Poor Neighborhoods Research Articles

Epidemiology of Invasive Meningococcal Disease in Colombia: A Retrospective Surveillance Database Analysis.

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), caused by Neisseria meningitidis, is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of the current study was to describe the historical and recent epidemiology of IMD in Colombia. This retrospective surveillance database analysis examined all available data on IMD in Colombia. Data were extracted from publicly available disease event reports and laboratory surveillance reports or obtained directly from hospitals in Cartagena. During 2015-2021, the overall incidence of IMD was 0.04-0.18 per 100,000 based on laboratory surveillance reports. IMD incidence was highest among infants aged<1year (0.52-1.47 per 100,000), as was IMD mortality (0.00-0.65 per 100,000). Serogroup B was the dominant serogroup responsible for IMD in Colombia during 1988-2014, but, since 2015, serogroup C has been dominant in all age groups, followed by serogroups B and Y. During 2010-2021 combined, the majority of IMD cases were reported in Bogotá (31.9%) and Antioquia (21.7%). Of 42 IMD cases in the city of Cartagena, 54.8% occurred in people who lived in the poorest neighborhoods, and these patients had the highest IMD lethality (52.2%) and the shortest median hospitalization duration (3days). The overall incidence of IMD in Colombia was low but was highest among infants aged<1year. IMD cases tended to be concentrated in the more densely populated areas and in poorer neighborhoods. As the majority of IMD cases in Colombia since 2015 have been serogroup C, followed by B or Y, vaccination to protect against these serogroups could potentially be beneficial and help to achieve the World Health Organization's and Pan American Health Organization's roadmaps to defeat meningitis by 2030.

Housing market and school choice response to school quality information shocks✰

This paper investigates market response to a nationwide school quality information disclosure regime. Exploiting quasi-exogenous timing of the release of information through the school year, I uncover a number of novel empirical findings. First, investigating the house price margin, the results reveal a strikingly convex hedonic price function: large effects to school quality ratings for homes located near schools serving advantaged students but little impact in poorer neighborhoods. These heterogeneous effects can help reconcile relatively modest overall mean school quality capitalization effects with, for example, the large fees wealthier families typically pay for private schools. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the impact of credible and low frequency school quality information shocks persists through the medium term. Finally, exploring the impact of the same information intervention on the school choice margin demonstrates that uprated schools serving advantaged students experience dramatic increases in demand from local families, however response for schools serving less advantaged families is more muted.

Neighborhood deprivation and household socioeconomic status as risk factors for diabetes in Brussels

Abstract Background Socioeconomic (SE) differences in diabetes prevalence have been shown both at the individual and neighborhood level. Disentangling the role of SE determinants of diabetes at different levels can help to identify more targeted strategies to reduce SE differences in diabetes prevalence. As contextual factors may differ it is important to explore this in different settings. In this study we investigated the association of diabetes with household socioeconomic status (SES) and neighborhood deprivation in Brussels taking into account individual risk factors. Methods The study sample included participants ≥ 15 years of the Belgian National Health Interview Survey (HIS) 2013 and 2018 residing in Brussels (n = 5045). Information on neighborhood deprivation, assessed through a composite indicator (income, employment, nationality,..), was linked to the HIS data. A multilevel analysis was conducted to assess the association of self-reported diabetes with household SES and neighborhood deprivation adjusting for age, sex, obesity, nationality and country of birth. Results The overall prevalence of diabetes in the study sample was 6.8%. Individual risk factors associated with a higher diabetes prevalence were older age, obesity and being born outside the EU. Belonging to a household with a low income (OR 2.3;95% CI 1.2-2.5 - ref. highest income group), low education at household level (OR 1.6;95% CI 1.0-2.5 - ref. highest education group) and living in a deprived neighborhood (OR 2.0, 95%CI 1.3-3.1 - ref. living in wealthy area) were all independently associated with a higher diabetes prevalence. Conclusions Neighborhood deprivation and low household SES are independent risk factors of diabetes. Actions to reduce SE differences in diabetes prevalence should take into account determinants at the individual, household and neighborhood level. Further research should explore the role of environmental risk factors to explain the higher diabetes prevalence in deprived areas. Key messages • Differences in diabetes prevalence between rich and poor neighborhoods remain when accounting for individual characteristics and household socioeconomic status. • Environmental factors may explain the higher diabetes prevalence in deprived neighborhoods.

Timing is everything: Territorial stigmatization, immobility policy, and the COVID-boom in Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po

ABSTRACT This article examines a peculiar case of neighborhood change in Sham Shui Po, one of Hong Kong’s densest and poorest neighborhoods. Based on two mixed-methods research projects conducted in 2021 and early 2022, we use social media analysis and data gathered through a four-component “aesthetic survey” methodology to demonstrate the drastic transformation of a particular section of this neighborhood in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. A key question of this research is why such a transformation should be taking place in this exact moment, as previous attempts have been made to stimulate precisely the sorts of changes now observed over the course of the last decade or so, all to no avail. We argue that this unexpected “boom” is the result of a conjunction of pandemic mitigation policy implemented by the Hong Kong government (which we label “immobility policy”) and the widespread and enduring reputation of Sham Shui Po in the city’s cultural geography (which we explore through the concept of “territorial stigma”). This case therefore stands to contribute substantially to ongoing debates on the nature and pace of urban change, especially at crucial historico-geographical junctures.

After the Gang: Desistance, Violence and Occupational Options in Nicaragua

AbstractGangs are widely considered major contributors to the high levels of violence afflicting Latin America, including in particular Central America. At the same time, however, the vast majority of individuals who join a gang will also leave it and, it is assumed, become less violent. Having said this, the mechanisms underlying this ‘desistance’ process are not well understood, and nor are the determinants of individuals’ post-gang trajectories, partly because gang desistance tends to be seen as an event rather than a process. Drawing on long-term ethnographic research carried out in barrio Luis Fanor Hernández, a poor neighbourhood in Nicaragua's capital city Managua, and more specifically a set of ‘archetypal’ gang member life histories that illustrate the occupational options open to former gang members, this article offers a longitudinal perspective on desistance and its consequences, with specific reference to the determinants of individuals’ continued engagement with violence (or not).

Greener Neighbourhoods Show Resilience to the Spread but Not Severity of COVID-19 Infection in South Africa

The outbreak of COVID-19 quickly spread around the globe, with staggering infection and mortality rates. Given the reported benefits of greenness to human health, we hypothesized that greener neighbourhoods would suffer less from COVID-19 infection and severity than not. We modelled COVID-19 infection and severity in South Africa by fitting Generalized Linear Mixed Effects models to various socio-demographic and greenness data (EVI, i.e., Enhanced Vegetation Index, and tree and grass covers) collected from January 2020 to June 2022 at local municipalities, Wards, and districts scales. We found that income level showed a significant negative association with COVID-19 prevalence at the Ward level, suggesting that poorer neighbourhoods are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection. We also found that EVI and tree cover consistently showed a significant negative correlation with COVID-19 infection rate, irrespective of the scale of analysis, whereas grass cover showed a similar pattern but only at the Ward scale. Finally, we found that neither EVI, grass cover, nor tree cover showed a significant association with COVID-19 severity. Overall, greener neighbourhoods show greater resilience to the spread of COVID-19, suggesting that exposure to greenness may boost natural killer cells in the human body, thus reinvigorating our defence system against infections. Our results re-enforced the need to establish and preserve greens paces particularly in the developing world, given their ability to buffer the spread of COVID-19.

Stuck or Rooted? Perspectives on the Residential Immobility of Children in the U.S. from Poor Neighborhoods and Implications for Policy

Families relocating from concentrated poverty neighborhoods is somewhat rare, either due to structural constraints that limit mobility or the disincentive to leave dense social networks built over time. Researchers previously juxtaposed these two experiences as either “stuck” or “rooted”. We advance a critical take on both perspectives by demonstrating the heterogeneity of life in disadvantaged neighborhoods for Black urban youth. We utilize data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and the 1997 Child Development Supplement to investigate contextual immobility, barriers to moving, and self-reported levels of neighborhood social ties to critique prior research and emergent policy that categorizes disadvantaged populations as “stuck” or “rooted”. Our findings demonstrate that immobility is most strongly associated with the household head lacking a high school education and with knowing more children’s names in the neighborhood. Thus, immobility is associated with structural barriers to moving and social rootedness. We discuss how current policy strategies do not effectively address this duality. We conclude that policy strategies should facilitate intragenerational mobility through housing choice, including the choice to remain in the neighborhood.

Contributors to concentrated poverty of Blacks and Hispanics in metropolitan America, 1980–2020

ABSTRACT A longstanding debate asks why African Americans have been disproportionately concentrated in poor neighborhoods. All sides agree that a key contributor is the high level of poverty among Blacks, but they differ on other sources. Has the exodus of a growing Black middle class from the inner city (raising income segregation among Blacks) left the Black poor more isolated? Does persistent high racial segregation hold both middle class and poor Blacks in neighborhoods that are depressed by the high rate of Black poverty? Is poverty in Black neighborhoods mainly due to the presence of poor Black households or poor non-Black neighbors? This study addresses these questions with data for 1980–2020, and extends the analysis also to the case of Hispanic poverty exposure. Longitudinal models and detailed analysis of neighborhood composition by race and income show that the group’s own income composition is the most important predictor of poverty exposure. This effect is compounded by high racial segregation. Within-group income segregation adds to poverty concentration for Blacks but not for Hispanics. Blacks and Hispanics of all income levels live in poorer neighborhoods mainly because of the large share of their Black and Hispanic low-income neighbors, while their white neighbors tend to have higher incomes than they do.

Effect of an action-research nutrition intervention on the Global Diet Quality Score of Colombian adolescents.

Strategies to address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls and young women often focus on supplementation. In this study, an action-research approach involving a nutrition education and entrepreneurship intervention was carried out among adolescent girls and young women in poor neighborhoods of Medellín, Colombia. The intervention group significantly increased its intake of several nutrients, including energy, protein, total fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, calcium, zinc, and vitamins A, B2, B3, B9, and C. A significant increase was observed in the intake of the Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) healthy food groups (other fruits, other vegetables, legumes, high-fat dairy products), accompanied by a decrease in the consumption of some unhealthy food groups (sweets and ice creams). A multivariate regression controlling for age, socioeconomic status, occupation, Household Hunger Scale, mean probability of adequacy, physical activity, and body self-perception showed that the nutrition intervention improved the total GDQS by 33% in the intervention group-a substantial improvement notwithstanding the study group's precarious social and economic conditions. We conclude that nutrition education and entrepreneurship models based on this approach may improve the dietary profile of this population and reduce future pressures from nutrition-related chronic diseases.

Strangers in a strange land: Mapping household and neighbourhood associations with improved wellbeing outcomes in Accra, Ghana

Urban poverty is not limited to informal settlements, rather it extends throughout cities, with the poor and affluent often living in close proximity. Using a novel dataset derived from the full Ghanaian Census, we investigate how neighbourhood versus household socio-economic status (SES) relates to a set of household development outcomes (related to housing quality, energy, water and sanitation, and information technology) in Accra, Ghana. We then assess “stranger” households' outcomes within neighbourhoods: do poor households fare better in affluent neighbourhoods, and are affluent households negatively impacted by being in poor neighbourhoods? Through a simple generalized linear model we estimate the variance components associated with household and neighbourhood status for our outcome measures. Household SES is more closely associated with 13 of the 16 outcomes assessed compared to the neighbourhood average SES. For 9 outcomes poor households in affluent areas fair better, and the affluent in poor areas are worse off. For two outcomes, poor households have worse outcomes in affluent areas, and the affluent have better outcomes in poor areas, on average. For three outcomes “stranger” households do worse in strange neighbourhoods. We discuss implications for mixed development and how to direct resources through households versus location-based targets.

Migration, segregation och pauperisering i det svenska samhällets periferi

The article is based on a survey of segregation in three Swedish rural municipalities (Bollnäs, Nordanstig and Söderhamn). Statistics show nationally large gaps between foreign-born and domestic-born in terms of the level of employment, living conditions and level of education. The gap also reflects significant differences between rich and relatively poor neighborhoods or areas. In interviews, a segregation emerges that is not visible in the statistics, for example, the experience that society has been marginalized and torn apart, and differences between young people who have a middle-class background and working-class background in relation to an urban norm to move from the municipalities. On the whole, a number of themes are raised where segregation is associated with ethnic groups, poorer areas and cultural problems. An analysis of how society’s globalization has changed the relationship between social classes, the distribution of resources and capital, and created ”winning” and ”losing” regions, makes it clear that segregation is above all a matter of relative wealth and poverty. In the municipalities, the addition of migrants becomes a pauperization, as migrants usually lack the economic, social and cultural capital that is valued in society, while the region is weakened due to emigration and relatively high welfare costs. The article therefore suggests that segregation should be counteracted by new types of solutions, aimed at the root causes, and at building resilient communities. It would also give the research on segregation and integration a new task, where the starting point is a criticism of ongoing attempts to ethnicise and culturalize economic and geographical inequalities.

Prenatal Risks to Healthy Food Access and High Birthweight Outcomes

ObjectiveInfants with high birthweight have increased risk for adverse outcomes at birth and across childhood. Prenatal risks to healthy food access may increase odds of high birthweight. We tested whether having a poor neighborhood food environment and/or food insecurity had associations with high birthweight. MethodsWe analyzed cross-sectional baseline data in Greenlight Plus, an obesity prevention trial across six US cities (n = 787), which included newborns with a gestational age greater than 34 weeks and a birthweight greater than 2500 g. We assessed neighborhood food environment using the Place-Based Survey and food insecurity using the US Household Food Security Module. We performed logistic regression analyses to assess the individual and additive effects of risk factors on high birthweight. We adjusted for potential confounders: infant sex, race, ethnicity, gestational age, birthing parent age, education, income, and study site. ResultsThirty-four percent of birthing parents reported poor neighborhood food environment and/or food insecurity. Compared to those without food insecurity, food insecure families had greater odds of delivering an infant with high birthweight (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] 1.96, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.01, 3.82) after adjusting for poor neighborhood food environment, which was not associated with high birthweight (aOR 1.35, 95% CI: 0.78, 2.34). Each additional risk to healthy food access was associated with a 56% (95% CI: 4%−132%) increase in high birthweight odds. ConclusionsPrenatal risks to healthy food access may increase high infant birthweight odds. Future studies designed to measure neighborhood factors should examine infant birthweight outcomes in the context of prenatal social determinants of health.

Local non-violent strategies amid Guatemala’s post-accord violence: understanding the potential and limitations in poor urban neighbourhoods

ABSTRACT The impact residents of violence-affected communities can have on addressing insecurity is underexplored, particularly amid criminal violence. In non-conflict contexts, can non-violent actions by committed individuals transform their violent environments given criminal groups’ social control and capacity to exert violence? Investigating two urban neighbourhoods in post-accord Guatemala, the article evidences how residents engage in violence disruption, breaking generalised self-protection strategies – silence, avoidance and displacement – to proactively address local violence. In doing so, residents can attain tangible security improvements and foster cohesion, social capital and informal leadership – facilitating further collective action. The article draws on 47 interviews, triangulated with police data and documentary evidence. The article contributes novel empirical evidence on the underexplored phenomenon of non-violent engagement with criminal groups. Conceptually, the article advances the emerging concept of violence disruption as a distinct form of agency and a useful framework to neither overlook nor overstate the impact of grassroots strategies.

Neighborhood deprivation and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents: Mediated by parenting styles and moderated by relative family status

BackgroundPrevious research has shown that neighborhood and family have a crucial impact on adolescent mental health. However, limited research has been conducted on the intersection between neighborhood and family and the mechanisms behind its influence. This study investigates the direct and indirect associations between neighborhood deprivation and adolescent depressive symptoms through parental responsiveness and demandingness. The heterogeneity of neighborhood effects, varying across different relative family statuses, is also discussed. MethodsUsing a sample (n = 6775) from the two waves of the China Education Panel Survey, this study used moderated mediation analysis to analyze simultaneously the mediation roles of parental responsiveness and demandingness and the moderating effect of relative family status. ResultsNeighborhood deprivation (W1) was positively associated with adolescent depressive symptoms (W2). Parental responsiveness (W2) rather than demandingness (W2) partially mediated the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and adolescent depression. Additionally, relative family status moderated the direct relationship between neighborhood deprivation and depression and the indirect relationship through parental responsiveness. LimitationsFirst, Neighborhood deprivation in this study was self-reported. Second, relative family status was a single-item measure. Third, only family and neighborhood environments were discussed in this study. Finally, long-term changes in the mental health of adolescents in poor neighborhoods could not be captured in this study. ConclusionsThe results highlight that neighborhood deprivation and relative family status can influence adolescent mental health individually and intersectively. This study also contributes to a more nuanced understanding of parenting styles in the Chinese context.

Decomposing Neighbourhood (In)Stability: The Structural Determinants of Turnover and Implications for Neighbourhood Crime

Abstract While the human ecological model views neighbourhood instability as a function of household-level decisions, the present study draws on a political economy of place perspective to highlight how the profit-seeking interests of outside actors shapes instability, with consequences for neighbourhood crime. Using data on neighbourhoods in Los Angeles County from 2007 to 2013, I decompose levels of stability according to housing dynamics (displacement, development, changing rents, sales, low-income units), and assess their direct and indirect association with violent and property crime. I find that, over a 7-year period, poorer neighbourhoods are more vulnerable to these exchange-value pressures, stability is more consequential to crime in high-poverty neighbourhoods, and certain housing dynamics are associated with increasing crime through their detrimental effect on renter stability.

Interlinking the silos: How to stimulate a new debate on more greenery in cities

To address the current and future impacts of climate change on urban inhabitants, the development and benefits of urban green areas have been widely investigated – including parks, open unsealed spaces, residential gardens and street trees. However, the provision of urban green spaces can be used by private developers or private-public partnerships as a marketing tool to increase real-estate values. This presents a disadvantage for low-income households who may not be able to stay where they are or move to buildings or areas less affected by heat waves. Another key challenge reflects land-use conflicts created by the need to plant more trees, as opposed to other urban needs such as more parking spaces. At present, in several cities, policy and planning instruments remain inadequate in providing enough green spaces such as urban trees to lessen the heat stress in cities (for example, in poorer neighborhoods and new urban transformations led by private developers). The need for the proliferation of urban trees faces multiple expectations and challenges from several perspectives: 1) the crucial need for adaptation to climate change; 2) the partial presence (or total absence) of trees in areas undergoing densification and future transformations to readdress within effective planning strategies and tools; and 3) the relevance of social consequences (counteracting socio-spatial inequalities and considering residents’ perspectives) linked to green gentrification and environmental justice. The aim of this paper is to investigate these three perspectives (which are currently independent, for the most part), in order to interlink the silos and address the need for an interdisciplinary perspective of trees in urban areas. We suggest that the integration of these three aspects would help us fill the current knowledge gaps and enable a comprehensive perspective on social and environmental policies required in the complex urban system, and therefore also encourage new research paths, as well as a higher social acceptance by homeowners and renters.

Serious Mental Illness, Glycemic Control, and Neighborhood Factors within an Urban Diabetes Cohort.

Serious mental illness (SMI) may compromise diabetes self-management. This study assessed the association between SMI and glycemic control, and explored sociodemographic predictors and geographic clustering of this outcome among patients with and without SMI. We used electronic health record data for adult primary care patients with diabetes from 2 San Francisco health care delivery systems. The primary outcome was poor glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c >9.0%), which was modeled on SMI diagnosis status and sociodemographics. Geospatial analyses examined hotspots of poor glycemic control and neighborhood characteristics. The study included 11 694 participants with diabetes, 21% with comorbid SMI, of whom 22% had a schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorder. Median age was 62 years; 52% were female and 79% were Asian, Black, or Hispanic. In adjusted models, having schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder was associated with greater risk for poor glycemic control (vs participants without SMI, adjusted relative risk [aRR] = 1.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.02, 1.49), but having broadly defined SMI was not. People with and without SMI had similar sociodemographic correlates of poor glycemic control including younger versus older age, Hispanic versus non-Hispanic White race/ethnicity, and English versus Chinese language preference. Hotspots for poor glycemic control were found in neighborhoods with more lower-income, Hispanic, and Black residents. Poor diabetes control was significantly related to having a schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorder, and to sociodemographic factors and neighborhood. Community-based mental health clinics in hotspots could be targets for implementation of diabetes management services.

Intersections of Multiculturalism, Education, and Identity in 'Entre les Murs’: A Comparative Analysis of Learning Experiences

This scholarly article delves into the intricate layers of the French banlieue film Entre les murs (2008), directed by Laurent Cantet. The article aims to unravel the multifaceted portrayal of banlieue culture and its significance within the cinematic and socio-cultural landscape. It comprehensively analyses the film's narrative, characters, social themes and artistic choices, navigating the complexities of cultural diversity and identity formation within the banlieue context. The film's characters, students, and teachers become focal points for analysis, shedding light on the challenges and possibilities within the education system.&#x0D; Further, the article explores the film's cinematic techniques and aesthetics, including its visual style, cinematography, editing, and use of sound and music. The documentary-like approach of the film is examined, considering its impact on the storytelling and the portrayal of authenticity. By analysing the film's artistic choices, this article aims to uncover the subtle nuances and intentional creative decisions that contribute to the film's overall impact.&#x0D; Moreover, the article evaluates the critical reception and lasting legacy of Entre les murs. It explores the film's reception among critics and audiences, highlighting its awards, nominations, and influence on subsequent French cinema. It also discusses the film's socio-political relevance and contribution to the discourse on education, multiculturalism and social inequality.&#x0D; In addition to drawing upon various scholarly works and theories, the article seeks to place Entre les murs within the broader academic discourse, including areas such as auteur theory, social realism, postcolonial theory, cultural studies and sociological perspectives. Together, these serve to deepen the understanding of the film and its socio-cultural implications.&#x0D; Regarding the social context, the article examines the film's position in time-space and the situation of the French educational system in the poor and multicultural neighbourhoods of France. It considers the challenges faced by the education system and explores the plans to address them, contributing to a comprehensive analysis of the film's socio-cultural context.&#x0D; In conclusion, this academic article unveils the depths of Entre les murs, shedding light on its portrayal of banlieue realities, the educational system's challenges, and the complexities of multiculturalism and identity. By combining meticulous analysis, scholarly perspectives and an appreciation for the film's artistic merits, this article contributes to the ongoing academic dialogue surrounding the film and its enduring impact on French cinema.

Cumulative exposure to extreme heat and trajectories of cognitive decline among older adults in the USA

BackgroundThe projected increase in extreme heat days is a growing public health concern. While exposure to extreme heat has been shown to negatively affect mortality and physical health, very little...

The mechanisms of non-state governance of violence in a poor neighborhood in Recife

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é analisar os mecanismos de governança não estatal da violência em uma comunidade pobre da zona sul do Recife, com base em etnografia e entrevistas realizadas entre os anos de 2018 e 2022. Após constatarmos que não há um regime armado estabelecido com enforcement capaz de impor um sistema de governança criminal, encontramos um esquema de governança não estatal informal da violência, protagonizado por atores que não fazem parte do mundo do crime. Por fim, afirmamos que as intervenções desses atores não causam um impacto significativo na redução do número de episódios violentos, ao mesmo tempo que fazem com que o uso de força seja dissuadido em certas situações, impedindo que a criminalidade violenta seja maior.