Southwest Philadelphia Research Articles

Practices of Care and Relationship-Building: A Qualitative Analysis of Urban Agriculture's Impacts on Black People's Agency and Wellbeing in Philadelphia.

Gardens and farms provide individuals and communities with access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally significant foods. There is a rich body of literature unpacking the connections between Black urban growing and agency, freedom, resistance, and care. However, spirituality remains one aspect of health and wellbeing that has not been studied extensively in relation to agriculture. The main goal of this study was to conduct focus groups with Philly-based growers to understand the self-determined impacts of urban agriculture on health, agency, and wellbeing. The secondary goal of this work was to determine if these impacts differ by race. I apply a collective agency and community resilience theoretical framework to this study. This framework offers a model to understand agriculture as a way for communities to become self-determined, self-reliant, and self-sustained. For this study exploring the impacts of urban agriculture on health, there were three eligibility criteria. Participants had to be at least 18 years old, identify as Black or White, and have grown food in a garden or farm in Philadelphia. I hosted six race-specific focus groups at Bartram's Garden in Southwest Philadelphia. The audio recordings were transcribed, and the full transcripts were coded using open and axial coding methods and a "key concepts" framework. We also employed several methods of triangulation to help ensure the credibility and validity of the findings. Four major themes emerged from the data: growing as a demonstration of agency and power, growing as a facilitator of body-mind wellness, community care and relationship-building, and deepened spiritual connection and interdependence. There were both similarities and differences in the impacts of urban agriculture by race. Across the six focus groups, people talked about concepts related to community care and relationship-building as being major benefits of growing food. In both groups, people also brought up significant issues and barriers around land security. Mentions of spirituality appeared more frequently and more emphatically in the Black focus groups. Black focus groups were more likely to discuss the collective impacts of agriculture, while White participants were more likely to discuss the impacts on themselves as individuals. The findings of this focus group study point to some key domains through which agriculture impacts the health of farmers and growers in Philadelphia.

The importance of investing in policies beyond ‘the basics': Perspectives from black fathers in Philadelphia on how to increase community safety

The police killings of unarmed Black men and women, particularly in the year 2020, fueled a moral outcry for defunding the police. The defund movement asserts that divested police funds should be invested in communities most devastated by hyper-policing. However, decisions on which community services to finance are often void of community input. To fill this gap, the current study highlights responses from 50 Black fathers living in southwest Philadelphia on community resources necessary for themselves and their children to live safe and prosperous lives. The men explained that, to enhance public safety and recover from the devastation of social stigmatization and marginalization, funds need to be invested in resources beyond the ‘basics' (i.e., housing, employment, health care). Specifically, the fathers wanted local educational and entrepreneurial opportunities that would allow community members to demonstrate their full potential. The current study informs policymakers on the importance of building community capacity rather than focusing solely on service delivery.

Text messaging and lottery incentive to improve colorectal cancer screening outreach at a community health center: A randomized controlled trial.

Efforts to boost colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates in underserved populations have been limited by effectiveness and scalability. We evaluate the impact of adding a lottery-based financial incentive to a text messaging program that asks patients to opt-in to receive mailed fecal immunochemical testing (FIT). This is a two-arm pragmatic randomized controlled trial at a community health center in Southwest Philadelphia from April to July 2017. We included CRC screening-eligible patients between ages 50-74years who had a mobile phone, active health insurance, and at least one visit to the clinic in the past 12months. Patients received a text message about CRC screening with the opportunity to opt-in to receive mailed FIT. They were randomized 1:1 to the following: (1) text messaging outreach alone (text), or (2) text messaging with lottery for a 1-in-5 chance of winning $100 after FIT completion (text+lottery). The primary outcome was the percentage of patients completing the mailed FIT within 3months of initial outreach. 281 patients were included in the intent-to-treat analysis. The FIT completion rate was 12.1% (95% CI, 6.7%-17.5%) in the text message arm and 12.1% (95% CI, 6.7%-17.5%) in the lottery arm, with no statistical difference between arms. The majority of post-intervention interview respondents found text messaging to be acceptable and convenient. Opt-in text messaging is a feasible option to promote the uptake of mailed FIT screening, but the addition of a lottery-based incentive did not improve completion rates. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03072095).

CSB to investigate Philadelphia refinery fire

A four-person team of the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is investigating an explosion and fire at Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES), a refining complex in southwest Philadelphia. The accident occurred during the early-morning hours of June 21 and injured four workers. It started in the alkylation unit where hydrofluoric acid (HF) is used to raise the octane of gasoline produced by the refinery, the company says. HF is used in about one-third of the 150 US refineries. Fears of release of HF in a dense, lethal, acidic cloud have led people living near such facilities and members of Congress to call for better controls or substitution. PES reports no HF release from the incident. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s most recent analysis of HF use and risk management provisions was in 1993. Earlier this year, the CSB called on the EPA to review that work to determine

Engaging With the Community to Promote Physical Activity in Urban Neighborhoods.

To describe perceptions of physical activity, opinions, on intergenerational approaches to physical activity and a vision for increasing physical activity in an underresourced urban community. Focus groups embedded in a large Community-Based Participatory Research Project. West and Southwest Philadelphia. 15 parents, 16 youth, and 14 athletic coaches; youth were 13 to 18 years old and attended West Philadelphia schools; parents' children attended West Philadelphia schools; and coaches worked in West Philadelphia schools. Six focus groups (2 youth, 2 parent, and 2 coach) were conducted guided by the Socio-Ecological Model; transcriptions were analyzed using a rigorous process of directed content analysis. Factors on all levels of the Socio-Ecological Model influence the perception of and engagement in physical activity for youth and their families. Future strategies to increase engagement in physical activity need to be collaborative and multifaceted. When physical activity is reframed as a broad goal that is normative and gender-neutral, a potential exists to engage youth and their families over their lifetimes; with attention to cross-sector collaboration and resource sharing, engaging and sustainable intergenerational physical activity interventions can be developed to promote health in underresourced urban communities.

A Conceptual Approach to Address the Issue of Hypertension in African Americans Living in South West Philadelphia

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death, globally [1]. About 68 percent of the cardiovascular diseases are associated with hypertension in adults. Hypertension is asymptomatic in the early stage and shows symptoms only when it worsens [2]. Therefore, it is essential to educate the patient about the disease’s nature and the ill effects of untreated hypertension. According to statistics provided by national data, among the 10 largest counties in U.S where the prevalence of hypertension is common, adult hypertension is most common in Philadelphia. The community health assessment provided by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) states that the prevalence of hypertension is more common among African Americans residing in the Southwest Philadelphia. In addition to that it states that more than 37.5% of the adult residing in Philadelphia has been diagnosed with Hypertension [3]. The main aim of the proposed project is to develop an intervention for treating, controlling and early detection of hypertension in African American’s (AA) over the age of 40 years in

Where Urban Residents Shop for Produce

There is limited research documenting the shopping behaviors of urban residents with regard to where they shop for fruits and vegetables. This study sought to: (1) describe characteristics of consumers who shop for produce at supermarkets, alternative fresh food outlets, and farmers' markets; and (2) identify correlates of farmers' market shopping among urban consumers. Participants were recruited from 30 randomly selected residential blocks in West and Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to complete a cross-sectional survey. Of 622 residents contacted, 82.6 percent completed a usable survey. Participants were predominantly African American (75.2 percent), single (47 percent), and receiving public assistance (30.1 percent). About half of the respondents reported shopping at farmers' markets (48.2 percent), produce stores (47.9 percent), and/or fruit and vegetable trucks (48.0 percent percent) for produce. Having vouchers for farmers' markets was significantly associated with shopping at those markets, being younger, and not owning a car. Our analysis begins to bridge the gap in understanding how individual-level differences may influence shopping patterns. Findings suggest that financial incentives to shop at farmers' markets can be meaningful contributors to shopping at these venues and may work to support the narrowing of disparities in access to healthy, affordable food.

Food Insecurity and Supermarket Service Gaps in South and Southwest Philadelphia

Food insecurity is an issue both globally and locally. In the United States, urban populations demonstrate enormous disparities in access to healthy foods. This study demonstrates that although healthy foods may be available within close proximity to urban neighborhoods, these resources may be inaccessible by segments of local populations, as demonstrated in south and southwest Philadelphia. The relative accessibility of supermarkets stocking fresh fruits and vegetables may be less than ideal for pedestrian populations. Supermarket service gaps or nutritionally underserved areas are demonstrated cartographically using geographic information systems (GIS). Neighborhoods vulnerable to poor food access tend to be less dense areas of less centrally located urban neighborhoods.

Food Insecurity and Supermarket Service Gaps in South and Southwest Philadelphia

Food insecurity is an issue both globally and locally. In the United States, urban populations demonstrate enormous disparities in access to healthy foods. This study demonstrates that although healthy foods may be available within close proximity to urban neighborhoods, these resources may be inaccessible by segments of local populations, as demonstrated in south and southwest Philadelphia. The relative accessibility of supermarkets stocking fresh fruits and vegetables may be less than ideal for pedestrian populations. Supermarket service gaps or nutritionally underserved areas are demonstrated cartographically using geographic information systems (GIS). Neighborhoods vulnerable to poor food access tend to be less dense areas of less centrally located urban neighborhoods.

The value of conducting door-to-door surveys

This paper argues that door-to-door surveys are a valuable tool for collecting information about health and the environment in urban areas in a manner consistent with community-based participatory research principles. We describe in detail how a door-to-door survey on food shopping and physical activity was conducted with the primary food shopper in 514 households on 30 randomly selected blocks in West and Southwest Philadelphia over seven weeks during the summer of 2010. We identify the elements of our door-to-door protocol that had benefits for the quality of the data collected, flow of data collection, the perceived safety of interviewers and residents, and that informed subsequent phases of this multimethod four-year study of urban food and physical activity environments. We conclude that door-to-door surveys are appropriate and valuable in certain research contexts, when spending time in a community, conducting observations and building relationships are central to the goals and success of a study.

Don't Waste Us: Environmental Justice through Community Participation in Urban Planning

Abstract This article examines environmental justice lessons from the Eastwick community, a group of 11 racially diverse urban neighborhoods in industrial Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA....

Abstract CN08-04: Using community-based participatory research to develop and evaluate communication strategies for cancer prevention

Abstract Despite the development and implementation of health promotion and prevention programs, African Americans continue to experience high rates of morbidity and mortality from cancer. Active community engagement in research is being recognized as a critical component of accurate and credible science that is essential for ensuring that research addresses the needs of communities and populations at risk for poorer outcomes. However, active community involvement in the development, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion and preventive strategies has been limited. To address this issue, we developed an academic-community partnership called the West Philadelphia Consortium to Address Disparities. This partnership consists of four community-based organizations in Philadelphia and academic researchers and staff at the University of Pennsylvania. Consistent with the principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR), the partnership focuses on facilitating active collaboration between community and academic members in three key areas: (1) identification of the health priorities and concerns of African American residents in the West and Southwest Philadelphia community, (2) development and evaluation of interventions to address community concerns related to health promotion and disease prevention, and (3) communication of results and cancer information to community residents. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, our research has demonstrated that cancer, cardiovascular disease, and risk factors (e.g., diet, physical activity, obesity) for these conditions are among the health concerns identified by African American residents. Through a collaborative approach grounded in CBPR, we developed an integrated risk education program to address these concerns. In a preliminary evaluation of the program, we determined if participants were representative of community residents in terms of sociodemographic factors and evaluated rates of program participation. We found that of 156 eligible individuals, 137 (88%) enrolled in the study. The rate for participating in risk counseling (74%) equaled the number of program acceptors (n=101) divided by the total number of individuals who enrolled in the study (n=137). Consistent with the characteristics of community residents, our sample included more females than males and the proportion of men and women who participated in risk counseling was consistent with the percentage of male and female residents. In addition, a comparable proportion of risk counseling participants were not married relative to community residents. However, our sample included a greater proportion of individuals who only had a high school education relative to community residents. In terms of health-related outcomes, integrated risk education did not increase motivations to change preventive behaviors, but improved self-efficacy for diet and physical activity behaviors. Our findings underscore the importance of actively involving community stakeholders in the development, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion and prevention efforts. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(1 Suppl):CN08-04.

“A Workingman’s Paradise”

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, land speculators laid out numerous unplanned suburban subdivisions in outlying wards of large industrial North American cities, including a group of nineteen such subdivisions in lower Southwest Philadelphia. With few restrictions on building and land use, individual families created businesses, dwellings, and yards to meet their own needs; thus, these subdivisions were characterized by significant variations in access to modern services and in the size, style, and quality of dwellings. Residents took great pride in their neighborhoods but also valued the surviving natural landscape preserved by undeveloped blocks and lots.

Bartram's Garden: a reception history

Introduction Tucked between an industrial stretch of the lower Schuylkill River and a housing project in Southwest Philadelphia, Bartram's Garden has been engaged in a battle against obscurity and neglect for more than one hundred years. Once an internationally celebrated scientific and commercial landscape and today a National Historical Landmark, the garden is often overlooked by visitors to Philadelphia, a forgotten, but highly significant, aspect of Philadelphia's rich heritage. Established by John Bartram in 1731, the garden gained international renown during Bartram's lifetime for its founder's contributions to the nascent science of botany through the discovery and dissemination of North American plants. Following Bartram's death, the garden continued to be recognised for its international nursery business, which flourished under the care of Bartram's descendants through the 1830s.1 Today, however, a current brochure describes the garden as ‘Before Lewis and Clark’, ‘Before Audubon’ and ‘Before Burpee’2 (figure 1), suggesting that this important site has come to be defined as much by what it is not as by its own rich scientific and commercial history. How has the identity of Bartram's Garden been diluted?

Evaluating cumulative risk assessment for environmental justice: a community case study.

A key feature of cumulative risk assessment (CRA) is the ability to estimate differential health risks from environmental exposures within populations. Identifying populations at increased risk from environmental exposures is the first step toward mitigating such risks as required by the fair treatment mandate of environmental justice. CRA methods remain under development except for a limited application in pesticide regulations. The goals of this research were to advance CRA methods and to test their application in a community case study. We compared cumulative risk and health assessments for South and Southwest Philadelphia communities. The analysis found positive correlations between cumulative risk and mortality measurements for total mortality in Whites and non-Whites when we conducted the risk assessment using a multi-end point toxicological database developed for this project. Cumulative risk scores correlated positively with cause-specific mortality in non-Whites. Statistically significant increases in total and respiratory mortality rates were associated with incremental increases in the hazard ratio cumulative risk scores, with ranges of 2-6% for total and 8-23% for respiratory. Regression analyses controlled for percent non-White population and per capita income, indicating that risk scores represent an environmental effect on health independent of race and income. This case study demonstrated the successful application of CRA at the community level. CRA adds a health dimension to pollutant concentrations to produce a more comprehensive understanding of environmental inequities that can inform decision making. CRA is a viable tool to identify high-risk areas and to guide surveillance, research, or interventions.