The population randomization observation process (PROP) assessment method: using systematic habitation observations of street segments to establish household-level epidemiologic population samples.

BACKGROUND: Identifying and intervening on health disparities requires representative community public health data. For cities with high vacancy and transient populations, traditional methods of population estimation for refining random samples are not feasible. The aim of this project was to develop a novel method for systematic observations to establish community epidemiologic samples. RESULTS: We devised a four-step population randomization observation process for Flint, Michigan, USA: (1) Use recent total population data for community areas (i.e., neighborhoods) to establish the proportional sample size for each area, (2) Randomly select street segments of each community area, (3) Deploy raters to conduct observations about habitation for each randomly selected segment, and (4) Complete observations for second and third street segments, depending on vacancy levels. We implemented this systematic observation process on 400 randomly selected street segments. Of these, 130 (32.5%) required assessment of secondary segments due to high vacancy. Among the 130 primary segments, 28 (21.5%) required assessment of tertiary (or more) segments. For 71.5% of the 400 primary street segments, there was consensus among raters on whether the dwelling inhabited or uninhabited. CONCLUSION: Houses observed with this method could have easily been considered uninhabited via other methods. This could cause residents of ambiguous dwellings (likely to be the most marginalized residents with highest levels of unmet health needs) to be underrepresented in the resultant sample.

Correction to: When Marijuana Is Used before Cigarettes or Alcohol: Demographic Predictors and Associations with Heavy Use, Cannabis Use Disorder, and Other Drug-related Outcomes.

The original version of this article contained a mistake: The first sentence in the Results section of the Abstract should read as follows: "The proportion who had initiated marijuana before other substances increased from 4.4% to 8.0%".

Using Zoning as a Public Health Tool to Reduce Oversaturation of Alcohol Outlets: an Examination of the Effects of the New "300 Foot Rule" on Packaged Goods Stores in a Mid-Atlantic City.

The oversaturation of alcohol outlets can have disastrous public health consequences. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential impact of new zoning legislation, TransForm Baltimore on locations of alcohol outlets. More specifically, the study sought to determine the effect of the new zoning code on the potential redistribution of alcohol outlets and also provide empirical support for the need to actively monitor redistribution of outlets to avoid further inequitable oversaturation in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Data on off-premise alcohol outlets (e.g., packaged goods stores) were obtained from the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City. The alcohol outlets were geocoded and assigned to zoning parcels. Churches and schools were also geocoded. The alcohol outlets were also assigned to census tracts to calculate socioeconomic statuses. One hundred seventy-two of the 263 off-premise packaged goods stores (PGS) were in violation of the new zoning law. TransForm will reduce the land parcels available to alcohol outlets by 27.2%. Areas containing non-conforming PGS were more likely to have a higher percentage of Black residents, single parent-families, unemployment, household poverty, and vacancy compared to Baltimore City averages and areas without non-conforming PGS. Planning enforcement efforts need to accompany related laws to prevent/reduce overconcentration of PGS in disadvantaged neighborhoods.