Dr. Szegda Presents at APHA's 2022 Annual Meeting

Kathleen Szegda and Erin Hennessy from Tufts University presented at the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting and Expo. Their presentation was called At the Intersection of Community Engagement and ROADS: Lessons learned from the Research on Active Design in Springfield Research Study. It explored the strengths and challenges of participatory community-research partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The R.O.A.D.S. Study was initiated in 2018 at the request of Live Well Springfield and was funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The research aims to evaluate Complete Streets changes and their impact on health. The term “Complete Streets” refers to streets that are designed with all users in mind, including cyclists and walkers. The City of Springfield adopted a Complete Streets Policy in 2016, which has led to changes throughout the city. Data collection for the study is complete, and analysis is currently underway.

Kathleen Szegda also participated in a poster session at APHA’s Annual Meeting, sharing findings from our health impact assessment about the use of CORIs in housing decisions, particularly among older adults in Hampden County.