US Metropolitan Areas Research Articles

Uncovering migration systems through spatio-temporal tensor co-clustering

A central problem in the study of human mobility is that of migration systems. Typically, migration systems are defined as a set of relatively stable movements of people between two or more locations over time. While these emergent systems are expected to vary over time, they ideally contain a stable underlying structure that could be discovered empirically. There have been some notable attempts to formally or informally define migration systems. However, they have been limited by being hard to operationalize and defining migration systems in ways that ignore origin/destination aspects and fail to account for migration dynamics over time. In this work, we propose to employ spatio-temporal tensor co-clustering—that stems from signal processing and machine learning theory—as a novel migration system analysis tool. Tensor co-clustering is designed to cluster entities exhibiting similar patterns across multiple modalities and thus suits our purpose of analyzing spatial migration activities across time. To demonstrate its effectiveness in describing stable migration systems, we first focus on domestic migration between counties in the US from 1990 to 2018. We conduct three case studies on domestic migration, namely, (i) US Metropolitan Areas, (ii) the state of California, and (iii) Louisiana, in which the last focuses on detecting exogenous events such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In addition, we also examine a case study at a larger scale, using worldwide international migration data from 200 countries between 1990 and 2015. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of this approach and its limitations.

Variation in species-specific responses to habitat fragmentation and land cover structure in urban small mammal communities

Abstract Urbanization is a key driver of habitat loss and fragmentation worldwide, yet many urban ecosystems contain vegetated habitat patches that support diverse wildlife communities. Managing urban systems to support robust wildlife communities requires us to understand the mechanisms that drive the response of species to the urban environment. Small mammals are key components of terrestrial ecosystems (e.g., seed predators, prey) and likely also carry out these roles in urban ecosystems; however, the effects of urbanization on small mammal communities are understudied. To identify how species-specific responses to urban environments shape community composition, we quantified both overall community and species-specific changes in small mammal abundance across an urbanization gradient in a Midwestern US metropolitan area. We combined small mammal trapping and land cover data to generate a hierarchical community abundance model. Species diversity increased with increasing proportional cover of human-modified land cover (i.e., impervious surfaces and turfgrass). This finding is driven by high species diversity on sites bordering streams in mowed parks and low diversity on sites with high tree canopy closure. Additionally, modeling results indicated that species responded differently to landscape attributes, leading to variation in small mammal community composition across the urbanization gradient: prairie-associated species tended to be more abundant in tall vegetation bordering mowed parks while habitat generalists tended to be more abundant on sites with greater canopy closure and shrub cover. Our results suggest that studies that focus on community-level responses (e.g., species richness) to urbanization may miss important species-specific responses. It may be particularly important to assess both species-specific and community-level responses in cities at ecotones (e.g., between forest and grassland) where species with different habitat requirements may replace one another in different types of green spaces, thereby changing community composition without affecting species diversity or richness. Our findings also indicate that vegetated urban patches, especially patches with tall vegetation cover and low canopy cover, are important habitat for prairie-associated small mammal communities, providing conservation options in heavily altered landscapes.

Equity, travel, and park visitation in 10 US metro areas: A smartphone mobility study

Urban planners and urban forestry researchers use various methods to evaluate how well different populations access the benefits of parks, often by assessing park distribution in relation to the social and economic conditions of surrounding neighbourhoods. However, without precise visitation data, it remains unclear whether proximity to parks translates into actual use. This study analyses the social and spatial factors influencing park visitation using real-world data across multiple urban and ecological contexts. We utilised smartphone mobility to capture visitation counts for over 14,000 parks across 10 US metropolitan areas, representing populations from more than 26,000 census block groups (CBGs). By integrating census data with spatial models, we examined the relationships between park visitation, proximity of parks to visitors' home neighbourhoods, and socio-economic variables such as race and ethnicity. Our analysis revealed that park visitation increases with proximity to visitors' home neighbourhoods. We also found positive associations between visitation rates and factors such as population density, median income, and park coverage in visitors' home neighbourhoods. Additionally, we identified significant correlations between park visitation and the racial and ethnic composition of these neighbourhoods. These findings confirm the assumption that closer proximity to parks enhances visitation rates. We recommend that park visitation data be considered alongside distributional analyses when planning for park accessibility.

Measuring Geographic Opportunity for Higher Education in US Metropolitan Areas

AbstractResearch demonstrates that students who live closer to postsecondary institutions are more likely to attend college. Yet many communities offer few or no postsecondary options. In this study, we expand on prior research on the geographic distribution of postsecondary opportunity by developing a finer-grained measure that accounts for both the variety and density of college options in each metropolitan statistical area (MSA). Our estimates use several decay functions to measure the distance-weighted characteristics of institutions, allowing us to cross-validate different approaches and identify the most appropriate model to inform future analyses of geographic opportunity. The results of the cross-validation indicate that both the type of geographic measure used and the penalty in the inverse distance weighting function result in substantively different model fit. We find that each of the measures used in a spatial model—enrollment size, tuition, and net price—has a positive and statistically significant relationship with postsecondary enrollment at the MSA level, indicating the continuing importance of geographic opportunity for college attendance.

HPV Vaccination Status in HIV-Negative MSM and Its Association with High-Risk HPV Detection Using HPV Serology and Anorectal Swabs

Background/Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) types by HPV vaccination status and the feasibility of using HPV L1 serology to identify HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) who may be at risk for anal cancer. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited HIV-negative MSM from a US metropolitan area. The prevalence of HR, quadrivalent, and nonavalent anorectal HPV DNA and HPV L1 serum antibodies was estimated. McNemar’s chi-square and kappa statistics were used to determine significant differences in HPV detection between anorectal DNA swabs and HPV L1 serology. Results: Eighty-two men had adequate anorectal swabs and serology samples for analysis. Men who self-reported receipt of the HPV vaccine (35.6%) had detectable L1 HPV antibodies (93.1%) and a lower prevalence of active anal HPV infections (20.7%) compared to those who reported none. Conclusions: If confirmed in larger prospective studies, a combination of HPV vaccination status or HPV L1 serology and anorectal swabs for HR HPV types could identify HIV-negative MSM who do not need to undergo follow-up anal testing.

Heterogeneity in disparities by income in cardiovascular risk factors across 209 US metropolitan areas

ObjectiveThe United States has a lower life expectancy and wider income inequality than its similarly developed counterparts, and disparities continue to widen. The objective of our study is to examine the heterogeneity of disparities by income in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among U.S. metropolitan areas. MethodsData was obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 2012–2019. We used self-reported data for respondent characteristics and for CVD risk factors/prevalence, and on metropolitan-level demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. We computed the relative index of inequality (RII) for each outcome using a multilevel Poisson model, sequentially adjusted for age, sex, and race/ethnicity with a random slope for income. We also included interactions between income and the metropolitan-level variables. ResultsOur sample included 1.4 million participants from 209 metropolitan areas. All CVD risk factors and CVD demonstrated income-related disparities. There were no clear regional patterns for risk factors, though seven of the top 10 large metropolitan areas with the widest disparities in CVD prevalence were in the South. Improved socioeconomic conditions were associated with wider disparities in the five risk factors, and contextual variables explained almost half of the variability in income disparities in smoking, sedentarism, and obesity, even after adjusting for age, sex, and race/ethnicity. ConclusionsThis study found that CVD risk factors and prevalence in U.S. metropolitan areas have heterogeneous income disparities, especially in advantaged metropolitan areas. Further studies with improved data collection may shed more light into potential drivers of income-based disparities in cardiovascular risk.

PM2.5 and cognition changes in six US metropolitan areas: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution (MESA Air)

PM2.5 and cognition changes in six US metropolitan areas: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution (MESA Air)

The influence of socioeconomic characteristics on active travel in US metropolitan areas and the contribution to health inequity.

The prevalence of chronic disease in the US adult population varies across socioeconomic groups in the USA where approximately six in 10 adults have a chronic condition. Walking or cycling reduces the risk to many of these diseases and is influenced by the built environment, accessibility, and safety. We performed multivariate logistic and linear regression on the Health-Oriented Transportation model parameters using the 2009 and 2017 US National Household Transportation surveys, restricted to adults in major metropolitan areas. Model covariates included socioeconomic and environmental characteristics. Using odds ratios (OR) adjusted for model covariates, we observe several significant variables in 2009 and 2017. Residents of households with no cars were more likely to walk or cycle than those with two cars; OR=5.4 (4.8, 6.0). Residents of households in a census block with population density greater than 2,5000 persons/square mile were more likely to walk or cycle than those with a population density of 2000-3999; OR=2.6 (2.3, 2.8). Individuals with a graduate or professional degree were more likely to walk or cycle than those with a high school degree; OR=2.1 (1.9, 2.2). Individuals that self-report as Black or African American, or Asian are less likely to walk or cycle than White; OR=0.60 (0.56, 0.66), OR=0.70 (0.65, 0.75). The proportional increase in all-cause mortality from estimated reductions in physical activity for African American, Asian, and Hispanic populations were 1.0%, 0.7%, 0.8%, respectively. Access to automobiles and the surrounding population density are primary factors in the decision to walk or cycle. After adjusting for these and other factors, members of low-income, low-education, Black or African American, and Asian populations in US metropolitan areas are less likely to walk or cycle than high-income, high-education, or White populations and the discrepancy in physical activity is likely to contribute to health inequity.

A review on American senior housing and financing decisions

Purpose The world population is getting older and housing decisions matter to the security of retirement life and well-being. However, senior housing and financing decisions are largely overlooked in the literature. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the senior housing and financing decisions in the USA. Design/methodology/approach Using 2021 American Housing Survey data and ordinary least squares estimates, this paper studies senior housing and financing decisions in the 15 most populous US metropolitan areas. Multiple regressions are used to analyze the whole sample as well as various subsamples. Findings This paper finds strong evidence that seniors are more likely to own a house with a higher market value compared with nonseniors. More specifically, although race and gender do not matter in this relationship, it is less pronounced among those with higher education. Also, seniors, especially white senior homeowners, are more likely to have a lower mortgage debt burden due to a higher upfront down payment than nonseniors. Last, seniors are more likely to refinance their homes and receive cash than nonseniors. Research limitations/implications Constrained by the data limitations, this study specifically focuses on seniors’ housing and mortgage decisions. Future research could involve exploring seniors’ mortgage decisions by considering factors such as mortgage loan terms, borrower credentials and the evolving landscape of the senior housing market, among other aspects. Practical implications The findings would help policymakers and contractors in the construction industry better understand the uniqueness of challenges in the senior housing market and develop effective housing policies and programs that cater to the needs of the elderly. A comprehensive understanding of the senior housing market would also help seniors make informed purchase and financing decisions. Social implications The authors propose providing financial education to the elderly, particularly those of disadvantaged status, to improve their expertise and bargaining skills in the mortgage loan application process. Originality/value This paper contributes to understanding the dynamic senior housing market, which encounters challenges and opportunities associated with the aging population. The study fills the gap of limited research regarding seniors’ housing decision and their financing choices in the USA and would help policymakers and contractors in the construction industry develop effective housing policies and programs that cater to the needs of the elderly.

Concealed firearm carrying laws and defensive firearm use in public locations of US metropolitan areas, 1986–2004

ObjectivesThere has been extensive debate in the USA as to how laws regulating the carrying of concealed firearms affect crime and public safety. This study examines whether US state laws...

Geographies of Knowledge Sourcing and the Complexity of Knowledge in Multilocational Firms

The rise of the knowledge economy has placed innovation at the center of models of competitive advantage. Access to more valuable forms of knowledge remains contested as the geography of its production is uneven and as some knowledge assets are relatively immobile. Within this fractured knowledge landscape multilocational firms have clear advantages. They can exploit numerous localized pools of knowledge, they can shape the character of knowledge development in different places, and they have some control over who can tap local knowledge assets. Surprisingly, we still have little detailed knowledge of the technologies developed by multilocational firms across the sites where they are active. We augment the literature on multiunit firms on three fronts. First, we make use of the rich, technological information in patent data to show that multilocational firms operating research and development (R&D) units across US metropolitan areas produce different kinds of technological knowledge over space. Second, we provide quantitative evidence of geographic knowledge sourcing by linking the technologies produced within the R&D units of these firms to the knowledge stocks generated within the cities where they are located. Third, we report that as the number of R&D units within multilocational firms increase, so, up to a limit, the complexity of the knowledge those firms generate also increases. We show that these complexity gains are linked to the volume of knowledge sourced from local partners and to the integration of knowledge across units of the multilocational firm.

Estimating the potential value of MSM-focused evidence-based implementation interventions in three Ending the HIV Epidemic jurisdictions in the United States: a model-based analysis.

Improving the delivery of existing evidence-based interventions to prevent and diagnose HIV is key to Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States. Structural barriers in the access and delivery of related health services require municipal or state-level policy changes; however, suboptimal implementation can be addressed directly through interventions designed to improve the reach, effectiveness, adoption or maintenance of available interventions. Our objective was to estimate the cost-effectiveness and potential epidemiological impact of six real-world implementation interventions designed to address these barriers and increase the scale of delivery of interventions for HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in three US metropolitan areas. We used a dynamic HIV transmission model calibrated to replicate HIV microepidemics in Atlanta, Los Angeles (LA) and Miami. We identified six implementation interventions designed to improve HIV testing uptake ("Academic detailing for HIV testing," "CyBER/testing," "All About Me") and PrEP uptake/persistence ("Project SLIP," "PrEPmate," "PrEP patient navigation"). Our comparator scenario reflected a scale-up of interventions with no additional efforts to mitigate implementation and structural barriers. We accounted for potential heterogeneity in population-level effectiveness across jurisdictions. We sustained implementation interventions over a 10-year period and evaluated HIV acquisitions averted, costs, quality-adjusted life years and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios over a 20-year time horizon (2023-2042). Across jurisdictions, implementation interventions to improve the scale of HIV testing were most cost-effective in Atlanta and LA (CyBER/testing cost-saving and All About Me cost-effective), while interventions for PrEP were most cost-effective in Miami (two of three were cost-saving). We estimated that the most impactful HIV testing intervention, CyBER/testing, was projected to avert 111 (95% credible interval: 110-111), 230 (228-233) and 101 (101-103) acquisitions over 20 years in Atlanta, LA and Miami, respectively. The most impactful implementation intervention to improve PrEP engagement, PrEPmate, averted an estimated 936 (929-943), 860 (853-867) and 2152 (2127-2178) acquisitions over 20 years, in Atlanta, LA and Miami, respectively. Our results highlight the potential impact of interventions to enhance the implementation of existing evidence-based interventions for the prevention and diagnosis of HIV.

An urban-rural divide? Preferences for autonomous vehicles in small and med-sized metropolitan areas

Planning for autonomous vehicles (AVs) depends on understanding how commuters behave and respond to this disruptive technology. There is a growing body of research on individuals' preferences and perceptions towards AVs, but much less work has been done on the implications for smaller communities. This paper examines commuters' preferences for autonomous vehicles in small and mid-sized US metropolitan areas. Using a national-wide stated experiment dataset, we find that AVs, both shared and privately owned, would have limited appeal to most of the commuters in smaller urban and rural areas, even when monetary cost of using AVs can be substantially reduced. Also, most of the commuters are not comfortable with sharing the road space with AVs. Our findings point to the importance of designing AV policies that recognize the heterogenous response of users and non-users in small urban and rural areas.

Assessing potential benefits of visits to neighborhoods with higher tree canopy coverage using mobility data: Associations with cardiovascular health outcomes in twenty US metropolitan areas

BackgroundResearch on health benefits due to exposure to green space, such as tree canopy coverage, has predominantly focused on canopy coverage in home neighborhoods. Yet exposures to tree canopy coverage in other spaces visited during the week or on weekends outside the home neighborhoods remains largely unexplored. ObjectivesWe examined whether differences in coverage levels of tree canopy in neighborhoods visited compared to home neighborhoods was associated with lower prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, adjusting for exposure to home canopy coverage. We further investigated if the associations varied across levels of home canopy coverage, and if they were more pronounced on weekdays or weekends. MethodsWe used 2018 mobile phone data from the twenty largest U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). For each home census tract, we derived a weighted tree canopy coverage exposure from all visited tracts based on the proportion of visits to other tracts by home tract residents. We subtracted home canopy coverage from the weighted canopy coverage in each of the visited tracts to calculate tract-specific differences. We evaluated associations between differences in tree canopy coverage and prevalence of CHD and stroke via spatial error models, adjusting for tract-level home canopy coverage, MSA, socioeconomic and built environment characteristics. ResultsFor every ten-percentage-point increase in tree canopy coverage in visited tracts relative to home tracts, there was a 0.32–0.34% decrease in stroke prevalence. Association with CHD prevalence was not observed after adjusting for spatial autocorrelation. Variations between weekdays and weekends were minimal. The difference in tree canopy coverage was associated with CHD prevalence only for home tracts with low tree canopy coverage, while the difference was associated with stroke prevalence across home tracts with low, moderate, and high tree canopy coverage, with diminishing effect size. DiscussionThis study identified that greater tree canopy coverage in visited neighborhoods relative to home neighborhoods was associated with lower stroke prevalence, and associations varied across home neighborhoods with different tree canopy coverage levels. It emphasized the need to factor in the neighborhood mobility networks in urban planning initiatives to promote cardiovascular health.

Effects of a monthly unconditional cash transfer starting at birth on family investments among US families with low income.

How does unconditional income for families in poverty affect parental investments for their young children? Mothers in four US metropolitan areas were randomized to receive a monthly unconditional cash transfer of either $333 per month (high) or $20 per month (low) for the first several years after childbirth. During the first 3 years, high-cash gift households spent more money on child-specific goods and more time on child-specific early learning activities than the low-cash gift group. Few changes were evident in other core household expenditures. Compared with low-cash gift families, high-cash gift families reported lower rates of public benefit receipt and fewer were residing in poverty, although mean income and wealth remain low for the majority of families by year 3. No statistically significant differences were evident in mothers' participation in paid work, children's time in childcare or mothers' subjective wellbeing.

The women's health needs study among women from countries with high prevalence of female genital mutilation living in the United States: Design, methods, and participant characteristics.

The Women's Health Needs Study (WHNS) collected information on the health characteristics, needs, and experiences, including female genital mutilation (FGM) experiences, attitudes, and beliefs, of women aged 18 to 49 years who were born, or whose mothers were born, in a country where FGM is prevalent living in the US. The purpose of this paper is to describe the WHNS design, methods, strengths and limitations, as well as select demographic and health-related characteristics of participants. We conducted a cross-sectional survey from November 2020 -June 2021 in four US metropolitan areas, using a hybrid venue-based sampling (VBS) and respondent-driven sampling (RDS) approach to identify women for recruitment. Of 1,132 participants, 395 were recruited via VBS and 737 RDS. Most were born, or their mothers were born, in either a West African country (Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, The Gambia) (39.0%) or Ethiopia (30.7%). More than a third were aged 30-39 years (37.5%) with a majority who immigrated at ages ≥13 years (86.6%) and had lived in the United States for ≥5 years (68.9%). Medicaid was the top health insurer (52.5%), followed by private health insurance (30.5%); 17% of participants had no insurance. Nearly half of women reported 1-2 healthcare visits within the past 12 months (47.7%). One in seven did not get needed health care due to cost (14.8%). Over half have ever used contraception (52.1%) to delay or avoid pregnancy and 76.9% had their last pelvic and/or Papanicolaou (pap) exam within the past 3 years. More than half experienced FGM (55.0%). Nearly all women believed that FGM should be stopped (92.0%). The VBS/RDS approach enabled recruitment of a diverse study population. WHNS advances research related to the health characteristics, needs, and experiences of women living in the US from countries where FGM is prevalent.

Preterm and Early-Term Delivery After Heat Waves in 50 US Metropolitan Areas

Heat waves are increasing in frequency, intensity, and duration and may be acutely associated with pregnancy outcomes. To examine changes in daily rates of preterm and early-term birth after heat waves in a 25-year nationwide study. This cohort study of singleton births used birth records from 1993 to 2017 from the 50 most populous US metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). The study included 53 million births, covering 52.8% of US births over the period. Data were analyzed between October 2022 and March 2023 at the National Center for Health Statistics. Daily temperature data from Daymet at 1-km2 resolution were averaged over each MSA using population weighting. Heat waves were defined in the 4 days (lag, 0-3 days) or 7 days (lag, 0-6 days) preceding birth. Daily counts of preterm birth (28 to <37 weeks), early-term birth (37 to <39 weeks), and ongoing pregnancies in each gestational week on each day were enumerated in each MSA. Rate ratios for heat wave metrics were obtained from time-series models restricted to the warm season (May to September) adjusting for MSA, year, day of season, and day of week, and offset by pregnancies at risk. There were 53 154 816 eligible births in the 50 MSAs from 1993 to 2017; 2 153 609 preterm births and 5 795 313 early-term births occurring in the warm season were analyzed. A total of 30.0% of mothers were younger than 25 years, 53.8% were 25 to 34 years, and 16.3% were 35 years or older. Heat waves were positively associated with daily rates of preterm and early-term births, showing a dose-response association with heat wave duration and temperatures and stronger associations in the more acute 4-day window. After 4 consecutive days of mean temperatures exceeding the local 97.5th percentile, the rate ratio for preterm birth was 1.02 (95% CI, 1.00-1.03), and the rate ratio for early-term birth was 1.01 (95% CI, 1.01-1.02). For the same exposure, among those who were 29 years of age or younger, had a high school education or less, and belonged to a racial or ethnic minority group, the rate ratios were 1.04 (95% CI, 1.02-1.06) for preterm birth and 1.03 (95% CI, 1.02-1.05) for early-term birth. Results were robust to alternative heat wave definitions, excluding medically induced deliveries, and alternative statistical model specifications. In this cohort study, preterm and early-term birth rates increased after heat waves, particularly among socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroups. Extreme heat events have implications for perinatal health.

The diaspora model for human migration.

Migration's impact spans various social dimensions, including demography, sustainability, politics, economy, and gender disparities. Yet, the decision-making process behind migrants choosing their destination remains elusive. Existing models primarily rely on population size and travel distance to explain the spatial patterns of migration flows, overlooking significant population heterogeneities. Paradoxically, migrants often travel long distances and to smaller destinations if their diaspora is present in those locations. To address this gap, we propose the diaspora model of migration, incorporating intensity (the number of people moving to a country), and assortativity (the destination within the country). Our model considers only the existing diaspora sizes in the destination country, influencing the probability of migrants selecting a specific residence. Despite its simplicity, our model accurately reproduces the observed stable flow and distribution of migration in Austria (postal code level) and US metropolitan areas, yielding precise estimates of migrant inflow at various geographic scales. Given the increase in international migrations, this study enlightens our understanding of migration flow heterogeneities, helping design more inclusive, integrated cities.

Risk assessment of mold growth across the US due to weather variations

Mold growth in residential and commercial buildings poses a serious problem to various communities. There are several facets of the problem, the most prominent of which are chronic public health risks, business losses, and monetary and labor resources needed for mold containment and mitigation. In addition, there may be severe renovation work needed if the problem is left unattended. This paper describes a probabilistic framework for mold growth risk assessment on various construction materials and shows its application across a variety of climate conditions. Mold growth is contingent upon three ingredients: temperature, moisture, and nutrients. A specific construction material of interest represents the latter, while the other two are modeled through Monte-Carlo simulations. Mold growth is characterized by the mold growth index, which is tracked over ten years, with hourly time resolution. Analysis of the temperature and relative humidity empirical data revealed that these quantities are statistically dependent. Accounting for these interdependencies is crucial for realistic simulations of temperature and humidity and were numerically reproduced in the developed method. The developed framework allowed for realistic assessment of mold growth risk. It was applied across 60 US metropolitan areas in different climatological zones to quantify mold growth risk. The proposed framework allows for quantitative risk assessment of mold growth in different climatological conditions. Such a capability is needed for decision makers for timely mold mitigation, preventing health hazards, and avoiding large financial losses for emergency mold remediation and building repair.

Children of trauma survivors: Influences of parental posttraumatic stress and child-perceived parenting

BackgroundResearch has established a negative association between parental posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), including subthreshold symptoms, and child physical and behavioral health outcomes. Such intergenerational transmission of risk has multiple possible mechanisms, including lack of positive parenting, increased negative parenting, shared environmental and contextual risks, and potential biological components such as shared genetics or even transmission of epigenetic risk. MethodThis study examined 93 parent-child dyads (n = 171 participants total) from a mixed Urban-Suburban US metropolitan area to investigate the relations between parental PTSS and child-perceived parenting and child PTSS. We sought to examine interactions between parental PTSS and parenting on child PTSS. ResultsWe found an association between parent and child PTSS, consistent with prior literature showing increased risk for children of trauma survivors. Interestingly, we found effects of positive parenting on diminished child PTSS symptoms only in parents without PTSS, whereas the effect of positive parenting on buffering child symptoms was absent in parents with PTSS.Limitations.The present findings are tempered by the use of self-report data to assess parent and child PTSS, which is not as reliable as clinician assessment of symptoms. Further, the use of survey data limits what is known about the extent of trauma exposure in parents and children, and different measures were used to assess PTSS in parents and kids, which limits comparability of these reported symptoms. DiscussionLimitations notwithstanding, findings suggest joint attention paid to parenting practices and to a parent's recovery, even from subthreshold symptoms of PTSS, as two different but important ways to support trauma survivor parents in their efforts to most optimally parent and protect their children from intergenerational risk.