Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
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Environmental noise pollution is one of the biggest concerns and the most important challenges in urban areas. Evidence from epidemiological studies shows that acoustic pollution can impact human health, and the effects may be stronger in susceptible and sensitive individuals. The objective of the study was to determine the individual exposure to road transport noise for preschool children in the residential environment and to assess its impact on children's psychological health. ⋯ Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between residential exposure to environmental noise caused by road transport and children's psychological health. The results of the study showed that the risk of hyperactivity and total scale difficulties increased statistically significantly up to 77% and up to 48%, respectively, in the highest noise (Lnight ≥ 50 dB) exposure. The obtained results provide new knowledge about the relationship between road traffic noise in the residential environment and the psychological health of preschool children.
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Sexually minoritized men (SMM), transgender women (TW), and particularly Black SMM and Black TW may be disproportionately impacted by alcohol-related problems. Few studies have empirically examined neighborhood factors that may contribute to alcohol use, specifically among these populations. Using data from the N2 longitudinal cohort study in Chicago, IL, survey data from the second wave of longitudinal assessment (n = 126) and GPS mobility data from enrollment were used to evaluate neighborhood alcohol outlet availability, neighborhood disorder, and neighborhood poverty as correlates of individual alcohol use. ⋯ Separate analytical models found no significant effect between alcohol use and exposure to on-premise consumption venue AOD (risk ratio (RR) = 0.99, p = 0.57), off-premise consumption AOD (RR = 0.94, p = 0.56), neighborhood poverty (RR = 1.04, p = 0.07), or neighborhood violent crime (RR = 1.00, p = 0.94). Exposure to higher levels of vacant buildings (RR = 1.03, p = 0.04) was found to be significantly associated with increased alcohol use. Among this population, opposed to geospatial access, neighborhood measurements indicative of disorder may have a greater influence on shaping alcohol use.
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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). ⋯ 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.
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Geostatistical data aggregated at state, county, municipality, or ZIP code levels often are utilized for assessing drug overdose epidemic impact and planning resource distribution. Data aggregated at these levels may obscure critical disparities among populations experiencing high rates of drug-related mortality (DRM), especially in densely populated urban areas. Our research was centered on Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), OH, which ranks 15th in the USA for drug-related mortality. ⋯ Analyzing DRM data from 2014 to 2022, we found that the odds of an individual experiencing DRM in low-opportunity areas were quadruple the odds for someone in high-opportunity zones. Our findings highlight the critical need for more granular geographic analysis in urban areas, where heterogenous socioenvironmental conditions appear to correlate with significant heterogeneity in the ways in which residents experience the risk of dying from a drug overdose. By focusing on smaller areas, this approach provides a clearer understanding of the DRM landscape that could facilitate the prioritization of more targeted, culturally centered, public health interventions.
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Review
Urban Environments, Health, and Environmental Sustainability: Findings From the SALURBAL Study.
Despite the relevance of cities and city policies for health, there has been limited examination of large numbers of cities aimed at characterizing urban health determinants and identifying effective policies. The relatively few comparative studies that exist include few cities in lower and middle income countries. The Salud Urbana en America Latina study (SALURBAL) was launched in 2017 to address this gap. ⋯ Beyond these aims SALURBAL, has an overarching goal of supporting collaborative policy relevant research and capacity -building that engages individuals and institutions from across Latin America. In this review we provide an update on the SALURBAL data resource and collaborative approach and summarize key findings from the first aim of the study. We also describe key elements of our approach, challenges we have faced and how we have overcome them, and identify key opportunities to support policy relevant evidence generation in urban health for the future.