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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
11:21
Methodology for Establishing a Community-Wide Life Laboratory for Capturing Unobtrusive and Continuous Remote Activity and Health Data
Published on: July 27, 2018
Engaging Community Residents in Large-Scale Neighborhood Audits for Health Research
Amanda Grimes1, Jannette Berkley-Patton2, Joseph S Lightner1
1Department of Health Sciences, School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Missouri-Kansas City; 2464 Charlotte St., Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA.
Journal of Transport & Health
|July 30, 2026
Summary
Community residents trained as community scientists can reliably collect pedestrian streetscape data for health research. This approach enhances local awareness and advocacy for built environment improvements.
Area of Science:
- Public Health Research
- Community-Based Participatory Research
- Urban Planning and Design
Background:
- Observational health research requires detailed environmental data, often collected by trained researchers.
- Engaging community members offers a scalable approach to data collection and community empowerment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of training community residents as community scientists for streetscape audits.
- To evaluate the reliability of data collected by community scientists for observational health research.
Main Methods:
- Recruited and trained 38 community residents as community scientists in Kansas City, MO.
- Community scientists conducted audits of walkability features around 273 bus stops.
- Assessed interrater reliability with trained researchers on a subsample.
Main Results:
- 25 community scientists completed 271 audits, demonstrating good to excellent interrater reliability (93.6%).
- Participants reported increased neighborhood awareness and identified infrastructure disparities.
- Collected data contributed to a community report and dissemination event.
Conclusions:
- Community scientists can effectively collect detailed pedestrian environment data at scale for health research.
- Community engagement in data collection enhances research relevance and supports local advocacy for built environment improvements.
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