Optimizing Scoring and Sampling Methods for Assessing Built Neighborhood Environment Quality in Residential Areas

Joel Adu-Brimpong, Nathan Coffey, Colby Ayers, David Berrigan, Leah R. Yingling, Samantha Thomas, Valerie Mitchell, Chaarushi Ahuja, Joshua Rivers, Jacob Hartz and Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley
Additional contact information
Joel Adu-Brimpong: National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship Program, Office of Intramural Training and Education, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Nathan Coffey: Department of Global and Community Health, School of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
Colby Ayers: Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
David Berrigan: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Leah R. Yingling: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Samantha Thomas: National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship Program, Office of Intramural Training and Education, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Valerie Mitchell: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Chaarushi Ahuja: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Joshua Rivers: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Jacob Hartz: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Optimization of existing measurement tools is necessary to explore links between aspects of the neighborhood built environment and health behaviors or outcomes. We evaluate a scoring method for virtual neighborhood audits utilizing the Active Neighborhood Checklist (the Checklist), a neighborhood audit measure, and assess street segment representativeness in low-income neighborhoods. Eighty-two home neighborhoods of Washington, D.C. Cardiovascular Health/Needs Assessment (NCT01927783) participants were audited using Google Street View imagery and the Checklist (five sections with 89 total questions). Twelve street segments per home address were assessed for (1) Land-Use Type; (2) Public Transportation Availability; (3) Street Characteristics; (4) Environment Quality and (5) Sidewalks/Walking/Biking features. Checklist items were scored 0–2 points/question. A combinations algorithm was developed to assess street segments’ representativeness. Spearman correlations were calculated between built environment quality scores and Walk Score ® , a validated neighborhood walkability measure. Street segment quality scores ranged 10–47 (Mean = 29.4 ± 6.9) and overall neighborhood quality scores, 172–475 (Mean = 352.3 ± 63.6). Walk scores ® ranged 0–91 (Mean = 46.7 ± 26.3). Street segment combinations’ correlation coefficients ranged 0.75–1.0. Significant positive correlations were found between overall neighborhood quality scores, four of the five Checklist subsection scores, and Walk Scores ® ( r = 0.62, p < 0.001). This scoring method adequately captures neighborhood features in low-income, residential areas and may aid in delineating impact of specific built environment features on health behaviors and outcomes.

Keywords: virtual audits; Google Street View; Active Neighborhood Checklist; built neighborhood environment; residential neighborhoods; Walk Score ®; environment quality; Washington D.C. Cardiovascular Health and Needs Assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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