Neighborhood Social and Geospatial Determinants of Health Disparities

National Institute On Minority Health And Health Disparities

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

In FY21 we set up a new laboratory focusing on neighborhood social environment and cardiovascular health from a geospatial perspective. We recruited a postdoctoral fellow and continued to collaborate with intramural and extramural researchers to publish manuscripts on geospatial determinants of health disparities in minority populations. These efforts and accomplishments are described in detail below. Objective 1. In FY21, regarding Objective 1, we set up a new laboratory ready to perform high-quality research. We installed the computer software necessary to conduct geospatial analyses, such as geographic information systems technology, i.e., ESRI ArcGIS and global positioning systems. We also installed ActiLife which allows us to analyze objectively measured physical activity via ActiGraph accelerometers. In addition to setting up a laboratory, it is important to seek and hire a postdoctoral fellow who conducts neighborhood research. We posted an advertisement and hired one postdoctoral fellow. The postdoctoral fellow's research interests focus on immigrant older adults health from a life-course perspective. Furthermore, we sought out potential collaborative research projects with intramural and extramural researchers related to neighborhood social environments and cardiovascular health. Objective 2. The goal of Objective 2 is to better elucidate the mechanisms by which adverse neighborhood social environmental factors, as measured by using geospatial technologies, impact biomarkers of stress. Pursuant to this goal in collaboration with the Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Health Laboratory, we published a research protocol, focusing on neighborhood environments and cardiovascular health among women in JMIR Research Protocols. The main aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that the health of women residing with exposure to adverse residential neighborhood contexts is associated with higher stress biomarkers (amygdala activity, vascular function, immune system activation), and to test the hypothesis that the association is moderated by objectively measured PA using an accelerometer. This study will be recruiting healthy women living in low (n=30) and high (n=30) socio-economic status areas in Washington, D.C. among a total of 60 Black and White women. Prior to recruitment, we tested the use of wearable devices (i.e., accelerometer, global positioning systems units) and the application of a smartphone app to measure real-time psychosocial factors (i.e., mood, hassles) through ecological momentary assessment. In addition, to measure neighborhood physical disorder, we audited street segments (roughly 1200 segments) across Washington, D.C. neighborhoods using the Computer Assisted Neighborhood Visual Assessment. Using geographic information systems technology, we evaluated residential areas and GPS-derived activity space based on different sizes of buffers (200m, 400m, and 800m). As we expected, the areas for the residential buffer were smaller than the GPS activity space areas. We plan to test different sizes and types of buffers. The initial device testing and the use of geospatial methods helped us plan for this study.