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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Barbara A. Laraia, PhD, MPH, RD, Department of Nutrition, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carolina Population Center, CB #8120, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8120, (919)966-5969, blaraia@email.unc.edu, Lynne C. Messer, MPH, Health Behavior and Health Education, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #7400, School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, Jay S. Kaufman, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, UNC School of Public Health, 2104C McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Pittsboro Road, CB#7400, Chapel Hill, NC 275997400, Nancy Dole, PhD, Carolina Population Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #8120, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, and David A. Savitz, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Public Health, CB# 7400, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.
Objective: To systematically assess neighborhood attributes for the Pregnancy, Infection and Nutrition study for analyses of adverse perinatal outcome determinants. Methods: A neighborhood attributes survey designed for Baltimore, MD was modified for use in Wake County, NC. A 39-item instrument assessing residential, commercial, and public-spaces was used to rate a random sample of 2771 (21%) street segments in 115 block groups. Ten raters achieved 83% agreement, following 30 hours of training. Pairs of raters drove street segments during the day completing data collection in three months. Results: Theory informed scales of physical incivilities, previously associated with fear of crime, and territoriality, previously associated with informal social control, were used. Items measuring physical incivilities, including graffiti, litter, vacant/burned properties, poorly maintained yards, housing, and public spaces, were strikingly less prevalent in Wake County than Baltimore (ranged from 1.5-4.5% and 9-39%, respectively). Items measuring territoriality, including neighborhood watch/no trespassing signs, neighborhood name, reaction of residents to raters, presence of borders and decorations, had similar prevalence rates for Wake County and Baltimore (ranged from 23-75% and 2.5-76%, respectively). Physical incivilities and territoriality scales were weakly correlated (r=0.19). Conclusion: The etiology of adverse pregnancy outcomes is not well understood. Identifying how neighborhood context contributes to health and wellbeing beyond individual-level characteristics and behaviors has gained importance. The modification of the survey instrument for use in a southern urban area, the predictive values of these scales, and recommendations for future studies will be presented.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Community, Methodology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.