Staten Island Research Articles

Contrasting Perceptions, Knowledge, and Actions around Lyme Disease in an Urban Area of Emerging Lyme Disease and an Area of Endemic Lyme Disease in the Northeastern United States.

Lyme disease transmission dynamics in the northeastern United States vary by context. Periurban regions, including Block Island, RI, have experienced decades of endemic transmission. In urban areas, including Staten Island, a borough in New York City, NY, Lyme disease is an emerging issue. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices around Lyme disease evolve as an area progresses from emergent to endemic. We conducted focus group discussions and household surveys within Staten Island, NY and Block Island, RI to compare knowledge, attitudes, and practices surrounding Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. Qualitative data were coded into themes, and survey data were used to provide more general context of the focus group discussions. Using item response theory, we developed an index of knowledge from relevant factors within the household survey. We identified a significant difference in knowledge scores between the two study areas. Additionally, we identified key differences across multiple domains. Participants from Block Island were more likely to report prior tick exposure and Lyme disease in themselves or household members and were more likely to express concerns about the environmental impact of mitigation strategies. Individuals on Staten Island were more likely to assign responsibility of prevention and control to local, state, and federal government than to take personal prevention measures. Prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases must be tailored to the community context and monitored over time as perceptions and priorities may evolve as transmission dynamics transition from emergent to endemic.

“Foreign Work”: The New York Public Library’s Service to Slavic and East European Immigrants, 1901–1940

ABSTRACT This article focuses on the New York Public Library’s (NYPL) work with Czech and Slovak (Bohemian), Rusyn (Ruthenian), Hungarian, Polish and Russian immigrants 1901-1940. The work was commonly referred to among library staff as “foreign work.” Much of NYPL’s “foreign work” with members of these ethnic groups originated on the congested Lower East Side (five Carnegie branches), the Upper East Side (four Carnegie branches), and then followed population shifts to other areas of Manhattan and into the Bronx and Staten Island. By focusing on the needs and desires of these immigrants, the NYPL’s librarians helped them adapt to life in the United States of America.

Spatiotemporal Exploration of Ridesharing Services Ridership through Geovisualization: A Case Study of the New York City Region

App-based ridesharing services (RSSs), exemplified by platforms like Uber, play a pivotal role in modern transportation by offering convenient and on-demand services. The exploration of RSSs necessitates a comprehensive consideration of the inherent spatiotemporal variability within the data. Prior research, however, has tended to analyze the spatial and temporal dimensions separately, with many studies omitting the temporal aspect. This study addresses the gap by using geovisualization techniques to illustrate emerging hot spot analysis in New York City in 2022, derived from space–time data mining. Overall, despite temporal variations in overall RSSs ridership, certain taxi zones maintain distinct ridership patterns. Across the five New York City boroughs (Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island), Midtown Manhattan and the Brooklyn areas adjacent to Queens exhibit saturated intensifying hot spots, signaling a notable increase in RSSs ridership throughout 2022, surrounded by sporadic hot spots. Conversely, peripheral areas of New York City reveal diminishing cold spots, indicating a decrease in their intensity as cold spots. Furthermore, the study conducts separate spatial and temporal profiling. By presenting the spatiotemporal trends of RSSs, this research complements existing literature and provides valuable insights for more informed interventions. The study also highlights certain limitations that could be addressed in future endeavors.

Acarological Risk of Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme Disease Agent, in Staten Island, New York City

Lyme disease, the leading vector-borne ailment in the U.S., annually affects an estimated 476,000 individuals, predominantly in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. Despite its increasing incidence, the evaluation of risk within U.S. cities, including natural public lands, remains inadequate. This study focuses on blacklegged tick occurrences and Borrelia burgdorferi infection prevalence in 24 Staten Island parks, aiming to assess Lyme disease exposure risk. Monthly acarological risk index (ARI) calculations from 2019 to 2022 revealed elevated values (0.16–0.53) in specific parks, notably Wolfe’s Pond Park, High Rock Park, Clay Pit Pond Park, Clove Lake Park, and Fair View Park. June (0.36) and November (0.21) consistently exhibited heightened ARIs, aligning with peak tick collection months. Despite stable yearly infection rates at 28.97%, tick densities varied significantly between parks and years. Identifying a high transmission risk in specific parks in Staten Island, a highly urbanized part of New York City, emphasizes the continuous necessity for Lyme disease risk management, even within the greenspaces of large cities.

New Perspectives in The Management of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: Dual AntiArrhythmic Medications.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice projected to affect 12.1 million individuals by the year 2030. Patients who are diagnosed with AF have an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Although catheter ablation is a class I treatment recommendation in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF, antiarrhythmic medications (AAM) continue to be the mainstay of treatment in limited resource settings not offering ablation procedures. Currently, the most used AAMs are those which block either the sodium or potassium channels. We hypothesized that the use of selective dual AAM (sodium and potassium channel blockers) (DAAM) improves the chance of maintaining sinus rhythm and decreases the need for catheter ablation when compared with single AAM (SAAM). This retrospective observational study was conducted in 150 patients with paroxysmal AF over 5 years at Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island, New York. The following data were collected: age, sex, comorbidities, electrocardiogram findings, ejection fraction by echocardiography, classes of AAM, duration, and response to treatments. The primary endpoint included the absence of symptoms and maintenance of sinus rhythm. The secondary endpoint included the requirement of electrical cardioversion or catheter ablation. A total of 86 patients met the inclusion criteria in our analysis. The average age of the patients was 71.06 years (SD = 7.66). About 45 patients were given DAAM of either amiodarone + flecainide or dronedarone + flecainide and were treated for an average of 15.4 months, followed by catheter ablation, if needed. Also, 41 patients received a SAAM followed by catheter ablation, if needed. A Mann-Whitney test indicated that electrical cardioversion and catheter ablation were greater for the SAAM group (Md = 1) than for the DAAM group (Md = 0) (U = 294.00, P value <0.001; U = 507.00, P value <0.001, respectively). No pro-arrhythmic side effects or death were encountered in either group. Treatment of paroxysmal AF with DAAM is effective compared with SAAM and is less likely to need catheter ablation or electrical cardioversion. Well-designed prospective studies are needed to further explore the use of DAAM in the management of paroxysmal AF and its clinical impact in limited resource settings.

Access to Emergency Services: A New York City Case Study

Emergency services play a crucial role in safeguarding human life and property within society. In this paper, we propose a network-based methodology for calculating transportation access between emergency services and the broader community. Using New York City as a case study, this study identifies ‘emergency service deserts’ based on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines, where accessibility to Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Police, and Hospitals are compromised. The results show that while 95% of NYC residents are well-served by emergency services, the residents of Staten Island are disproportionately underserved. By quantifying the relationship between first responder travel time, Emergency Services Sector (ESS) site density, and population density, we discovered a negative power law relationship between travel time and ESS site density. This relationship can be used directly by policymakers to determine which parts of a community would benefit the most from providing new ESS locations. Furthermore, this methodology can be used to quantify the resilience of emergency service infrastructure by observing changes in accessibility in communities facing threats.

Access and Equity through the Greenbelt Venture Program

Summary This case study documents the development of the Greenbelt Venture program, a 10-week, youth leadership program providing youth from underserved neighborhoods in Staten Island, NY access to the local forest from the viewpoint of the educator. The case study discusses a unique pedagogical approach that centers equity and access to meet programmatic goals. The case study offers critical reflections on the development process and success metrics that enable the educators to overcome challenges and yield similar qualitative results as other comparable outdoor adventure programs despite the inner-city location. Information © CAB International 2024

CSI Launches Autism Mentorship STEM Program

As the academic year got underway, Dr. Kristen Gillespie‐Lynch launched Making Mentors: Enhancing Access to STEM Careers for Autistic Youth through Mentorship Programs and Makerspaces. Gillespie‐Lynch, Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Project REACH at the College of Staten Island (CSI), is partnering with the Education Development Center (EDC) and New York University's (NYU) Maker Program on this project, which is funded by a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

A new labor movement? Assessing the worker upsurge in the contemporary U.S.

ABSTRACT This article explores the labor upsurge of the early 2020s and places it in an historical context. In the early 2020s, workers across the U.S. protested, organized, and walked out, part of an upsurge that produced remarkable results. There were union victories at some of the country’s best-known corporations, including Starbucks, Amazon, Google, Apple, and Trader Joe’s. Between 2021 and 2023, more than 360 Starbucks stores unionized, most through independent worker action. Over 8,000 workers also organized an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, doing so with a grassroots union and a budget of just $120,000. Across the country, the number of strikes surged, petitions for National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) elections rose sharply, and union density increased for the first time in decades. Opinion polls also showed record levels of public support for unions. Rather than seeing the upsurge as new – as media accounts stressed – the article links it to longer-term trends, particularly many decades of bargaining givebacks, increasing income inequality, and long-term union decline. Across the U.S., workers reached their breaking point, and hit back. Short-term conditions – particularly the labor shortage produced by the pandemic – were important, but the upsurge also reflected longer-term grievances that built up over decades.

CSI Launches Autism Mentorship STEM Program

As the academic year got underway, Dr. Kristen Gillespie‐Lynch launched Making Mentors: Enhancing Access to STEM Careers for Autistic Youth through Mentorship Programs and Makerspaces. Gillespie‐Lynch, Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Project REACH at the College of Staten Island (CSI), is partnering with the Education Development Center (EDC) and New York University's (NYU) Maker Program on this project, which is funded by a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Abstract P446: Community-Engaged Strategies for Recruitment of Black Men at Risk for Hypertension: The CLIP Study

Background: Recruitment of Black participants in research studies is challenging. Mistrust of academic and medical institutions due to historic mistreatment, medical racism, and lack of culturally tailored strategies to engage Black communities as partners, has led to under-representation of Black participants in studies. Black men have higher prevalence of hypertension (HTN) and worse outcomes than other groups. Yet, Black men are underrepresented in HTN clinical trials. The Community-to-Clinic Linkage Program to Prevent Hypertension (CLIP) is a community-engaged cluster randomized trial to test barbershop facilitation to prevent HTN among Black men residing in Staten Island (SI), New York City. Objective: To describe recruitment strategies to engage Black men in CLIP via an academic-community partnership. Methods and Results: Approximately 10% of SI residents identify as Black, of which ~ 90% live in 3 census tracts with the highest prevalence of HTN in the borough. The study team collaborates with Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI), a grassroots health organization with &gt; 30 years of community focus on addressing the root causes of health disparities on SI, the Director of Health in SI, a community advisory council (CAC) comprised of local leaders and residents, and the New York American Heart Association providing HTN education materials in an academic-community partnership to implement CLIP. Our recruitment goal is to enroll 84 men across 4-5 Black-owned barbershops over 5 cycles (12 weeks each), total N=418. We did not meet recruitment goals for cycles 1 and 2, (~60% enrolled). In consultation with CHASI and the CAC we adjusted our recruitment strategies to: 1) host bi-monthly community events in or around participating barbershops; 2) offer study incentives at the time of enrollment; 3) leverage existing relationships with faith-based organizations and other stakeholders to promote CLIP; and 4) distribute co-branded promotional flyers with CHASI and other stakeholders to publicize events. Subsequently we exceeded recruitment goals in our last cycle (113% enrolled); current cycle recruitment is ongoing. Several strategies have been successful in improving recruitment of Black men for CLIP: 1) deep community ties of our community health partner; 2) enlisting local community health workers representative of the study population; 3) flexibility and open communication between academic and community staff; 4) trust in the competence of each partner; 5) mutual commitment to the mission of the study. Conclusion: Partnering with engaged and trusted community partners, stakeholders, and local leaders positively impacts recruitment of Black men participants in HTN research studies. Organizations with deep community ties are crucial for establishing trust and identifying flexible solutions to recruitment challenges.

Abstract P361: Health Behaviors, Healthcare Utilization and Social Determinants of Health Among Afro-Latin and Non-Hispanic Black Men at Risk for Hypertension: The CLIP Study

Background: Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) men experience cardiovascular disparities, including high prevalence of hypertension and high morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Less is known about CVD risk among Afro-Latin (AL) men, who are an understudied population overall. The Hispanic/Latin population is the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group in the United States, as well as one of the most heterogeneous. However, CVD in this population is often examined in aggregate, or by country of origin, and is most often compared to Non-Hispanic White individuals, not only limiting understanding of CVD risk but also potential avenues for intervention. Objective: To describe CVD risk, healthcare utilization and social determinants of health among a sample of AL and NHB men. Methods and Results: We present preliminary data from the Community-to-Clinic Linkage Program (CLIP) study, a community-based cluster randomized trial testing barbershop facilitation to prevent hypertension in normotensive Black men. The study is set in Staten Island (SI), New York City. Approximately 10% of SI residents identify as Black, of which ~ 90% live in 6 zip codes with the highest prevalence of hypertension in the borough. Within the cohort (N=243), AL men (N=88) and NHB men (N=155) had similar blood pressure, but AL men were younger and had lower BMI compared to NHB men, age mean (SD), 35.1 (11.8) years versus 39.2 (12.1) years, p=0.007, BMI 25.6 (4.2) versus 27.2 (5.2) BMI, p=0.01. While diet was similar, AL men had higher levels of weekly physical activity, 5662 (4927) minutes versus 3461 (2453) minutes among NHB men, p&lt;0.001. Both groups had a similar rate of smoking tobacco and there were no differences related to sleep quality or sleep duration. AL men were more likely to have seen a healthcare provider in the last 5 years compared to NHB men and used the emergency room for care more than NHB men, 70.5% versus 47.6%, p=0.02, and 20.4% versus 9.2%, p=0.02, respectively. More AL men delayed medical care because of costs in the last year than NHB men, 8.2% versus 2.3%, p=0.03. Fewer AL men reported having a primary care provider, 19.4% versus 29.3%, p=0.03 compared to NHB men. Both groups reported similar rates of depressive symptoms and social support, but NHB men had higher perceives stress (PSS-4 scores), 6.0 (2.9) versus 4.4 (3.4), p&lt;0.001 than AL men. More AL men were born abroad, 69.4% versus 96.6%, p&lt;0.001 than NHB men. Education attainment was similar between both groups; AL men were more likely to be employed full-time than NHB men, 57.1% versus 51.7%, p=0.04. Income data was limited as approximately a third of men declined to respond. Conclusion: Understanding CVD risk and patterns of healthcare utilization among Afro-Latin and Non-Hispanic Black men will help inform strategies for intervention to improve cardiovascular health and reduce CVD disparities.

Addressing Food Insecurity Through Community Empowerment in a Staten Island (Richmond County) Neighborhood in New York City.

This study investigated community empowerment as a means of addressing food insecurity amongst underserved neighborhoods by increasing available and affordable food choices through Clementine Collective stands in Staten Island, New York (Richmond County), one of the 5 Boroughs of New York City. Given the growing complexity of food insecurity, inclusive and equitable action must be taken that incorporates the voices, perspectives and needs of those most impacted. Through methods of community engagement and empowerment, the Clementine Collective collaborates with local community residents to introduce sustainable solutions that address food insecurity. A survey (N = 132) was administered to customers of a Clementine Collective stand, located in Staten Island, that assessed customers' food habits and attitudes towards their food environment and solutions. The stand was placed in a local meat market grocery store. Descriptive statistics suggested that residents recognized gaps in their food environment and were empowered to advocate for solutions. Engaging residents from their food environment to advocate for local solutions, such as at community bodegas, or small grocery stores, may be an effective method of addressing food insecurity.

Empirical Analysis of the Relationship Between Hospitalization and Mortality in Different Administrative Districts of New York City During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a severe threat to global public health, particularly in New York City, where the impact has been substantial. Against this backdrop, understanding the relationship between hospitalization and mortality, as well as how this relationship is influenced by the economic and healthcare conditions of different regions, becomes an urgent and important research topic. This study aims to explore the relationship between hospitalization and mortality in different administrative districts of New York City (Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island) during the COVID-19 pandemic, and further analyze how economic development and healthcare conditions affect this relationship. Utilizing data provided by the New York City Department of Public Health, two differently configured regression models are employed for analysis. Model 1 solely considers the impact of hospitalization numbers on mortality numbers, while Model 2 further incorporates area and time as control variables. These findings not only provide significant insights into the geographical and socio-economic differences in the pandemic but also offer targeted suggestions for policy-making.

Earliest records of the Asian longhorned tick (Acari: Ixodidae) in Staten Island, New York, and subsequent population establishment, with a review of its potential medical and veterinary importance in the United States.

Three Asian longhorned ticks (Haemaphysalis longicornis) were collected on Staten Island, Richmond County, New York, in 2014-2015 as part of a tick-borne disease surveillance program conducted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Defense Centers of Public Health - Aberdeen Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory. These records mark the earliest known occurrence of H. longicornis in New York State outside of quarantine areas, predating previously reported detections by several years. Robust populations of H. longicornis were collected in subsequent years at the Staten Island site where these few ticks were found, demonstrating that small infestations have the potential to proliferate quickly. Haemaphysalis longicornis is a 3-host ixodid tick native to eastern Asia but now established in the United States, as well as Australasia and several Pacific islands. Although H. longicornis has not yet been associated with human disease transmission in the United States, it warrants attention as a potential vector, as it is demonstrated to harbor various pathogens of medical and veterinary interest across its native and introduced range.

Social determinants of health disparities in Staten Island compared with Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx: Contribution to COVID-19 outcomes.

Social determinants of health (SDH) negatively affectedCoronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outcomes within the five boroughs of New York City. The goal of this study was to determine whether differences in social demographics within the borough of Staten Island, compared with the other four boroughs, may have contributed to poor COVID-19 outcomes in Staten Island. Data were obtained from public data sources. Social demographics obtained included age, household income, poverty status, and education level. COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death rates reported from Staten Island were compared with rates from Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx (February 29, 2020-October 31, 2022). Mean differences in case rates of COVID-19 were higher in Staten Island compared to all four boroughs. Mean differences in hospitalization and death rates were higher than Manhattan but similar to the other four boroughs. Within Staten Island, case rates were highest in zip codes 10306 and 10309. Hospitalization and death rates were highest in Staten Island zip code 10304. We found that the zip codes of Staten Island with poorer COVID-19 outcomes had more individuals with less than a high school degree, lower mean household income, higher proportion of households earning less than $25,000 a year, and a greater proportion of individuals using public transportation. Differences in COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death rates exist between the five boroughs and between the 12 zip codes within Staten Island. These differences in COVID-19 outcomes can be attributed to different SDH.

An agent-based urban simulation to assess the system-wide, spatial, and modal impacts of the deployment of an automated vehicle corridor with mixed traffic: a case study in New York City

Self-driving car companies aim to offer hands-off journeys with Automated Vehicle (AV) technology, but public skepticism persists on safety aspects of AVs. A proposed solution involves creating dedicated AV corridors with traffic control and interruptions. Realistically, full penetration of AVs is unlikely to occur in the near future while mixed traffic of AVs with human driven vehicles is more likely. This study applies this concept to a hypothetical scenario in NYC, proposing an AV corridor from the Staten Island Expressway to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. The goal is to assess the network-wide impacts of a limited AV deployment from a multi-modal perspective. The NYC transportation system is modeled using MATSim, an open-source agent-based modeling platform. Although each traveler is treated as an agent making multi-modal trip making decisions, it does not model microscopic behavior of cars. Thus, the modeling approach for AVs has to be a macroscopic one, where average headways are reduced on the AV (with mixed traffic) corridor portion of the overall network based on a link capacity relationship adopted from a study on Advanced Cruise-Assist Highway Systems [1]. Two reduced headway scenarios are simulated in this MATSim NYC model, 1.1 and .85 second headways. Results indicate that Scenario B (1.1-second headway) is preferable over Scenario A (0.85 second headway), mitigating potential congestion on connectors, especially on Victory Boulevard in Staten Island. This study suggests implementing Scenario B for a smoother corridor-wide introduction of AVs to avoid congestion on connectors of the AV corridor to the rest of the NYC network.

Utilization of a multidisciplinary hospital-based approach to reduce readmission rates.

Hospital readmissions remain a significant and pressing issue in our healthcare system. In 2010, the Affordable Care Act helped establish the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, which incentivized reducing readmission rates by instituting penalties. Hospital readmission, specifically unplanned, refers to a patient returning to the hospital shortly after discharge due to the same or a related medical condition, signaling potential issues in initial care, discharge processes, or post-hospitalization management. For this study, we defined readmission as a return to the hospital within 30 days. In 2018, Staten Island University Hospital started a multidisciplinary and coordinated initiative to reduce patient readmissions. The approach involved the departments of emergency medicine, medicine, cardiology, case management, nursing, pharmacy, and transitional care management. This study aimed to determine if this approach reduced 30-day readmissions. This case-control retrospective study reviewed electronic health records between January 2018 and November 2019. Readmission rates within 30 days of index discharge were compared between patients who received transitional care management before and after establishing a multidisciplinary communication of transitional care. Readmission rates were unadjusted and adjusted for patient demographics and predisposed risk for readmission and compared across demographics and select clinical characteristics. A total of 772 patients were included in the analyses; 323 were in the control group (41.8%), and 449 were in the intervention group (58.2%). After the hospital adopted the workflow for multidisciplinary communication of transitional care, there was 45.2% less adjusted incidence of readmission, or approximately seven fewer overall readmissions per 100 patients (16.4% readmission vs 9.0% readmission; incident rate ratio, 0.55; 95% CI: 0.34-0.88). Multidisciplinary communication approaches led by emergency medicine can help reduce readmissions significantly. Adopting a structured communication workflow can enhance co-managing patients with a high risk of readmission between the emergency department and hospital medicine teams.

CSI launches autism mentorship STEM program

As the academic year got underway, Dr. Kristen Gillespie‐Lynch launched Making Mentors: Enhancing Access to STEM Careers for Autistic Youth through Mentorship Programs and Makerspaces. Gillespie‐Lynch, Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Project REACH at College of Staten Island, is partnering with the Education Development Center and New York University's Maker Program on this project, which is funded by a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Archiving the Movement: Generating Solidarity Among Black Millennials in Virtual Spaces

In this paper, I analyze the impact of the discourse #BlackLivesMatter (#BLM) has on how communities frame policing practices within protests. I find that Millennials created an archive of distinct moments in virtual space through social media as a platform for performing their discourse. I examined YouTube videos of protesting the police after incidents of police brutality in three cases. First, the murder of Oscar Grant in Oakland, California, which was before the #BLM movement emerged. Second was the choking of Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York. Third is the shooting of teenager Michael Brown in St. Louis, Missouri. By expanding the collective identity, #BLM changed the discourse about police brutality from a problem within local communities to a national social issue. The #BLM movement shows that communities no longer have to struggle alone but that they can and must unite against oppressive policing. Further understanding how social media has been used as a social movement tool can help scholars see how activists use virtual spaces to perform a discourse in future movements.