Using Citizen Scientists to Gather, Analyze, and Disseminate Information About Neighborhood Features That Affect Active Living

Abstract

Background Many Latinos are insufficiently active, partly due to neighborhoods with little environmental support for physical activity. Multi-level approaches are needed to create health-promoting neighborhoods in disadvantaged communities. Methods Participant “citizen scientists” were adolescent (n=10, mean age=12.8±0.6 years) and older adult (n=10, mean age=71.3±6.5 years), low income Latinos in North Fair Oaks, California. Citizen scientists conducted environmental assessments to document perceived barriers to active living using the Stanford Healthy Neighborhood Discovery Tool, which records GPS-tracked walking routes, photographs, audio narratives, and survey responses. Using a community-engaged approach, citizen scientists subsequently attended a community meeting to engage in advocacy training, review assessment data, prioritize issues to address and brainstorm potential solutions and partners. Results Citizen scientists each conducted a neighborhood environmental assessment and recorded 366 photographs and audio narratives. Adolescents (n=4), older adults (n=7) and community members (n=4) collectively identified reducing trash and improving personal safety and sidewalk quality as the priority issues to address. Three adolescent and four older adult citizen scientists volunteered to present study findings to key stakeholders. Conclusions This study demonstrated that with minimal training, low-income, Latino adolescent and older adult citizen scientists can: 1) use innovative technology to gather information about features of their neighborhood environment that influence active living, 2) analyze their information and identify potential solutions, and 3) engage with stakeholders to advocate for the development of healthier neighborhoods.

Harnessing Technology and Citizen Science to Support Neighborhoods that Promote Active Living in Mexico

“…The target sample size was 30 adults aged 45 years and older (8 to 11 per census tract) to achieve saturation of the neighborhood information provided, as seen in US-based studies. [20][21][22][23][24] In these latter studies, it was found that Bsaturation^in relation to basic neighborhood environment issues being identified could be achieved with approximately 8-10 residents from a neighborhood. We also aimed to include a smaller total sample of 10 adolescents ages 11 to 14 years (4 to 5 adolescents per census tract) to complement the information obtained from the adults.…”

“…One such approach involves neighborhood residents acting as Bcitizen scientists^to systematically gather information on the barriers and facilitators of physical activity in their neighborhoods and then use their data to collectively advocate for local environmental-and policy-level changes to support active living. This approach, referred to as BOur Voice,^has been shown to be acceptable and feasible in several locales in the USA, [20][21][22][23][24] including in a low-income largely Latino neighborhood in northern California. 20 The benefit of BOur Voice^is the ability to identify strategies that are successful for promoting physical activity in specific environments that take into account existing resources and constraints, and local physical, socioeconomic, and sociocultural characteristics of both the environment and the population.…”

“…The Nuestra Voz (Our Voice) Mexico study builds on previous pilot studies using a citizen scientist engagement approach and a simple e-tablet application (the Healthy Neighborhood Discovery Tool) to crowd source information on barriers to and facilitators of physical activity that are potentially modifiable and realistic given local resources, priorities, and values. [20][21][22][23][24] …”

Trajectory of physical activity following total hip and knee arthroplasty: data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) cohort

“…Active living includes the participation in household and social activities such as gardening, housework, shopping and recreational pursuits [12]. Active transport is defined as the expenditure of physical energy by an individual to move from one place to another [13].…”

“…However, the current evidence-base has focused on assessing changing participatory levels of sports and exercise, rather than lower levels of physical activity pursuits which may be more typical of the majority of the arthroplasty population [12]. It is also unclear whether these behaviours change over time.…”