Journal article
Invited Commentary: Taking Advantage of Time-Varying Neighborhood Environments
American journal of epidemiology, v 180(5), pp 462-466
01 Sep 2014
PMID: 25117659
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Neighborhood built environment characteristics may encourage physical activity, but previous literature on the topic has been critiqued for its reliance on cross-sectional data. In this issue of the Journal, Knuiman et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2014;180(5):453-461) present longitudinal analyses of built environment characteristics as predictors of neighborhood transportation walking. We take this opportunity to comment on self-selection, exposure measurement, outcome form, analyses, and future directions. The Residential Environments (RESIDE) Study follows individuals as they relocate into new housing. The outcome, which is neighborhood transportation walking, has several important limitations with regards to public health relevance, dichotomization, and potential bias. Three estimation strategies were pursued: marginal modeling, random-effects modeling, and fixed-effects modeling. Knuiman et al. defend fixed-effects modeling as the one that most effectively controls for unmeasured time-invariant confounders, and it will do so as long as confounders have a constant effect over time. Fixed-effects modeling requires no distributional assumptions regarding the heterogeneity of subject-specific effects. Associations of time-varying neighborhood characteristics with walking are interpreted at the subject level for both fixed-and random-effects models. Cross-sectional data have set the stage for the next generation of neighborhood research, which should leverage longitudinal changes in both place and health behaviors. Careful interpretation is warranted as longitudinal data become available for analysis.
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Details
- Title
- Invited Commentary: Taking Advantage of Time-Varying Neighborhood Environments
- Creators
- Gina S. Lovasi - Columbia UniversityJeff Goldsmith - Columbia University
- Publication Details
- American journal of epidemiology, v 180(5), pp 462-466
- Publisher
- Oxford Univ Press
- Number of pages
- 5
- Grant note
- K01HD067390; K01 HD067390 / NICHD NIH HHS; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) K01HD067390 / EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Urban Health Collaborative
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000343032600002
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84907322499
- Other Identifier
- 991020100067904721
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health