residents pointed to poor levels of mental health that were exacerbated by financial insecurity, the closure of community facilities and difficulties accessing support and professional help. An increase in social disorder and sense of danger within the vicinity were attributed to changes in the area’s social composition and a reduction of policing in the neighborhood, which were an additional cause of anxiety for residents. Many people felt their neighborhood was treated inequitably with regard to law-and-order, health provision and other services designed to address health problems and risks and dangers in their social environment. This institutional vacuum generates unmet health needs facilitating informal practices and methods for managing health, such as through self-provision or using alternative, and more readily available, sources of medical advice and treatment. The demise of older forms of social control and surveillance that ran parallel with closure of the area’s communal spaces had been partly compensated by social media usage, while informal methods of policing were a growing presence in the neighborhood in reaction to rising lawlessness and the ineffectiveness of police and local authorities.

Associations of objective and subjective neighborhood measures with cognitive change in a repeated measurement burst design

AbstractBackgroundPrior studies have reported associations between neighborhood characteristics and late‐life cognition. These studies assessed neighborhood using either objective (e.g., area‐level data from public database) or subjective (individual‐level perception) measures. However, little research has been done to examine effects of objective and subjective measures simultaneously. The present study aims to investigate the independent associations of objective and subjective neighborhood characteristics with cognitive change in older adults.MethodParticipants include 316 individuals in the Einstein Aging Study (mean age = 77; 67% females; 45% non‐Hispanic Whites, 40% non‐Hispanic Blacks). Subjective neighborhood measures included perceived neighborhood safety, aesthetic quality, social cohesion, and availability of healthy foods (range = 1 poor to 5 excellent). Objective neighborhood measures included violent crime, neighborhood deprivation, volunteering rates, percentage of healthy food retailers, and low access to healthy food. Processing speed was assessed using the brief, smartphone‐administered Symbol Search Test, and was completed 6x/day over two weeks; this was repeated annually from 2017 to 2022. To account for non‐linear retest/practice effects, double negative exponential models were used to estimate the relation of neighborhood measures to asymptotic performance (i.e., fastest response time) at baseline and to change in asymptotic performance over time.ResultMost subjective and objective neighborhood measures were significantly correlated with each other (Table 1). In models containing both objective and subjective neighborhood measures, better perceived safety was associated with greater annual improvement in asymptotic performance (40 milliseconds/year for one point increase in safety) while the objective measure of violent crime was not. Perceived availability of healthy foods was independently associated with a faster baseline asymptotic processing speed (estimate = 160 milliseconds) and with greater annual improvement rate (estimate = 54 milliseconds/year) while the objective measures of food environment were not (Table 2).ConclusionSubjective rather than objective neighborhood characteristics were strongly associated with annual rates of change in processing speed over five years in community‐dwelling older adults. Perception of one’s neighborhood may be a more proximal predictor of cognitive health as it may reflect an individual’s lived experiences and determine one’s psychological states and health‐related behaviors. Alternatively, more fine‐grained objective neighborhood measures (e.g., individual‐level) would be necessary to better characterize objective neighborhood environments.

Specific domains of positive childhood experiences (PCEs) associated with improved adult health: A nationally representative study

BackgroundPositive childhood experiences (PCEs) are supportive relationships and environments associated with improved health when aggregated into composite scores. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), a reciprocal measure to PCEs, are associated with worse health in aggregate scores and when disaggregated into measures of specific ACE types (hereafter domains). Understanding the associations between specific PCE domains and health, while accounting for ACEs, may direct investigations and intervention planning to foster PCE exposure. MethodsWe analyzed data from the nationally representative United States longitudinal Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Five PCE domains were examined: (i) peer support and healthy school climate, (ii) neighborhood safety, (iii) neighborhood support, and nurturing relationships with (iv) maternal and (v) paternal figures. Survey weighted logistic regression models tested associations between each PCE domain measure and adult general health rating, controlling for demographic covariates and nine ACE exposures: physical, emotional, or sexual abuse/assault; emotional neglect; witnessing intimate partner violence or household substance use; having a parent with mental illness; any parental separation or divorce; and/or having a deceased or estranged parent. Secondary outcomes included adult functional status and mental and physical health diagnoses. We also tested for statistical interactions between PCE domain and ACE score measures. ResultsThe sample included 7105 adults. Higher scores for the “peer support and healthy school climate” and “neighborhood safety” domain measures showed the most protective relationships with the adverse health conditions tested, most notably for mental illness. The relationship between PCE domain measures and health outcomes was attenuated, but not statistically moderated by ACE exposure. ConclusionExperiencing childhood peer support, a healthy school climate, and neighborhood safety were especially protective against multiple adult health conditions, including for ACE exposed individuals. Interventions that promote PCEs may yield population health gains.

Nature, Architectural Composition, and Human Well-Being: A Case of a Contemporary Garden in Setif, Algeria

The present study focuses on exploring users' aspirations within urban green spaces, with a particular emphasis on the “July 5, 1962 Garden” located in Setif, Algeria. The main objective is to identify the diverse functionalities of green spaces and provide practical and effective recommendations to enhance the appeal, functionality, and usability of the selected garden while considering the needs and desires of the community. The study employs a cross-reading approach to achieve its objectives, combining a participatory survey on a digital platform with qualitative analysis. By synthesizing various approaches, including morphological, historical, functional, sensory landscape, and anthropo-spatial analyses, the study gains insights into the garden's current state, historical significance, functionality, sustainability, and impact on visitor well-being. Additionally, a unique “witnessing survey” strategy is used to gather detailed information, addressing gaps in prior research and limited available data. This approach provides firsthand accounts and witness descriptions, contributing to the study's originality. The study's in-depth analysis highlights the garden's role as a biological facility, promoting biodiversity and well-being. It offers a relieving microclimate, enhancing safety in urban neighborhoods. Urban planning is harmony and coherence that optimize the link between nature, design, and human well-being, creating eco-friendly environments that positively affect residents. The “July 5, 1962 Garden” significantly enhances the community's quality of life, serving as a recreational space and fostering biodiversity. Prioritizing green spaces in urban planning is crucial for well-being and sustainability, benefiting both the environment and inhabitants.

Not all ‘greenness’ is equal: Influence of perceived neighborhood environments on psychological well-being in Chicago

Neighborhood greenness is of growing importance to understand the quality of urban life, including outcomes tied to health and well-being. However, all greenness may not lead to the same outcomes in racially and ethnically segregated cities. There are many factors associated with the influence of greenness, including perceptions of the physical and social environments. By using multilevel logistic regression analysis, this study investigated differences in psychological well-being associated with neighborhood greenness, park use frequency, and perceived neighborhood physical and social settings in Chicago, IL. We used individual-level health data of 4517 Chicago respondents in 77 neighborhoods, which were aggregated into three distinct regions of the city and drawn from the 2020 Healthy Chicago Survey (HCS); neighborhood greenness was measured using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Results suggest that: (1) greenness was significantly associated with psychological well-being in Chicago’s North region but not in the other regions; (2) more frequent park use was associated with psychological well-being in the North region but not in the other regions; (3) neighborhood safety was the strongest predictor of psychological well-being in all three regions of Chicago. This study offers theoretical and practical insights on the need for comprehensive assessment that can help disentangle and differentiate the levels of care and maintenance in urban green spaces. By coupling NDVI with geographic differences, researchers can better capture the complex interplay between different aspects of greenness and urban residents’ well-being.

Property Victimization, Perception of Neighborhood Safety, and Perceived Fairness of the Criminal Justice System Within the Chinese Context

Property Victimization, Perception of Neighborhood Safety, and Perceived Fairness of the Criminal Justice System Within the Chinese Context

Insights into parents’ perceived worry before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: inequality and heterogeneity of influences

BackgroundExcessive worry is an invisible disruptive force that has adverse health outcomes and may advance to other forms of disorder, such as anxiety or depression. Addressing worry and its influences is challenging yet crucial for informing public health policy.MethodsWe examined parents’ worries, influences, and variability before and during COVID-19 pandemic and across geography. Parents (n = 340) and their primary school-aged children from five Australian states completed an anonymous online survey in mid-2020. After literature review, we conceptualised the influences and performed a series of regression analyses.ResultsWorry levels and the variables contributing to parents’ worry varied before to during the pandemic. The proportion of parents who were "very worried all the time" increased by 14.6% in the early days of the pandemic. During the pandemic, ethnic background modified parents’ worry and parents’ history of daily distress symptoms was a significant contributor (p < 0.05). Excessive exposure to news remained significant both before and during the pandemic. The primary predictor of parents’ worry before COVID-19 was perceived neighbourhood safety, while the main predictor during COVID-19 was financial risk due to income change. Some variable such as neighbourhood safety and financial risk varied in their contribution to worry across geographical regions. The proportion of worried children was higher among distraught parents.ConclusionParents’ worry during the health pandemic was not triggered by the health risks factors but by the financial risk due to income change. The study depicts inequality in the impact of COVID-19 by ethnic background. Different policies and reported virus case numbers across states may have modified the behaviour of variables contributing to the geography of parents’ worry. Exposure to stressors before the COVID-19 pandemic may have helped parents develop coping strategies during stressful events. Parents are encouraged to limit their exposure to stressful news. We advocate for parents-specific tailored policies and emphasise the need for access to appropriate mental health resources for those in need. Advancing research in geographical modelling for mental health may aid in devising much-needed location-targeted interventions and prioritising resources in future events.

Consumption and production of edible insects in an urban circularity context: Opinions and intentions of urban residents

The success of emerging urban agriculture initiatives is partly determined by the acceptance and active involvement of residents. Edible insects can contribute to urban agriculture and to the transition to a circular economy by converting organic side flows into high-value biomass. This explorative online survey (N = 750) assessed the opinions and intentions of residents of Amsterdam city, the Netherlands (18–75 years old) about consumption and production of edible insects for food on household, neighborhood (i.e., centralized facilities for neighbored households), and industrial scales utilizing various side flows. Of the proposed scenarios, industrial insect production was perceived as more attractive (24.9 % of all respondents), than neighborhood (16.3 %) and household (6.7 %) production. Respondents indicated a higher preference for drivers (environmental, economic, expert support, and safety) related to purchasing industrially produced insects (median-5 of 7-point scale) than to participating in neighborhood or household production. Accordingly, most barriers were associated with household production (e.g., inconvenience, economic reasons, lack of knowledge and available information, median-5-6) rather than neighborhood (safety concerns, median-5) and industrial (no defined barriers, median 4) production. Nature (vegetal, animal, or mixed) and source of insect feed were considered important to the respondents, and >80 % of the respondents prefer feed mentioning on the labels of insect-containing food products. The findings suggest that urban initiatives on insect production should consider the current state of acceptance of this idea and the willingness to participate in it, as well as ensure its simplicity, safety, and low monetary cost. Relevant information and expert support should be made available to residents. Moreover, as edible insects are still a novel food concept in Amsterdam, further introduction of insects into the diet might make all proposed scenarios more attractive and meaningful for residents, contributing to the development of circular urban ecosystems in the future.

Neighborhood Factors, Individual Stressors, and Cardiovascular Health Among Black and White Adults in the US

Chronic stress has been posited to contribute to racial disparities in cardiovascular health. Investigation of whether neighborhood- and individual-level stressors mediate this disparity is needed. To examine whether racial differences in ideal cardiovascular health (ICH) are attenuated by experiences with neighborhood- and individual-level stressors within a racially and geographically diverse population sample. This cross-sectional study examined data from 7720 participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study who completed the second in-home visit (2013-2016). The REGARDS study is a population-based, longitudinal study of 30 239 non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White adults aged 45 years or older at baseline (2003-2007). Data for the present study were analyzed from June to July 2021 and in March 2022. Neighborhood physical environment (eg, excessive noise, violence; scored from 7-28, with higher scores indicating more problems), neighborhood safety (scored as very safe, safe, or not safe), neighborhood social cohesion (eg, shared values; scored from 5-25, with higher scores indicating higher cohesion), perceived stress (eg, coping; scored from 0-16, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress), and the experience of discrimination (yes or no). Ideal cardiovascular health (ICH), measured as a composite of 4 health behaviors (cigarette smoking, diet, physical activity, body mass index) and 3 health factors (blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels). The sample included 7720 participants (mean [SD] age, 71.9 [8.3] years; 4390 women [56.9%]; 2074 Black participants [26.9%]; and 5646 White participants [73.1%]). Black participants compared with White participants reported higher perceived stress (mean [SD] score, 3.2 [2.8] vs 2.8 [2.7]) and more often reported discrimination (77.0% vs 24.0%). Black participants also reported poorer neighborhood physical environment (mean [SD] score, 11.2 [3.8] vs 9.8 [2.9]) and social cohesion (mean [SD] score, 15.5 [2.0] vs 15.7 [1.9]) and more often reported their neighborhoods were unsafe (54.7% vs 24.3%). The odds of having a high total ICH score (ie, closer to ideal) were lower for Black adults compared with White adults, both overall (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.53; 95% CI, 0.45-0.61) and by gender (men: AOR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.57-0.93]; women: AOR, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.37-0.54]). In mediation analyses, the racial disparity in total ICH score was attenuated by neighborhood physical environment (5.14%), neighborhood safety (6.27%), neighborhood social cohesion (1.41%), and discrimination (11.01%). In stratified analyses, the factors that most attenuated the racial disparity in total ICH scores were neighborhood safety among men (12.32%) and discrimination among women (14.37%). Perceived stress did not attenuate the racial disparity in total ICH scores. In this cross-sectional study of Black and White US adults aged 45 years and older, neighborhood-level factors, including safety and physical and social environments, and individual-level factors, including discrimination, attenuated racial disparities in cardiovascular health. Interventional approaches to improve ICH that separately target neighborhood context and discrimination by gender and race are warranted.

ROAD DISCIPLINARY CHALLENGES: THE CASE OF PEDESTRIANS OF LA NKWANTANANG MADINA ADENTA MUNICIPAL DISTRICT, GHANA

&lt;p&gt;In Ghana, 72 persons out of every 100,000 population, suffered from grievous bodily injuries, and close to 8 of the same population died from Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) over the past decade. This study was conducted to explore the factors that contribute to pedestrian accidents on our roads as well as ways of preventing these accidents. Data were obtained from 70 pedestrians in the La Nkwantanang Madina Adenta Municipality. The descriptive analysis identified the following as possible causes of pedestrian accidents; pedestrian negligence, pedestrians using mobile phones whilst using the roads, and impatient drivers. The findings underscore the need for local government agencies to spearhead strategies of minimizing road crashes by forming neighbourhood safety groups. Their knowledge could be useful to identify problems that are difficult to detect.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0056/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Exposure to greenspace and ADHD in the context of physical activity, neighborhood safety and neighborhood cohesion: Analysis in Polish children

Exposure to greenspace and ADHD in the context of physical activity, neighborhood safety and neighborhood cohesion: Analysis in Polish children