Continuous Mobility Patterns and Exposure to a National Kernel Density Surface of Retail Products
Abstract
Background: Health-related points of interest (POIs) within cities are known to affect the behavior and health of citizens traveling through their streets. Objective: In this paper we present the development of an analytic... [ view full abstract ]
Background: Health-related points of interest (POIs) within cities are known to affect the behavior and health of citizens traveling through their streets.
Objective: In this paper we present the development of an analytic framework for the study of human mobility and real-time exposure to the landscape of point-of-sale products available across the US, a POI known to heavily influence a range of health related behaviors.
Methods: A nationwide density surface of convenience and related retail outlet locations was generated using kernel density estimation. The empirical basis for this probability density surface was a national dataset of 269,781 retail outlets. This surface was then linked to real-time mobility coordinates from 365 participants’ cellular phones, recorded every 10-minutes for 180 days. Hourly mobility patterns were characterized by radius of gyration and associated contact with the product density surface. Exponential, log-linear modeling techniques were utilized to explore the way exposure varied as a function of the mobility patterns of participants.
Results: Mean distance traveled per hour was 545 meters (SD=2,635). Time of day on weekends versus weekdays was a strong predictor of exposure to products. Beyond aggregated temporal dynamics, radius of gyration varied significantly within and between states, and these within state mobility patterns were strongly associated with exposure to retail products. Overall, from hour-to-hour and day-to-day, product exposure in New York was much greater than in all other areas of the US, an effect that appears to be driven by chronic exposure to New York’s urban centers.
Conclusion: These data suggest that research on exposure to retail products should account for the mobility and preferences of individuals as they engage with POI over time. Results highlight the dynamic interplay between city-level POIs and human mobility patterns across different regions of the US.
Authors
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Thomas Kirchner
(New York University)
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Hong Gao
(New York University)
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Andrew Anesetti-rothermel
(Truth Initiative)
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Morgane Bennett
(Truth Initiative)
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Heather Carlos
(Dartmouth University)
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Brian House
(Brown University)
Topic Areas
I. Research Collaborations 1.1 Scientific collaborations in geography and urban health 1.2 , II. Environmental Health 2.1 Disease mapping 2.2 Assessment of the impact of environmental , VI. Methodologies and technologies 6.1 Methodological issues in health research (e.g., MAU
Session
SPH-UH-01A » Spatializing Urban Health (08:00 - Friday, 1st April, TBA)
Paper
Kirchner_ICUH_Abstract_2016.docx
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