Neighborhood indicators of housing… (F31DA067050) – Project Grant to The Trustees Of The University…

Abstract: Fatal drug overdose (OD) is the leading cause of injury deaths, which are the third most common cause of death in the US. Identifying neighborhood-level determinants of fatal OD is essential to reducing this public health crisis. While homelessness and eviction are well-established risk factors for substance use and OD mortality, the most common form of housing insecurity, renter cost burden, defined as spending over 30% of income on rent, has received far less attention. Nearly half of all US renter households were cost-burdened in 2023, and IT has been associated with adverse mental (e.g., depression and anxiety) and physical (e.g., cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality) health outcomes. However, its potential role in shaping fatal OD risk remains unclear. Emerging evidence demonstrates that greater neighborhood stability and health may mitigate stress and buffer against fatal OD, suggesting potential mechanisms through which neighborhood-level renter cost burden may influence OD risk. The goal of this proposal is to quantify and elucidate the neighborhood-level relationship between renter cost burden and fatal OD and to identify potential linking pathways using statistically rigorous longitudinal and spatial analytic methods to address knowledge gaps. In aim 1, we will utilize advanced bayesian statistical modeling to conduct longitudinal and spatial analyses to determine the fatal OD risk associated with renter cost burden over time. We will conduct subanalyses to examine patterns of association by drug type and occurrence of polysubstance use to generate a comprehensive understanding of contextual risk patterns. Aim 2 will expand on this by developing and implementing an innovative method of generalized structural equation modeling that integrates spatial and longitudinal associations. This analysis will identify potential mediating pathways (e.g., neighborhood instability and community health) that link renter cost burden to fatal OD. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for determining how housing insecurity contributes to fatal OD and directly informing modifiable factors that guide actionable interventions. This project will generate crucial evidence to inform targeted upstream interventions aimed at preventing fatal OD in communities. Furthermore, conducting this research in a multidisciplinary and highly collaborative environment will ensure that all training goals are met, supporting the transition to an independent investigator.

Neighborhood indicators of housing insecurity and fatal overdose: potential mediation by neighborhood instability and community health

Award facts

Description

Quick answers

Who received award F31DA067050?

How much is award F31DA067050 worth?

See this award's full record