Dr. Brown is a general internist seeking further training in multilevel modeling, geographic information systems methods, and community-based interventions in order to better assess and reduce socioeconomic and racial disparities in health for older adults. Her main area of interest is in the relationship between the neighborhood or community context and health, whether these associations vary for persons with chronic conditions and with aging, and ways to systematically incorporate the community context into evidence based interventions to improve outcomes among older persons with chronic conditions. Her project proposes to study these relationships in a representative sample of neighborhoods in Los Angeles County and to use these findings in combination with prior research to develop an intervention that integrates evidence-based clinical and behavioral strategies with an understanding of the ways in which neighborhood context may influence the ability to adhere to recommended treatments and implement behavior change for persons with chronic conditions. The study's aims are to: 1) assess the relationship between the neighborhood environment and current health behaviors and clinical outcomes in a longitudinal cohort of English-and Spanish-speaking persons in the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Study and to determine whether these relationships differ by age and chronic condition; 2) evaluate psychosocial mediators and moderators of the relationship between the socioeconomic, resource, and physical environments and health related behaviors and outcomes; and 3) develop a practice-based intervention that uses clinic and community partners to increase access to information about neighborhood resources that can be used to enhance self-management strategies, mitigate the negative influences of the physical and social environment on health, and ultimately improve clinical outcomes among middle-aged and older adults with chronic conditions.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
5K23AG026748-02
Application #
7094138
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAG1-ZIJ-9 (M3))
Program Officer
Stahl, Sidney M
Project Start
2005-07-15
Project End
2008-06-30
Budget Start
2006-07-15
Budget End
2007-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$216,000
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
092530369
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
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Fish, Jason S; Ettner, Susan; Ang, Alfonso et al. (2010) Association of perceived neighborhood safety with [corrected] body mass index. Am J Public Health 100:2296-303
Brown, Arleen F; Vargas, Roberto B; Ang, Alfonso et al. (2008) The neighborhood food resource environment and the health of residents with chronic conditions: the food resource environment and the health of residents. J Gen Intern Med 23:1137-44
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Brown, Arleen F; Ang, Alfonso; Pebley, Anne R (2007) The relationship between neighborhood characteristics and self-rated health for adults with chronic conditions. Am J Public Health 97:926-32