Alexander Azan, Jin Choi, Ellicott C Matthay, Frank Pezzella, Mehdi Heris, David C Lee, Byoungjun Kim
{"title":"Examining the Association between Heat Exposure and Crime in Cities across the United States: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Alexander Azan, Jin Choi, Ellicott C Matthay, Frank Pezzella, Mehdi Heris, David C Lee, Byoungjun Kim","doi":"10.1007/s11524-025-00970-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-025-00970-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Growing evidence suggests exposure to high temperatures may result in increased urban crime, a known driver of health and health inequity. Theoretical explanations have been developed to describe the heat-crime relationship without consensus yet achieved among experts. This scoping review aims to summarize evidence of heat-crime associations in U.S. cities. Further examination of empirical and translational inconsistencies in this literature will ensure future studies of urban heat-crime relationships in the U.S., and their policy impacts are informed by a thorough understanding of existing evidence. We performed a comprehensive literature search of empirical studies on heat-crime relationships in U.S. cities published between January 2000 and August 2023. The included studies were qualitatively synthesized based on operationalized exposures, outcomes, covariates, methodologies, theoretical framing, and policy implications. In total, 46 studies were included in this review. Most studies (93%) reported significant, positive associations between urban heat exposure and both violent and non-violent crime outcomes. The shape and strength of these associations varied based on operational definitions of urban heat exposures, crime outcomes, and relevant covariates in employed methods. We also found inconsistencies in the theoretical explanations and policy implications reported across studies. Climate-driven extreme heat events are projected to increase in frequency and severity. Our findings underscore the urgency of refining the understanding and translation of the complex relationship between urban heat and crime. In this review, we highlight opportunities to improve the methodological quality and responsible policy translation of future research in U.S. cities, which has implications for research globally.</p>","PeriodicalId":49964,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143606802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sullaiman Fullah, Dora Vangahun, Ibrahim Gandi, Sia Morenike Tengbe, Braima Koroma, Samira Sesay, Eliud Kibuchi, Rajith W D Lakshman, Ibrahim Juldeh Sesay, Abu Conteh, Samuel Saidu, Helen Elsey, Zahidul Quayyum, Bintu Mansaray, Lana Whittaker, Neele Wiltgen Georgi, Motto Nganda, Rachel Tolhurst, Noemia Teixeira de Siqueira Filha
{"title":"The Economic Burden of Healthcare Utilization: Findings from a Health and Well-Being Survey in Informal Settlements of Freetown, Sierra Leone.","authors":"Sullaiman Fullah, Dora Vangahun, Ibrahim Gandi, Sia Morenike Tengbe, Braima Koroma, Samira Sesay, Eliud Kibuchi, Rajith W D Lakshman, Ibrahim Juldeh Sesay, Abu Conteh, Samuel Saidu, Helen Elsey, Zahidul Quayyum, Bintu Mansaray, Lana Whittaker, Neele Wiltgen Georgi, Motto Nganda, Rachel Tolhurst, Noemia Teixeira de Siqueira Filha","doi":"10.1007/s11524-025-00960-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-025-00960-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The fragile health system in Sierra Leone undermines healthcare, leading to substantial patient costs. We aimed to estimate the economic burden and inequalities in healthcare in urban informal settlements in Freetown, Sierra Leone. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three informal settlements in Freetown in April and May 2023 to collect data on healthcare usage within and outside the boundaries of the informal settlements. Catastrophic expenditures were estimated using the payer's household budget. Logistic regression explored socioeconomic characteristics associated with catastrophic expenditures. Inequalities in healthcare expenditures were assessed through concentration curves and indices. A total of 2575 participants reported healthcare utilization. Dwarzark (US$6.9) and Moyiba (US$7.1) had higher costs than Cockle Bay (US$5.5) when utilizing healthcare within the communities. Households incurred higher costs when seeking healthcare outside their informal settlements than within (US$14 vs US$ 7). Over half of the households across the settlements incurred catastrophic expenditures when seeking care outside the communities (57%), with the poorest wealth quintile (poorest, 89%; wealthier, 12%) incurring in higher incidence. Attending informal healthcare had a protective effect against catastrophic expenditure for healthcare within the communities. Age + 35, residence in Dwarzark and Moyiba, and length of residence + 4 years were associated with catastrophic expenditures. Healthcare expenditure was progressive in Dwarzark and equally distributed across wealth quintiles in the other communities. Our findings indicate the need to provide accessible, affordable, and good-quality healthcare within communities to alleviate the catastrophic costs of healthcare utilization. The regulation of informal health providers and their integration into the formal health system should be considered.</p>","PeriodicalId":49964,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143587762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Edwin M McCulley, Lisa Frueh, Deiriai Myers, Samuel Jaros, Hoda S Abdel Magid, Felicia Bayer, Gina S Lovasi
{"title":"Measuring Spatial Social Polarization in Public Health Research: A Scoping Review of Methods and Applications.","authors":"Edwin M McCulley, Lisa Frueh, Deiriai Myers, Samuel Jaros, Hoda S Abdel Magid, Felicia Bayer, Gina S Lovasi","doi":"10.1007/s11524-024-00957-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-024-00957-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Spatial social polarization (SSP) refers to the uneven spatial distribution and subsequent concentration of polarized social and/or economic groups in a specified geographic area. However, there is heterogeneity in how SSP is measured and operationalized in research. To this end, we conducted a scoping review to characterize the use of SSP measures in public health research, providing a foundation for those seeking to navigate this complex literature, select measurement options, and identify opportunities for methodological development. Using a structured search strategy, we searched PubMed for any primary research, published since 2007, that examined the relationship between SSP and health outcomes. Across 117 included studies, we found a body of evidence that was primarily set in the United States (n = 104), published between 2020 and 2022 (n = 52), and focused on non-communicable diseases (n = 40). We found that defining SSP in the context of privilege, deprivation, and segregation returns a variety of measures. Among measures, we categorized 18 of them as SSP measures, with the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (n = 43) being the most common, and 5 of them as composite indices based on numerous underlying variables spanning several domains like education and race/ethnicity. While most employed a single SSP measure (n = 64), some included up to 5 measures to examine the robustness of findings or to identify how a multidimensional approach to SSP affected associations. Our findings fill a critical literature gap by summarizing options for operationalizing SSP measures and documenting their respective methodologies. Future research should consider using multiple SSP measures to capture the multidimensionality of SSP, widen the scope of health outcomes, and clearly explain the choice of measure(s) and methods used to derive them. Our findings can inform future research questions and help guide researchers in the selection and utilization of the various SSP measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":49964,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143598182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fabiana Sofia Ricci, Charles K Ukegbu, Anne Krassner, Sanjukta Hazarika, Jade White, Maurizio Porfiri, John-Ross Rizzo
{"title":"Using Virtual Reality to Enhance Mobility, Safety, and Equity for Persons with Vision Loss in Urban Environments.","authors":"Fabiana Sofia Ricci, Charles K Ukegbu, Anne Krassner, Sanjukta Hazarika, Jade White, Maurizio Porfiri, John-Ross Rizzo","doi":"10.1007/s11524-025-00962-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-025-00962-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study explores the use of virtual reality (VR) as an innovative tool to enhance awareness, understanding of accessibility for persons with vision loss (VL), and acceptance. Through a VR-based workshop developed in collaboration with New York City's Department Of Transportation, participants experienced immersive simulations of VL and related immersive mobility challenges. The methodology included the development of a VR environment, simulations of vision loss, testing with the DOT team during the workshop, and an assessment of changes in participants' knowledge, confidence in addressing accessibility challenges, and overall perception through pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Participants included urban planners, designers, and architects. Results showed a significant increase in awareness of VL-related challenges that affect design guidelines, as well as improved confidence in addressing such challenges. Participants also expressed strong support for VR as a pedagogical tool, noting its potential for reshaping professional practices, improving capacity building, and enhancing inclusive design. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of VR as an experiential learning platform, fostering empathy and a long-term commitment to integrating VL considerations into urban design. These findings highlight the transformative potential of VR in advancing equity and accessibility in urban environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":49964,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143517095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katherine P Theall, Jasmine Wallace, Amber Tucker, Kimberly Wu, Brigham Walker, Jeanette Gustat, Michelle Kondo, Christopher Morrison, Casius Pealer, Charles C Branas, Lisa Richardson
{"title":"Building a Culture of Health Through the Built Environment: Impact of a Cluster Randomized Trial Remediating Vacant and Abandoned Property on Health Mindsets.","authors":"Katherine P Theall, Jasmine Wallace, Amber Tucker, Kimberly Wu, Brigham Walker, Jeanette Gustat, Michelle Kondo, Christopher Morrison, Casius Pealer, Charles C Branas, Lisa Richardson","doi":"10.1007/s11524-025-00961-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11524-025-00961-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Changing built environment conditions to impact health mindsets and health equity may be a promising target for public health interventions. The present study was a cluster randomized controlled trial to test the impact of remediating vacant and abandoned properties on factors related to health mindset-including well-being, health interconnectedness, social capital markers, neighborhood disorder, and worry-as well as direct and indirect violence experiences and the moderating role of racial and income segregation on outcomes. A residential cohort of 405 participants from 194 randomly assigned geographic clusters was surveyed over five waves from 2019 to 2023. Compared to clusters with no treatment, participants in clusters where both vacant lots and abandoned homes were treated experienced significant increases in sense of community (83%, 95% CI = 71 to 96%, p = 0.01). Among participants in randomization clusters where only vacant lots were treated, there were declines in perceived neighborhood disorder (- 55%, 95% CI = - 79 to - 5, p = 0.06) and worry about community violence (- 56%, 95% CI = - 58 to - 12, p = 0.06). There was also a moderating effect of racial and income spatial polarization, with the greatest changes in sense of community observed among more deprived areas with both homes and lots treated, and the largest changes in neighborhood worry and disorder were seen in more deprived areas with only lots treated. Remediation of vacant and abandoned properties may be one approach to change some but not all mindsets around health, and the effects may depend on the type of remediation as well as larger neighborhood conditions such as segregation.</p>","PeriodicalId":49964,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143473066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiahui Xiangli, Le Chang, Renzhi Sheng, Ninger Lou, Xu Chen, Juan Tu, Han Lin
{"title":"The U-Shape Association Between Noise and Individual Depression: Nationwide Longitudinal Evidence from Three Waves of CHARLS.","authors":"Jiahui Xiangli, Le Chang, Renzhi Sheng, Ninger Lou, Xu Chen, Juan Tu, Han Lin","doi":"10.1007/s11524-025-00959-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-025-00959-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Depression is a common mental disorder formed by a combination of various factors. Existing researches have already demonstrated that noise indeed impacts the level of depression, but their results were inconsistent. To reconcile seemingly contradictory findings, this study aims to investigate how noise affects individual depression using big data mining and analysis techniques. The individual data was obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) over 3 years (2013, 2015, and 2018) totaling 9693 participants coming from 125 different cities. The Chinese version of the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was employed to assess depression scores, while the search index for noise-related keywords was obtained from Baidu Index to measure noise levels across different cities. A curvilinear model with fixed effects was applied to analyze the relationship between noise and depression. Additionally, moderating effect analyses were conducted to examine the influence of city size and green space. The results indicate a U-shaped relationship between depression and noise, wherein depression initially decreases with increased noise, then subsequently rises. The moderating effect analysis suggests that both city size and green space influence this U-shaped curve; notably, in cities with larger populations or higher green coverage rates, the curve flattens. This study reveals that the impact of noise on depression is complex, which is the result of a multifactorial synergy. It underscores the necessity for urban planning and management to prioritize the creation of friendly sound environments, which could enhance the physical and mental health of urban residents.</p>","PeriodicalId":49964,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143400580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Premature Mortality and Health Inequality among Adult New Yorkers with Serious Mental Illness.","authors":"Iva Magas, Christina Norman, Ashwin Vasan","doi":"10.1007/s11524-024-00953-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-024-00953-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although numerous studies have documented excess mortality and health inequality among individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), none has been done among individuals in a large, diverse urban setting, such as New York City (NYC). We used referral data for adults aged 18 and older referred to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene public mental health services between January 2004 and December 2018 and matched it to the NYC death registry. Age at death, leading causes of death, years of potential life lost (YPLL), and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for this population. We found individuals with SMI in NYC died at younger ages and had higher rates of YPLL compared to the total population (147.4 YPLL vs. 66.8 YPLL per 1000 population). Age and gender-adjusted SMRs show these individuals have more than twice the mortality rate of the total NYC adult population (overall SMR 2.2 [95% CI 2.1-2.2]). Cause-specific SMRs show an increased risk of death among SMI from diabetes (SMR 2.8 [95% CI 2.4-3.10]), heart disease (SMR 2.7 [95% CI 2.6-2.9]), psychoactive substance use and accidental overdose (SMR 4.5 [95% CI 4.1-4.9]), and suicide (SMR 6.7 [95% CI 6.0-7.4]). Our results highlight the need to implement effective, preventive, and rehabilitative measures that integrate physical and behavioral healthcare services and address upstream drivers of health to achieve health equity and eliminate health disparities. In order to achieve gains in life expectancy, specific considerations for reducing excess mortality in the SMI population must be accounted for.</p>","PeriodicalId":49964,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143191179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"2024 Reviewer List.","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s11524-025-00963-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-025-00963-2","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49964,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143191173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A New Phase for the Journal of Urban Health: Building on the Journal's History to Improve Urban Health, Equity, and Environmental Sustainability Worldwide.","authors":"Ana V Diez Roux, Usama Bilal","doi":"10.1007/s11524-024-00955-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11524-024-00955-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49964,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-2"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11865377/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143043082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Claudia Alberico, Maria Zweig, Allison Carter, S Morgan Hughey, Jing-Huei Huang, Jasper Schipperijn, Myron F Floyd, J Aaron Hipp
{"title":"Use of Accelerometry and Global Positioning System (GPS) to Describe Children's Park-Based Physical Activity Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Youth.","authors":"Claudia Alberico, Maria Zweig, Allison Carter, S Morgan Hughey, Jing-Huei Huang, Jasper Schipperijn, Myron F Floyd, J Aaron Hipp","doi":"10.1007/s11524-024-00943-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11524-024-00943-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Parks are one component of the built environment to promote regular physical activity (PA) among youth. This study investigated differences in park-based PA among youth based on demographics and park features in racially or ethnically diverse communities. In 2017-2018, parks were selected in majority Asian (n = 3), Latino (n = 5), and Black (n = 4) neighborhoods in North Carolina (n = 6) and New York (n = 6). Researchers recruited parents/caregivers of 5-10-year-olds to participate. Children wore an Actigraph GT3 + waist accelerometer and a QStarz GPS unit and were instructed to play normally for at least 15 min. Evenson cut-points were used to classify PA levels as sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous. Chi-squared tests and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to examine differences in PA intensity minutes (sedentary, light, moderate-to-vigorous) across study location and demographic variables. Youth participated from NY (n = 200) and NC (n = 157). Overall, most park-based PA was spent in light intensity (59.9%), followed by moderate-to-vigorous intensity (32.4%). Females, compared to male participants, spent more time in sedentary behavior (9.0%, 6.1%) and less time in moderate-to-vigorous PA (26.6%, 38.1%). Participants who identified as Black (32.9% MVPA), Latino (35.8%), and Other (39.8%) spent higher percentages of time in moderate-to-vigorous PA than Asian (26.6%) and non-Hispanic White (21.3%) participants. The highest proportion of moderate-to-vigorous PA occurred on swing sets (46%) and basketball courts (45%). Racial and ethnic, sex, and activity area differences in park-based PA indicate that diverse youth use parks uniquely; these factors should be considered in designing parks for various ages and backgrounds.</p>","PeriodicalId":49964,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"152-164"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11865372/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142803034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}