286185
Geographic information systems and weighted cumulative impact scoring: A model for quantifying potential health impacts
Methods With input from community stakeholders, literature review, and content experts, researchers developed a list of 16 neighborhood-level indicators to inform an assessment of health impacts specifically to future public housing residents. Data were entered into a geographic information system (GIS). Densities, distances, and binary outcomes were calculated, depending on the nature of a specific indicator. Data were z-score standardized, then weighted based on strength of the evidence and potential impact to health. Cumulative scores for each census block were calculated for blocks with current or potential use for residential development. Census blocks were categorized based on quintile.
Results Nearly 68% of census blocks in Galveston were included in the final analysis. A choropleth map of census blocks was produced to identify the census blocks with scores in the fourth and fifth quintiles. The highlighted blocks generally followed other assessments of neighborhood quality in the city. Further, by modifying the values of selected indicators, potential impacts of mitigation strategies can be modeled.
Discussion The results from this analysis will be used to refine the pool of potential parcels for development of scattered-site public housing and to assess the potential impacts of proposed mitigation strategies. The results were developed using a data-driven approach that provide a robust assessment of potential health impacts. This method can be applied in other settings seeking to assess potential health impacts to populations across a relatively broad geographic area.
Environmental health sciences
Public health or related public policy
Learning Objectives:
Describe current approaches to health impact assessment in the U.S.
Identify potential sources of positive and negative health impacts to public housing residents
Discuss the application of this methodology to the screening of potential public housing sites
Keywords: Geographic Information Systems, Public Housing
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I served as the project manager at the project site for the conduct of this Health Impact Assessment and was involved with all aspects of the project.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.