Jeremy Mennis1, Michael Mason2, John Light3, Julie Rusby4, Erika Westling5, Thomas Way6, Nikola Zahakaris7, Brian Flay8. 1. Temple University, Department of Geography and Urban Studies, 1115 W. Polett Walk, 309 Gladfelter Hall, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: jmennis@temple.edu. 2. Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Commonwealth Institute for Child and Family Studies, Richmond, VA, USA. Electronic address: Michael.Mason@vcuhealth.org. 3. Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR, USA. Electronic address: jlight@ori.org. 4. Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR, USA. Electronic address: juliecr@ori.org. 5. Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR, USA. Electronic address: ErikaW@ori.org. 6. Villanova University, Department of Computing Sciences, Villanova, PA, USA. Electronic address: thomas.way@villanova.edu. 7. Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Psychiatry, Richmond, VA, USA. Electronic address: nikola.zaharakis@vcuhealth.org. 8. Oregon State University, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Corvallis, OR, USA. Electronic address: brian.flay@oregonstate.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study investigates the association of activity space-based exposure to neighborhood disadvantage with momentary perceived stress and safety, and the moderation of substance use on those associations, among a sample of 139 urban, primarily African American, adolescents. METHOD: Geospatial technologies are integrated with Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to capture exposure to neighborhood disadvantage and perceived stress and safety in the activity space. A relative neighborhood disadvantage measure for each subject is calculated by conditioning the neighborhood disadvantage observed at the EMA location on that of the home neighborhood. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) are used to model the effect of relative neighborhood disadvantage on momentary perceived stress and safety, and the extent to which substance use moderates those associations. RESULTS: Relative neighborhood disadvantage is significantly associated with higher perceived stress, lower perceived safety, and greater substance use involvement. The association of relative neighborhood disadvantage with stress is significantly stronger among those with greater substance use involvement. CONCLUSION: This research highlights the value of integrating geospatial technologies with EMA and developing personalized measures of environmental exposure for investigating neighborhood effects on substance use, and suggests substance use intervention strategies aimed at neighborhood conditions. Future research should seek to disentangle the causal pathways of influence and selection that relate neighborhood environment, stress, and substance use, while also accounting for the role of gender and family and peer social contexts.
BACKGROUND: This study investigates the association of activity space-based exposure to neighborhood disadvantage with momentary perceived stress and safety, and the moderation of substance use on those associations, among a sample of 139 urban, primarily African American, adolescents. METHOD: Geospatial technologies are integrated with Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to capture exposure to neighborhood disadvantage and perceived stress and safety in the activity space. A relative neighborhood disadvantage measure for each subject is calculated by conditioning the neighborhood disadvantage observed at the EMA location on that of the home neighborhood. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) are used to model the effect of relative neighborhood disadvantage on momentary perceived stress and safety, and the extent to which substance use moderates those associations. RESULTS: Relative neighborhood disadvantage is significantly associated with higher perceived stress, lower perceived safety, and greater substance use involvement. The association of relative neighborhood disadvantage with stress is significantly stronger among those with greater substance use involvement. CONCLUSION: This research highlights the value of integrating geospatial technologies with EMA and developing personalized measures of environmental exposure for investigating neighborhood effects on substance use, and suggests substance use intervention strategies aimed at neighborhood conditions. Future research should seek to disentangle the causal pathways of influence and selection that relate neighborhood environment, stress, and substance use, while also accounting for the role of gender and family and peer social contexts.
Authors: Hilary F Byrnes; Brenda A Miller; Christopher N Morrison; Douglas J Wiebe; Marcie Woychik; Sarah E Wiehe Journal: Health Place Date: 2017-01-04 Impact factor: 4.078
Authors: Michael J Mason; John M Light; Jeremy Mennis; Julie C Rusby; Erika Westling; Stephanie Crewe; Nikola Zaharakis; Thomas Way; Brian R Flay Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2017-06-15 Impact factor: 4.852