Calpurnyia Roberts’s research while affiliated with Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and other places

What is this page?


This page lists works of an author who doesn't have a ResearchGate profile or hasn't added the works to their profile yet. It is automatically generated from public (personal) data to further our legitimate goal of comprehensive and accurate scientific recordkeeping. If you are this author and want this page removed, please let us know.

Publications (5)


Fig. 1 NYC Health Department Neighborhood Health Action Centers, 2017
Fig. 2 Neighborhood strategy components for the NYC Health Department Neighborhood Health Action Centers
The Neighborhood as a Unit of Change for Health: Early Findings from the East Harlem Neighborhood Health Action Center
  • Article
  • Full-text available

February 2020

·

924 Reads

·

22 Citations

Journal of Community Health

·

Barbara C. Wong

·

Padmore John

·

[...]

·

Karen Aletha Maybank

Place-based approaches have been promoted as one way to reduce health inequities by addressing community-level factors that shape health, such as housing quality, healthcare systems, the built environment, and social capital. In 2016–2017, the NYC Health Department’s Center for Health Equity launched three Neighborhood Health Action Centers (Action Centers), which use a place-based approach to improve health in neighborhoods with disproportionate burdens of premature mortality. We describe this approach and the genesis of the Action Centers. We then describe the East Harlem Action Center, which was the first to open, and share findings from qualitative interviews with the East Harlem Action Center’s Governance Council, a group comprised of Action Center staff and co-located partners and programs which supports Action Center coordination. Interviewees felt that collaboration, being responsive to community needs, and being community based were essential elements of the Action Center. Interviewees recognized the complex dynamic of a large city agency serving as the host for the Action Center while simultaneously aiming to establish more equitable relationships with partners. Governance Council members’ expectations and hopes for the East Harlem Action Center were consistent with the overall vision and model for the Action Centers, which may facilitate implementation.

Download

Disparities in Sugary Drink Advertising on New York City Streets

January 2020

·

47 Reads

·

21 Citations

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

Introduction: Studies show that outdoor advertisements for unhealthy, consumable products are associated with increased intake and often target youth, low-income neighborhoods, and neighborhoods of color. Despite evidence that overconsumption of sugary drinks contributes to obesity and other chronic conditions, little is known specifically regarding the patterns of outdoor sugary drink advertising. Methods: The number of outdoor, street-level advertisements featuring sugary drinks was assessed in a random sample of retail-dense street segments (N=953) in low, medium, and high-poverty neighborhoods in each of New York City's 5 boroughs in 2015. Negative binomial regression was used to determine associations between sugary drink ad density, poverty level, and other census tract-level demographics (2009-2013 estimates) in each borough and New York City overall. Data were analyzed in 2017-2019. Results: In New York City and in 3 of 5 boroughs, sugary drink ad density was positively associated with increased percentages of black, non-Latino residents (New York City: incidence rate ratio=1.20, p<0.001; Bronx: incidence rate ratio=1.30, p=0.005; Brooklyn: incidence rate ratio=1.18, p<0.001; Manhattan: incidence rate ratio=1.20, p<0.05). Positive associations were also observed with poverty level in Brooklyn (low versus medium poverty: incidence rate ratio=2.16, p=0.09; low versus high poverty: incidence rate ratio=2.17, p=0.02) and Staten Island (low versus medium poverty: incidence rate ratio=3.27, p=0.03). Conclusions: This study found a consistent positive association between the density of outdoor sugary drink advertisements and the presence of non-Latino black residents in New York City and, in some boroughs, evidence of a positive association with neighborhood poverty. These findings highlight the inequities where sugary drinks are advertised in New York City.


LGBTQ+ students of colour and their experiences and needs in sexual health education: ‘You belong here just as everybody else’

August 2019

·

393 Reads

·

35 Citations

There is growing consensus that sexual health education should be inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning students, and students of various identities on the spectrums of sexuality and gender (LGBTQ+). However, to date, the perspectives of LGTBQ+ teenagers of colour remain under-investigated. Twenty-five in-depth interviews were conducted in 2017–2018 in New York City with LGBTQ+ high school students of colour. Thematic analysis was used to conceptualise the barriers LGBTQ+ students of colour face in learning about sexual health education in school. Students were Latino/a/x (n = 15), non-Latino Black (n = 8), or Asian (n = 2) and self-identified in varied ways in terms of sexuality and gender. Students reported receiving inadequate sexual health education in school due to feeling: 1) unrepresented, 2) unsupported, 3) stigmatised, and 4) bullied. Students filled needed gaps by seeking information and support from external sources. Many students proposed institutional changes or shifts in the school environment to address identified issues, including modifying curricula to incorporate information about consent, mental health and pronouns from the viewpoints of LGBTQ+ teenagers, and to highlight the role of culture, religion and race/ethnicity to represent different experiences. Incorporating the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ students of colour is needed to ensure that all students receive relevant sexual health education.


A Youth-Friendly Pharmacy Initiative: Decreasing Unintended Pregnancies Among Disenfranchised Youth

September 2018

·

20 Reads

·

2 Citations

Health Promotion Practice

Teens from neighborhoods that have experienced historical and contemporary disinvestment have among the highest rates of teen pregnancy, yet they have less access to resources to reduce unintended pregnancies. In recognition of this, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) developed the Youth-Friendly Pharmacy Initiative. Over 7 consecutive months in 2015, educational materials and free NYCDOHMH condoms were placed strategically in independent pharmacies in the South Bronx. Refills were made monthly. Pharmacists were directed to order free refills from the NYCDOHMH after the project ended. To evaluate the feasibility of the study, a survey with teens (15-19 years) at the study midpoint and a 3-month post follow-up assessment were conducted. The retention rate over 7 months was 96.4% (27/28 pharmacies). Forty-three percent (2,068/4,830) of the booklets and 87.9% (43,841/49,850) of the condoms were taken by patrons. The posters and pamphlets were recognized by 63.6% and 27.3% of the teens, respectively. Forty-percent of the teens were aware of the free condoms, and one third had taken the free condoms. In the post assessment, 20% of the sampled pharmacies independently sought out resources for free condom refills. Pharmacies are positive sexual and reproductive health resources for underserved teens.


Process evaluation of a farm-to-preschool program in New York City

October 2017

·

99 Reads

·

6 Citations

Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene piloted a farm-to-preschool program for low-income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-eligible children and their families at 9 childcare centers in New York City. The program made local produce available for purchase at the preschools, offered nutrition education to parents and childcare center staff, and offered children’s gardening activities in participating classrooms. Process evaluation strategies included tracking produce sales, redemption of produce coupons provided with nutrition education, and nutrition education workshop attendance, as well as cross-sectional surveys with parents and staff, childcare center directors, nutrition educators, and childcare center teachers. This article describes the program model, shares process evaluation data, and summarizes lessons learned from this program.

Citations (4)


... Health campaigns are one tool to address such concerns. Campaigns, alone, are unable to address disparities due to structural inequities, like more frequent marketing of sugary drinks and other unhealthy foods to Black neighborhoods [8,9]. However, findings from several evaluations suggest that sugary drink consumption-related outcomes can be altered through campaign interventions. ...

Reference:

The impact of culturally-informed messages to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: An experiment among Black women in the United States
Disparities in Sugary Drink Advertising on New York City Streets
  • Citing Article
  • January 2020

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

... Neighbourhood quality is defined based on physical and social attributes that can have direct and indirect effects on health outcomes [4]. As a result of enduring systemic and structural racism, neighbourhoods with higher proportions of Black populations often have limited access to quality healthcare facilities, nutritious food options, recreational spaces, and other resources that promote good health [5,6]. Individuals with chronic health conditions may face increased medical expenses, reduced employment opportunities, and greater financial challenges, which can limit housing options to lower-priced neighbourhoods, leading to higher concentrations of individuals with poor health in disadvantaged neighbourhoods [7]. ...

The Neighborhood as a Unit of Change for Health: Early Findings from the East Harlem Neighborhood Health Action Center

Journal of Community Health

... LGBTQ+ students in schools with inclusive curriculum were less likely to hear homophobic and transphobic remarks, were less likely to feel unsafe and experience violence, were more likely to feel greater belonging in their school community, and reported fewer negative psychological outcomes, including suicidal ideation (Kosciw et al., 2022;Snapp et al., 2015). Students who experience exclusive SRH education report an absence of LGBTQ+ discourse, a focus on unintended pregnancy through heterosexual intercourse, or negative portrayals of LGBTQ+ persons through pathologizing STI transmission (Gowen & Winges-Yanez, 2014;Roberts et al., 2020). Further, students today may request or expect LGBTQ inclusive sexuality education (Dickson et al., 2023;Jarpe-Ratner, 2020). ...

LGBTQ+ students of colour and their experiences and needs in sexual health education: ‘You belong here just as everybody else’
  • Citing Article
  • August 2019

... Although the research in FTS spans decades, peerreviewed research in farm-to-ECE is only beginning to emerge. The available studies are promising in suggesting participation in farm-to-ECE has positive impacts, such as young children showing increased willingness to try new fruits and vegetables (Dannefer et al, 2018;Sharma et al., 2015) and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption (Carroll et al., 2011;Meinen et al., 2012;Nanney et al., 2007;Williams et al., 2014). These positive impacts can extend to families due to the implementation of farm-to-ECE, with families increasing the availability of and serving more local foods at home (Nanney et al., 2007). ...

Process evaluation of a farm-to-preschool program in New York City
  • Citing Article
  • October 2017

Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition