Gentrification, Mobility, and Exposure to Contextual Determinants of Health

This study examines exposure to four contextual Determinants of Health (cDOH): healthcare access (Medically Underserved Areas), socioeconomic condition (Area Deprivation Index), air pollution (Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) and Particulate Matter 10 (PM 10)), and walkability (National Walkability Index) among residents of gentrifying and not gentrifying lower income neighborhoods in central cities for the 100 largest metropolitan regions in the US using their location in 2006 and 2019 based on individual level consumer trace data. Individuals who lived in gentrifying neighborhoods as of 2006 had more favorable cDOH in terms of MUA, ADI and Walkability Index and similar levels of pollution. Between 2006 and 2019, they experienced worse changes in MUAs, ADI, and Walkability Index but a greater improvement in exposure to air pollutants. The negative changes are driven by movers, while stayers actually experience a relative improvement in MUAs and ADI and larger improvements in exposure to air pollutants. The findings indicate that gentrification may contribute to health disparities through changes in exposure to cDOH through mobility to communities with worse cDOH among residents of gentrifying neighborhoods although results in terms of exposure to health pollutants are mixed.