Catherine Cubbin
Biographic Data
| ID | 110998 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Catherine Cubbin |
| GIVEN NAMES | Catherine |
| FAMILY NAME | Cubbin |
| SIGNATURE | CUBBIN C |
| AFFILIATIONS | The University of Texas at Austin |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-6023-4541 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 58 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 468 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 58 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2000 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 10 |
Optimizing U.S. Heat Alerts
This study examines the meteorological conditions observed during direct heat-related mortality events across the contiguous United States (CONUS). Using the publicly available NOAA Storm Events Database, the research integrates long-term records of heat-related fatalities with ERA5-Land reanalysis to identify critical thresholds for seven heat-stress indicators: maximum and minimum dry-bulb temperature, universal thermal comfort index (UTCI), we…
Health disparities and industrial emissions
Racialized and lower-income communities often face disproportionate health risks from air pollution. In central Texas, semiconductor fabrication plants (SFPs) are a major emissions source, but their health effects and impact on disparities remain unclear. This study examined 217 census tracts in Travis County, Texas, calculating an SFP exposure score based on facility-reported emissions, weighted by proximity. Using distance-adjusted propensity s…
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health Service Utilization During Covid-19
Social Inequities in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors at Multiple Levels Persist Among Mothers in Texas
The life stage between the ages of 30-45 years for women is critical, given the competing demands of occupational advancement, intimate partner relationships, and childcare responsibilities. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women in the US, which is experienced inequitably by race/ethnicity/nativity and socioeconomic status and is embedded within geographic contexts. The objective of the current study was to examin…
A Longitudinal Ecologic Analysis of Neighborhood-Level Social Inequalities in Health in Texas
Most health studies use cross-sectional data to examine neighborhood context because of the difficulty of collecting and analyzing longitudinal data; this prevents an examination of historical trends that may influence health outcomes. Using the Neighborhood Change Database, we categorized longitudinal (1990-2010) poverty and White concentration trajectories (long-term low, long-term moderate, long-term high, increasing, or decreasing) for Texas …
I Was Taught to Think of My Body as Too Sexual”
Parents and peers play an important role in adolescents’ body image and embodiment. Messages girls receive about sex and puberty during these formative years can contribute to either positive embodiment or disrupted/disconnected embodiment. To better understand how these messages are constructed in adolescence, we conducted a comparative thematic analysis of self-reported, retrospective accounts of messages conveyed by parents and peers. We admin…
It’s More Important Than Ever for Men to Play a Role”
The Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision in June 2022 revoked the constitutional right to abortion and left abortion policy jurisdiction up to the states. Data were collected in November 2022 through Prolific, a research participant recruitment service, to assess participants' perspectives on safe sex responsibilities in light of the Dobbs decision. Participants were 339 U.S. cisgender women aged 19-29 years ( M = 24.4, SD = 2.84…
Mental Health Care Utilization Among Spanish-Speaking Hispanics in the Aftermath of Covid-19 and a Continuously Changing System
Alignment of Air Pollution Exposure Inequality Metrics with Environmental Justice and Equity Goals in the United States
A growing literature within the field of air pollution exposure assessment addresses the issue of environmental justice. Leveraging the increasing availability of exposure datasets with broad spatial coverage and high spatial resolution, a number of works have assessed inequalities in exposure across racial/ethnic and other socioeconomic groupings. However, environmental justice research presents the additional need to evaluate exposure inequity-…
The Impact of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization on Young Women's Experiences of Objectification and Sexual Well-Being
The Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision overturned two previous rulings that had affirmed the constitutional right to abortion prior to fetal viability. While important work has been published about the legal, moral, professional, and economic ramifications of the Dobbs decision, missing on this topic are the voices of those most affected by these policies. We conducted an online survey to understand how the Dobbs ruling impacte…
Neighborhood Diversity Is Good for Your Health
Racial concentration of neighborhoods is often associated with the risk of preterm birth (PTB) for women. This study examined differences between racially diverse and racially concentrated neighborhoods when examining preterm birth. Individual-level data were obtained from Texas natality files for 2009-2011, and neighborhood-level (i.e., census tract) data were obtained from the decennial census in 2010 and the American Community Survey 2005-2009…
Social Inequalities in Multiple Chronic Disease Risk Factors among a population-based Sample of Latinas in California
Data from 1,248 Latina mothers who participated in the Geographic Research on Wellbeing (GROW) study were used to examine associations between SES, neighborhood-level Latinx concentration, neighborhood-level poverty and having two or more modifiable behavioral risk factors (e.g., smoking, drinking) for chronic disease. Logistic regression models were estimated stratified by nativity and adjusted for age and marital status. Among immigrants, low S…
An Intersectional Approach to Understanding Barriers to Healthcare for Women
Racial and ethnic disparities in cervical and breast cancer screenings by nativity and length of U.S. residence
The between-group differences identified emphasize the disparities in screening between racial/ethnic groups while the within-group differences suggest the need to examine whether more targeted outreach efforts and prevention messages can increase screening for specific groups
Examining School and Neighborhood Effects of Socioeconomic Status on Childhood Obesity in the U.S
Obesity amongst Kindergartners in Texas is above the national average, particularly among Hispanic students. Research on the impact of school and neighborhood-level SES on obesity in childhood using multilevel models is lacking. Survey data were collected from Hispanic caregivers of pre-kindergarten students in Fall 2019 (n = 237). Students were clustered in thirty-two neighborhoods and twelve schools. The dependent variable was the child’s body …
Neighborhood Poverty in Combination with Older Housing Is Associated with Adverse Birth Outcomes
The purpose of this study was to determine whether housing age in combination with neighborhood poverty, as a proxy for fetal exposure to heavy metal lead, is associated with adverse birth outcomes. We linked population-level birth certificate data for Black, Hispanic, White and Other women, stratified by nativity, from 2009-2011 in Texas ( n = 1,040,642) to census the tract-level median housing age/poverty level from the American Community Surve…
Systemic Racism and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Nativity moderates the relationship between nationality and healthcare access for some Latinx women in the United States
Latinx women experience barriers to healthcare, yet the prevalence rates vary widely depending on nationality and nativity. It is important to recognize the heterogeneity that exists within the Latinx community and address the underlying causes for limited healthcare access such as immigration policy
Reframing school-based restorative justice as a structural population health intervention
Neighborhood Racial/Ethnic Composition Trajectories and Black-White Differences in Preterm Birth among Women in Texas
Longitudinal measures of neighborhood poverty and income inequality are associated with adverse birth outcomes in Texas
Familial Childhood Adversity is Associated with Chronic Disease Among Women
Downward Neighborhood Poverty Mobility during Childhood Is Associated with Child Asthma
Is neighborhood poverty harmful to every child? Neighborhood poverty, family poverty, and behavioral problems among young children
This longitudinal study investigates the association between neighborhood poverty and behavioral problems among young children. This study also examines whether social environments mediate the relationship between neighborhood poverty and behavioral problems. We used data from the third and fourth waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study to assess behavioral problems separately for children who experienced no family poverty, moved …
Residential segregation, political representation, and preterm birth among U.S.- and foreign-born Black women in the U.S. 2008–2010
Socioeconomic Disparities in Health in the United States
Objectives. We aimed to describe socioeconomic disparities in the United States across multiple health indicators and socioeconomic groups. Methods. Using recent national data on 5 child (infant mortality, health status, activity limitation, healthy eating, sedentary adolescents) and 6 adult (life expectancy, health status, activity limitation, heart disease, diabetes, obesity) health indicators, we examined indicator rates across multiple income…
Socioeconomic status and injury mortality
STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study examined both individual and neighbourhood correlates of injury mortality to better understand the contribution of socioeconomic status to cause specific injury mortality. Of particular interest was whether neighbourhood effects remained after adjusting for individual demographic characteristics and socioeconomic status. DESIGN: Census tract data (measuring small area socioeconomic status, racial concentration, residen…
Neighborhood Context and Youth Cardiovascular Health Behaviors
Objectives. This study sought to determine the relationships between race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and cardiovascular health behaviors among youths and whether neighborhood characteristics are associated with such behaviors independently of individual characteristics. Methods. Linear models determined the effects of individual and neighborhood characteristics (SES, social disorganization, racial/ethnic minority concentration, urbani…
Effects of neighbourhood socioeconomic status and convenience store concentration on individual level smoking
Objectives: To assess the effects of neighbourhood level socioeconomic status (SES) and convenience store concentration on individual level smoking, after consideration of individual level characteristics. Design: Individual sociodemographic characteristics and smoking were obtained from five cross sectional surveys (1979–1990). Participants’ addresses were geocoded and linked with census data for measuring neighbourhood SES and with telephone ye…
Neighborhood Context and Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescents
CONTEXT: Adolescent sexual behaviors are a significant public health concern because of the risks of STDs and the negative social consequences of teenage pregnancies. Associations between neighborhood characteristics and adolescents' initiation of sex and contraceptive use are poorly understood. METHODS: Multilevel logistic regression analyses of data from 14,151 adolescents in grades 7–12 in Wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescen…
The Role of Socioeconomic Factors in Black–White Disparities in Preterm Birth
Objectives. We investigated the role of socioeconomic factors in Black–White disparities in preterm birth (PTB). Methods. We used the population-based California Maternal and Infant Health Assessment survey and birth certificate data on 10 400 US-born Black and White California residents who gave birth during 2003 to 2010 to examine rates and relative likelihoods of PTB among Black versus White women, with adjustment for multiple socioeconomic fa…
Sociodemographic Variations in Self‐Reported Racism in a Community Sample of Blacks and Latino(a)s
This study investigated dimensions of socioeconomic status (SES) and self‐reported racism among a convenience sample of 418 U.S.‐born, Black and Latino(a) urban‐dwelling adults. Predictors included indexes of individual and neighborhood SES. Self‐reported racism was assessed with the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire–Community Version. Individuals at all levels of SES report racism, but the type of exposure varies by SES. Lower levels…
Effect of Cross-Level Interaction Between Individual and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status on Adult Mortality Rates
Objective. We examined whether the influence of neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES) on mortality differed by individual-level SES. Methods. We used a population-based, mortality follow-up study of 4476 women and 3721 men, who were predominately non-HIspanic White and aged 25–74 years at baseline, from 82 neighborhoods in 4 California cities. Participants were surveyed between 1979 and 1990, and were followed until December 31, 2002 (114…
Long-term neighborhood poverty trajectories and obesity in a sample of california mothers
Beyond the Cross-Sectional
Objectives. We examined associations between longitudinal neighborhood poverty trajectories and preterm birth (PTB). Methods. Using data from the Neighborhood Change Database (1970–2000) and the American Community Survey (2005–2009), we categorized longitudinal trajectories of poverty for California neighborhoods (i.e., census tracts). Birth data included 23 291 singleton California births from the Maternal and Infant Health Assessment (2003–2009…
Contribution of neighbourhood socioeconomic status and physical activity resources to physical activity among women
INTRODUCTION: Residence in a deprived neighbourhood is associated with lower rates of physical activity. Little is known about the manifestation of deprivation that mediates this relationship. This study aimed to investigate whether access to physical activity resources mediated the relationship between neighbourhood socioeconomic status and physical activity among women. METHOD: Individual data from women participating in the Stanford Heart Dise…
Assessing Alternative Measures of Wealth in Health Research
Objectives. We assessed whether it would be feasible to replace the standard measure of net worth with simpler measures of wealth in population-based studies examining associations between wealth and health. Methods. We used data from the 2004 Survey of Consumer Finances (respondents aged 25–64 years) and the 2004 Health and Retirement Survey (respondents aged 50 years or older) to construct logistic regression models relating wealth to health st…
Longitudinal measures of neighborhood poverty and income inequality are associated with adverse birth outcomes in Texas
Do wealth disparities contribute to health disparities within racial/ethnic groups
BACKGROUND: Though wide disparities in wealth have been documented across racial/ethnic groups, it is largely unknown whether differences in wealth are associated with health disparities within racial/ethnic groups. METHODS: Data from the Survey of Consumer Finances (2004, ages 25-64) and the Health and Retirement Survey (2004, ages 50+), containing a wide range of assets and debts variables, were used to calculate net worth (a standard measure o…
An Approach to Studying Social Disparities in Health and Health Care
Objective. We explored methods and potential applications of a systematic approach to studying and monitoring social disparities in health and health care. Methods. Using delayed or no prenatal care as an example indicator, we (1) categorized women into groups with different levels of underlying social advantage; (2) described and graphically displayed rates of the indicator and relative group size for each social group; (3) identified and measur…
Reframing school-based restorative justice as a structural population health intervention
Is neighborhood poverty harmful to every child? Neighborhood poverty, family poverty, and behavioral problems among young children
This longitudinal study investigates the association between neighborhood poverty and behavioral problems among young children. This study also examines whether social environments mediate the relationship between neighborhood poverty and behavioral problems. We used data from the third and fourth waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study to assess behavioral problems separately for children who experienced no family poverty, moved …
Neighborhood Context and Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescents
Racial and ethnic disparities in cervical and breast cancer screenings by nativity and length of U.S. residence
The between-group differences identified emphasize the disparities in screening between racial/ethnic groups while the within-group differences suggest the need to examine whether more targeted outreach efforts and prevention messages can increase screening for specific groups
Downward Neighborhood Poverty Mobility during Childhood Is Associated with Child Asthma
Nativity moderates the relationship between nationality and healthcare access for some Latinx women in the United States
Latinx women experience barriers to healthcare, yet the prevalence rates vary widely depending on nationality and nativity. It is important to recognize the heterogeneity that exists within the Latinx community and address the underlying causes for limited healthcare access such as immigration policy
Are the poverty histories of neighbourhoods associated with psychosocial well-being among a representative sample of California mothers? An observational study
BACKGROUND: We examine the association between the poverty histories of neighbourhoods and three indicators of psychosocial well-being-depressive symptoms, sense of control and number of stressors-in an observational study of mothers of young children in California. We also consider if length of residence in a neighbourhood moderates the association between neighbourhood poverty history and psychosocial well-being. METHODS: Data come from the Geo…
Parenting stress and mother– child playful interaction
While the role of instrumental support on the relationship between parenting stress and parenting behavior has received extensive empirical attention, the effect of emotional support has not. This study examined the main effect of emotional support from mothers’ life partners on mother–child playful interactions, as well as the moderating effect of emotional support on the association between parenting stress and mother–child playful interactions…
Optimal Ses Indicators Cannot Be Prescribed Across All Outcomes
The July 2002 article by Daly et al. on optimal indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) for health research is a valuable contribution to the literature on SES and mortality.1 We agree wholeheartedly that it is crucial to measure economic indicators such as income and accumulated wealth to reflect SES adequately in health studies. However, we would like to suggest an important clarification
Socioeconomic status and injury mortality
STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study examined both individual and neighbourhood correlates of injury mortality to better understand the contribution of socioeconomic status to cause specific injury mortality. Of particular interest was whether neighbourhood effects remained after adjusting for individual demographic characteristics and socioeconomic status. DESIGN: Census tract data (measuring small area socioeconomic status, racial concentration, residen…
Socioeconomic and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Unintended Pregnancy Among Postpartum Women in California
Neighborhood Context and Youth Cardiovascular Health Behaviors
Objectives. This study sought to determine the relationships between race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and cardiovascular health behaviors among youths and whether neighborhood characteristics are associated with such behaviors independently of individual characteristics. Methods. Linear models determined the effects of individual and neighborhood characteristics (SES, social disorganization, racial/ethnic minority concentration, urbani…
Optimal Ses Indicators Cannot Be Prescribed Across All Outcomes
The July 2002 article by Daly et al. on optimal indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) for health research is a valuable contribution to the literature on SES and mortality.1 We agree wholeheartedly that it is crucial to measure economic indicators such as income and accumulated wealth to reflect SES adequately in health studies. However, we would like to suggest an important clarification
An Approach to Studying Social Disparities in Health and Health Care
Objective. We explored methods and potential applications of a systematic approach to studying and monitoring social disparities in health and health care. Methods. Using delayed or no prenatal care as an example indicator, we (1) categorized women into groups with different levels of underlying social advantage; (2) described and graphically displayed rates of the indicator and relative group size for each social group; (3) identified and measur…
Neighbourhood deprivation and alcohol consumption
BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that the physical availability of alcohol may mediate the association between neighbourhood-level material deprivation and alcohol consumption. This study tests the relationships between neighbourhood-level deprivation, alcohol availability, and individual-level alcohol consumption using a multilevel analysis. METHODS: Data are from cross-sectional surveys conducted between 1979 and 1990 as part of the Stanfor…
Socioeconomic Status in Health Research
Problems with measuring socioeconomic status (SES)-frequently included in clinical and public health studies as a control variable and less frequently as the variable(s) of main interest-could affect research findings and conclusions, with implications for practice and policy. We critically examine standard SES measurement approaches, illustrating problems with examples from new analyses and the literature. For example, marked racial/ethnic diffe…
Neighborhood Context and Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescents
Neighborhood Context and Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescents
CONTEXT: Adolescent sexual behaviors are a significant public health concern because of the risks of STDs and the negative social consequences of teenage pregnancies. Associations between neighborhood characteristics and adolescents' initiation of sex and contraceptive use are poorly understood. METHODS: Multilevel logistic regression analyses of data from 14,151 adolescents in grades 7–12 in Wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescen…
Effects of neighbourhood socioeconomic status and convenience store concentration on individual level smoking
Objectives: To assess the effects of neighbourhood level socioeconomic status (SES) and convenience store concentration on individual level smoking, after consideration of individual level characteristics. Design: Individual sociodemographic characteristics and smoking were obtained from five cross sectional surveys (1979–1990). Participants’ addresses were geocoded and linked with census data for measuring neighbourhood SES and with telephone ye…
Effect of Cross-Level Interaction Between Individual and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status on Adult Mortality Rates
Objective. We examined whether the influence of neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES) on mortality differed by individual-level SES. Methods. We used a population-based, mortality follow-up study of 4476 women and 3721 men, who were predominately non-HIspanic White and aged 25–74 years at baseline, from 82 neighborhoods in 4 California cities. Participants were surveyed between 1979 and 1990, and were followed until December 31, 2002 (114…
Inequities in CHD Incidence and Case Fatality by Neighborhood Deprivation
Should Health Studies Measure Wealth?
Is Neighborhood Deprivation Independently Associated with Maternal and Infant Health? Evidence from Florida and Washington
Contribution of neighbourhood socioeconomic status and physical activity resources to physical activity among women
INTRODUCTION: Residence in a deprived neighbourhood is associated with lower rates of physical activity. Little is known about the manifestation of deprivation that mediates this relationship. This study aimed to investigate whether access to physical activity resources mediated the relationship between neighbourhood socioeconomic status and physical activity among women. METHOD: Individual data from women participating in the Stanford Heart Dise…
Changes in neighbourhood food store environment, food behaviour and body mass index, 1981–1990
Objective This paper examines trends in the neighbourhood food store environment (defined by the number and geographic density of food stores of each type in a neighbourhood), and in food consumption behaviour and overweight risk of 5779 men and women. Design The study used data gathered by the Stanford Heart Disease Prevention Program in four cross-sectional surveys conducted from 1981 to 1990. Setting Four mid-sized cities in agricultural regio…
Sociodemographic Variations in Self‐Reported Racism in a Community Sample of Blacks and Latino(a)s
This study investigated dimensions of socioeconomic status (SES) and self‐reported racism among a convenience sample of 418 U.S.‐born, Black and Latino(a) urban‐dwelling adults. Predictors included indexes of individual and neighborhood SES. Self‐reported racism was assessed with the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire–Community Version. Individuals at all levels of SES report racism, but the type of exposure varies by SES. Lower levels…
Socioeconomic Disparities in Adverse Birth Outcomes
Socioeconomic Disparities in Health in the United States
Objectives. We aimed to describe socioeconomic disparities in the United States across multiple health indicators and socioeconomic groups. Methods. Using recent national data on 5 child (infant mortality, health status, activity limitation, healthy eating, sedentary adolescents) and 6 adult (life expectancy, health status, activity limitation, heart disease, diabetes, obesity) health indicators, we examined indicator rates across multiple income…
Socioeconomic Factors and Health Risk Behaviors Among Adolescents
Even the more comprehensive set of socioeconomic factors considered may not accurately capture the underlying construct of adolescent SES
Assessing Alternative Measures of Wealth in Health Research
Objectives. We assessed whether it would be feasible to replace the standard measure of net worth with simpler measures of wealth in population-based studies examining associations between wealth and health. Methods. We used data from the 2004 Survey of Consumer Finances (respondents aged 25–64 years) and the 2004 Health and Retirement Survey (respondents aged 50 years or older) to construct logistic regression models relating wealth to health st…
Social inequalities in neighborhood conditions
Previous research suggests that neighborhoods in the United States with high concentrations of poverty or of racial/ethnic minorities have lower access to healthy foods and greater access to unhealthy foods, compared with higher income or predominantly White, non-Hispanic neighborhoods. Lower access is thought to influence dietary habits and resulting health consequences, such as obesity. While most studies have focused on either neighborhood SES…
Do wealth disparities contribute to health disparities within racial/ethnic groups
BACKGROUND: Though wide disparities in wealth have been documented across racial/ethnic groups, it is largely unknown whether differences in wealth are associated with health disparities within racial/ethnic groups. METHODS: Data from the Survey of Consumer Finances (2004, ages 25-64) and the Health and Retirement Survey (2004, ages 50+), containing a wide range of assets and debts variables, were used to calculate net worth (a standard measure o…
Post-partum Residential Mobility Among a Statewide Representative Sample of California Women, 2003–2007
Social and Environmental Factors Related to Smoking Cessation among Mothers
Black women demonstrated a notable disparity compared with white women in smoking status, accounted for by psychosocial/environmental factors. Immigrant Latinas demonstrated notable success in ever quitting smoking. Social networks may be important barriers to smoking cessation among women
Medicine (50 works) · Environmental health (38 works) · Demography (37 works) · Population (37 works) · Sociology (35 works) · Gerontology (32 works) · Health disparities and outcomes (32 works) · Public health (24 works) · Socioeconomic status (24 works) · Geography (23 works)