The global population is experiencing a significant shift toward urbanization, with 50% of the world’s population residing in urban areas by 2020, compared to just 25% in 1950. While urbanization presents numerous socioeconomic opportunities, it has also brought about profound environmental changes and consequential socioeconomic outcomes. Additionally, research has underscored a compelling connection between urban living and psychosocial disorders. For instance, various studies indicate that urban residents face an elevated risk of experiencing conditions such as schizophrenia, stress, and distress compared to their rural counterparts. In recent times, stakeholders have become increasingly aware of the intricate interplay between humans and their environments, encompassing natural, physical, and sociocultural elements, and how these factors impact human health and overall well-being.
Existing literature emphasizes the multifaceted nature of the factors contributing to the growing burden of mental health disorders in urban areas. Studies have identified key elements, including traffic congestion, noise pollution, and urban development, as significant contributors to the prevalence of these disorders. Furthermore, increasing disparities in socioeconomic conditions, coupled with issues related to security and housing, have emerged as critical determinants affecting the mental well-being of urban residents. However, it is noteworthy that much of the existing research tends to examine these factors in isolation, often failing to consider the intricate interplay within the urban environment. This oversight leaves unexplored the synergistic effects of these stressors and their collective contribution to the onset of mental disorders among urban populations.
The proposed study aims to expand the frontiers of Environmental Stress Theory by examining spatial and temporal dynamics of urban stress and its contributing factors. Specifically, our research investigates how a complex interplay of environmental and psychosocial factors contributes to stress and other mental health disorders among urban residents. Our study centres on two distinct urban contexts: New York City and Accra, Ghana, with the goal of gaining a comprehensive understanding of the unique dynamics at play in each location. We propose a big data approach, leveraging environmental remote sensing in conjunction with the power of public participatory Geographic Information Systems (GIS) through crowdsourcing, and tracking individuals using advanced wearable sensors. This approach enables us to discern and pinpoint stress-inducing locations within the vibrant urban landscapes of New York and Accra, Ghana
City PulSE
The project, a collaborative effort with the School of Public Health, University of Ghana, seeks to delve into the intricate interplay among urban environments, psychosocial influences, and the prevalence of hypertension within the communities of Accra, Ghana, and New York City. It serves as a companion endeavor to the Urban Stress Project. Acknowledging the pressing necessity to grasp the nexus between stress and hypertension, this multifaceted inquiry entails a thorough examination of environmental stressors and social determinants potentially contributing to hypertension. Employing advanced research methodologies, including data garnered from map-based surveys, our objective is to unveil the nuanced correlations between urban infrastructure, stress encounters, and cardiovascular health outcomes. This project constitutes an essential element of our broader CityPulse initiative, enriching scholarly discussions on hypertension within urban contexts. The insights garnered will be disseminated through academic publications, nurturing a deeper comprehension of the intricate relationships between environmental, psychosocial factors, and their ramifications on hypertension.
ECHOES Project
This project endeavours to investigate the socio-ecological determinants contributing to health inequities in the United States, utilizing publicly available datasets such as the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD), the Healthy Retirement Study (HRS), National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). By leveraging these comprehensive datasets, the project aims to delve into various factors including socioeconomic status, environmental exposures, and healthcare access that influence health outcomes across different demographics within the U.S. population. Specific project goals include:
- Analyse Socioeconomic Determinants: Investigate the relationship between socioeconomic factors such as income, education, employment status, and health outcomes across diverse demographic groups in the United States. Identify disparities and explore potential interventions to address them.
- Explore Environmental Exposures: Assess the impact of environmental factors such as air quality, noise, weather- and climate-related factors, neighbourhood characteristics, and access to green spaces on health outcomes. Utilize geospatial analysis to understand the spatial distribution of environmental risks and their correlation with health disparities.
- Understand Healthcare Access: Examine disparities in healthcare access and utilization, including disparities related to insurance coverage, healthcare facilities distribution, and affordability of care. Identify barriers to healthcare access and propose strategies for improving equity in healthcare delivery.
Global Health Insights project
Project Description – “The Global Health Insights: Unraveling Health Inequities in LMICs through DHS & MICS Data” aims to utilize global demographic and health datasets, including the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), to investigate health inequities in resource-challenged areas, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. The project will delve into how socioeconomic and environmental factors contribute to maternal and child health disparities. Both statistical and geostatistical methods will be employed to examine these issues and understand their spatial context. Specifically, the DHS and MICS datasets will be linked with environmental data to explore potential environmental inequities in exposures and health outcomes.
Description of the DHS – The DHS program is a nationally representative survey of 95 countries, including 44 Sub-Saharan African countries. The study sample was derived from the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) from 33 Sub-Saharan African countries with GPS data on the location of sampled individuals. The DHS surveys are implemented by ICF International in collaboration with the national statistics bureaus of representative countries. The goal of the DHS survey is to collect and disseminate accurate nationally representative data on fertility, family planning, maternal and child health, gender, HIV/AIDS, malaria and nutrition.
The program is mainly funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with financial and technical support from national governments other organisations, such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the World Health Organization (WHO). In each country, women aged 15 to 49 years, who are members of selected households and others who spent the night before the survey in the selected households are eligible to be interviewed. In addition, men aged 15 to 54 years from half of the sampled households who are usual members and those who spent the night before the survey are interviewed. DHS surveys use a two-stage cluster sample design.
Description of MICS – The Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), initiated in the mid-1990s and conducted in 118 countries, serve as crucial instruments for gathering data on the well-being of children and women, shaping policies for their betterment globally. Typically designed for national representation, MICS surveys boast sample sizes adequate for robust data analysis at various levels, from regional to urban and rural areas. They also include subnational surveys targeting specific populations or geographical regions within countries. With an average of around 12,000 households surveyed per national survey, MICS employs household and individual questionnaires to capture a wide array of data, from demographic indicators to knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours. The surveys meticulously disaggregate data to unveil disparities and identify marginalized groups, while constantly evolving to incorporate novel topics such as numeracy assessments and water quality testing, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of key development indicators.
