Unknown

Dataset Information

0

Validation of a neighborhood sentiment and safety index derived from existing data repositories.


ABSTRACT:

Background

The communities we live in are central to our health. Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with worse physical and mental health and even early mortality, while resident sense of safety and positive neighborhood sentiment has been repeatedly linked to better physical and mental health outcomes. Therefore, understanding where negative neighborhood sentiment and safety are salient concerns can help inform public health interventions and as a result, improve health outcomes. To date, fear of crime and neighborhood sentiment data or indices have largely been based on the administration of time consuming and costly standardized surveys.

Objective

The current study aims to develop a Neighborhood Sentiment and Safety Index (NSSI) at the census tract level, building on publicly available data repositories, including the US Census and ACS surveys, Data Axle, and ESRI repositories.

Methods

The NSSI was created using Principal Component Analysis. Mineigen and minimum loading values were 1 and 0.3, respectively. Throughout the step-wise PCA process, variables were excluded if their loading value was below 0.3 or if variables loaded into multiple components.

Results

The novel index was validated against standardized survey items from a longitudinal cohort study in the Northeastern United States characterizing experiences of (1) Neighborhood Characteristics with a Pearson correlation of -0.34 (p < 0.001) and, (2) Neighborhood Behavior Impact with a Pearson correlation of -0.33 (p < 0.001). It also accurately predicted the Share Care Community Well Being Index (Spearman correlation = 0.46) and the neighborhood deprivation index (NDI) (Spearman correlation = -0.75).

Significance

Our NSSI can serve as a predictor of neighborhood experience where data is either unavailable or too resource consuming to practically implement in planned studies.

Impact statement

To date, fear of crime and neighborhood sentiment data or indices have largely been based on the administration of time consuming and costly standardized surveys. The current study aims to develop a Neighborhood Sentiment and Safety Index (NSSI) at the census tract level, building on publicly available data repositories, including the US Census and ACS surveys, Data Axle, and ESRI repositories. The NSSI was validated against four separate measures and can serve as a predictor of neighborhood experience where data is either unavailable or too resource consuming to practically implement in planned studies.

SUBMITTER: Geron M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10010937 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

altmetric image

Publications

Validation of a neighborhood sentiment and safety index derived from existing data repositories.

Geron Mariel M   Factor Roni R   Cowell Whitney W   Lane Kevin K   Kloog Itai I   Wright Robert O RO   Wright Rosalind J RJ  

Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology 20221019 2


<h4>Background</h4>The communities we live in are central to our health. Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with worse physical and mental health and even early mortality, while resident sense of safety and positive neighborhood sentiment has been repeatedly linked to better physical and mental health outcomes. Therefore, understanding where negative neighborhood sentiment and safety are salient concerns can help inform public health interventions and as a result, improve health outcomes. T  ...[more]

Similar Datasets

| S-EPMC5001771 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC10562363 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC7671849 | biostudies-literature
2010-08-13 | GSE17705 | GEO
| S-EPMC6472386 | biostudies-literature
2010-08-13 | E-GEOD-17705 | biostudies-arrayexpress
| S-EPMC9128556 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC9720950 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC8457024 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC7657526 | biostudies-literature