title: Changes in walking associated with perceived neighborhood safety and police-recorded crime: The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the association of changes in perceived safety and police-recorded crime with changes in transport and leisure walking using longitudinal data from Chicago residents participating in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (2000-2012).
  
  
  METHODS
  Main exposures included perceived safety (self-reported as feeling safe walking in the neighborhood and reporting violence to be a problem in the neighborhood), and one-year counts of police-recorded crime occurring within a one-mile buffer of participants' residences. Main outcomes included transport and leisure walking (self-reported and calculated as total minutes/week across four study visits). Fixed effects models assessed the association of change in perceived safety and police-recorded crime with changes in transport and leisure walking over a 10-year period for 796 adults.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No associations were found between changes in perceived safety and either changes in transport or leisure walking. Residing in areas with increases in murder was associated with decreases in transport walking. However, no other associations were found with police-recorded crime.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There continues to be a need to explore the benefits of cultivating safe neighborhoods that enhance resident health and well-being. Research should continue examining how community initiatives may build safe environments and community identity that promote walking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, 2101 McGavran-Greenberg Hall, CB #7435, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435, USA. Electronic address: zkerr@email.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, 2101 McGavran-Greenberg Hall, CB #7435, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435, USA. Electronic address: kelly_evenson@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Evenson
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Drexel University, 3215 Market St, Nesbitt Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: kam642@drexel.edu.
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Loyola University, 1032 W. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60660 USA. Electronic address: RBLOCK@luc.edu.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Block
authors.affiliation: Dean's Office, School of Public Health, Drexel University, 3215 Market St, Nesbitt Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA. Electronic address: avd37@drexel.edu.
authors.forename: Ana V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Diez Roux
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012449:Safety / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Crime; Epidemiology; Physical activity; Safety