Physician and healthcare partner engagement in the creation of healthfulness indices for West Michigan.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-2025
Publication Title
Spatial and spatio-temporal epidemiology
Abstract
Community participatory mapping can direct health research, offering opportunity to build spatial awareness and generate future research. Here we establish healthfulness indices by consulting healthcare system partners for their expert opinions on characteristics they felt influenced health. Partners started from 36 variables and narrowed to 16 in 4 simplified categories. The analytic hierarchy process was used to identify variable and category weights. Opinions were consolidated for each partner sub-group and overall. Map layers were assigned calculated weights and indices were created from weighted layers. Areas with more amenities scored higher, including in and around downtown areas and smaller towns. Lower scores were found in suburban and lower-income urban areas. Variation in maps among subgroups reflect differing priorities in tackling health equity issues. This work increases healthcare partner engagement in built environment work and generates future research pathways. Partners now have a tool for interrogating and communicating the environment's cumulative impact.
Volume
53
First Page
100722
Recommended Citation
Sadler RC, Gailey S, McNeely ER. Physician and healthcare partner engagement in the creation of healthfulness indices for West Michigan. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol. 2025 Jun;53:100722. doi: 10.1016/j.sste.2025.100722. PMID: 40490328.
DOI
10.1016/j.sste.2025.100722
ISSN
1877-5853
PubMed ID
40490328
