title: Real-time tracking of neighborhood surroundings and mood in urban drug misusers: application of a new method to study behavior in its geographical context.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maladaptive behaviors may be more fully understood and efficiently prevented by ambulatory tools that assess people's ongoing experience in the context of their environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  To demonstrate new field-deployable methods for assessing mood and behavior as a function of neighborhood surroundings (geographical momentary assessment; GMA), we collected time-stamped GPS data and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) ratings of mood, stress, and drug craving over 16 weeks at randomly prompted times during the waking hours of opioid-dependent polydrug users receiving methadone maintenance. Locations of EMA entries and participants' travel tracks calculated for the 12 before each EMA entry were mapped. Associations between subjective ratings and objective environmental ratings were evaluated at the whole neighborhood and 12-h track levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants (N=27) were compliant with GMA data collection; 3711 randomly prompted EMA entries were matched to specific locations. At the neighborhood level, physical disorder was negatively correlated with negative mood, stress, and heroin and cocaine craving (ps<.0001-.0335); drug activity was negatively correlated with stress, heroin and cocaine craving (ps .0009-.0134). Similar relationships were found for the environments around respondents' tracks in the 12h preceding EMA entries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support the feasibility of GMA. The relationships between neighborhood characteristics and participants' reports were counterintuitive and counter-hypothesized, and challenge some assumptions about how ostensibly stressful environments are associated with lived experience and how such environments ultimately impair health. GMA methodology may have applications for development of individual- or neighborhood-level interventions.
authors: Treatment Section, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, 251 Bayview Blvd., Suite 200, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.
authors: David H
authors: DH
authors: Epstein
authors: Treatment Section, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, 251 Bayview Blvd., Suite 200, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Tyburski
authors: Treatment Section, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, 251 Bayview Blvd., Suite 200, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.
authors: Ian M
authors: IM
authors: Craig
authors: Treatment Section, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, 251 Bayview Blvd., Suite 200, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.
authors: Karran A
authors: KA
authors: Phillips
authors: Treatment Section, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, 251 Bayview Blvd., Suite 200, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.
authors: Michelle L
authors: ML
authors: Jobes
authors: Biomedical Informatics Section, Administrative Management Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd., Suite 200, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.
authors: Massoud
authors: M
authors: Vahabzadeh
authors: Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 251 Bayview Blvd., Suite 200, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.
authors: Mustapha
authors: M
authors: Mezghanni
authors: Biomedical Informatics Section, Administrative Management Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd., Suite 200, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.
authors: Jia-Ling
authors: JL
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 850, Baltimore, MD 21202, United States.
authors: C Debra M
authors: CDM
authors: Furr-Holden
authors: Treatment Section, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, 251 Bayview Blvd., Suite 200, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States. Electronic address: kpreston@intra.nida.nih.gov.
authors: Kenzie L
authors: KL
authors: Preston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003199:Computer Systems / Q000639:trends; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Activity space; Behavioral geography; Ecological momentary assessment