Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
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Assessment of physical activity needs to improve in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between characteristics of the environment and physical activity. Our study evaluated a method [Block Walk Method (BWM)] for observing physical activity along residential sidewalks and streets. The BWM was utilized in 12 U. ⋯ The number of individuals observed was correlated with block group characteristics (e.g., percent walking/biking to work) and weather (e.g., temperature). The BWM is an easy to use, economically viable observational approach to obtaining reliable information concerning physical activities performed on residential streets and sidewalks. Its use could help advance our understanding about the environment-physical activity relationship.
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To examine the association between body mass index (BMI) percentile and asthma in children 2-11 years of age, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of 853 Black and Hispanic children from a community-based sample of 2- to 11-year olds with measured heights and weights screened for asthma by the Harlem Children's Zone Asthma Initiative. Current asthma was defined as parent/guardian-reported diagnosis of asthma and asthma-related symptoms or emergency care in the previous 12 months. Among girls, asthma prevalence increased approximately linearly with increasing body mass index (BMI) percentile, from a low of 12.0% among underweight girls (BMI
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This paper examines the association between cultural capital and self-rated psychosocial health among poor, ever-married Lebanese women living in an urban context. Both self-rated general and mental health status were assessed using data from a cross-sectional survey of 1,869 women conducted in 2003. Associations between self-rated general and mental health status and cultural capital were obtained using chi (2) tests and odds ratios from binary logistic regression models. ⋯ However, demographic and community variables were associated with general health but not with mental health status. The findings pertaining to social capital and measures of SES were mixed. Cultural capital was a powerful and significant predictor of self-perceived general and mental health among women living in poor urban communities.
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Although racial segregation is associated with health status, few studies have examined this relationship among Latinos. We examined the effect of race/ethnic group concentration of Latinos, blacks and whites on all-cause mortality rates within a highly segregated metropolitan area, New York City (NYC). We linked NYC mortality records from 1999 and 2000 with the 2000 U. ⋯ Latinos living in predominantly Latino areas had lower mortality rates than those in predominantly black areas (1187/100,000 vs.1950/100,000 for men; 760/100,000 vs. 779/100,000 for women). After adjustment for socioeconomic conditions, whites, older blacks, and young Latino men experienced decreasing mortality rates when living in areas with increasing similar race/ethnic concentrations. Increasing residential concentration of blacks is independently associated with lower mortality in older blacks; similarly, increasing residential concentration of Latinos and whites is associated with lower mortality in young Latino men and whites, respectively.
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A number of sampling methods are available to recruit drug users and collect HIV risk behavior data. Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is a modified form of chain-referral sampling with a mathematical system for weighting the sample to compensate for its not having been drawn randomly. It is predicated on the recognition that peers are better able than outreach workers and researchers to locate and recruit other members of a "hidden" population. ⋯ The data document both cross-gender and cross-race and -ethnic recruitment as well as recruitment across drug-use status. Sample characteristics are similar to the characteristics of the drug users recruited in other studies conducted in New York City. The findings indicate that RDS is an effective sampling method for recruiting diversified drug users to participate in HIV-related behavioral surveys.