Author ORCID Identifier

0009-0001-5228-7002

Date of Award

Spring 5-10-2024

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

Department

Public Health

First Advisor

Rodney Lyn

Second Advisor

Harry Heiman

Third Advisor

Jamie Chriqui

Fourth Advisor

Charles T. Brown

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Arrested Mobility™: Policy Grounded Health Equity Solutions and Actions for Georgia

By

Tony Christopher Price, Jr.

Background: Chronic diseases, the built environment, racism, health equity, and health policy combine to create Arrested Mobility, which is the assertation that Black people and other minorities have been historically and presently denied by legal and illegal authority, the inalienable right to move, to be moved, to simply exist in public space.

Purpose of Research: The purpose of this project was to explore whether or not there are policies and laws that impact Blacks’ and other minorities’ ability to be physically active in their communities and to identify health equity issues that can be addressed that will help close health disparities for Blacks and other minorities in Georgia.

Methods: Phase one utilized a legal scan to identify the codified laws as of January 1st, 2022 focused on traffic, bicycles, and pedestrians at the state and municipal level that influence Blacks and minorities ability to be physically active in their communities. Phase two relied on open records requests from four rural municipalities and two urban municipalities to determine if law enforcement equitably distributed citations.

Findings & Results: During phase one, 129 municipalities adopted Georgia traffic laws as their own, 60 municipalities have their own written bicycles laws, and 12 municipalities have their own written pedestrian laws. Three municipalities had Complete Streets Policies. During phase two, three of six municipalities were found to cite Blacks and/or Hispanics at a rate higher than their prevalence in the community. Additionally, all demographics in rural areas are fined at a higher rate than their urban counter parts. In Grovetown, not only are Blacks cited at a higher rate than their prevalence in the community, the average fine fee for Blacks is higher than the average fine fee for Blacks across all examined municipalities. The average fine fee for Grovetown is also higher than all other rural municipalities.

Discussion & Recommendations: Based on the information discovered in phases one and two, recommendations to address health disparities in Georgia include 1) all law enforcement undergo modified implicit bias training, have citation reporting requirements, and wear body-worn cameras while on duty; 2) Georgia adopt a law similar to California Assembly Bill 2773; 3) provide support for rural communities to generate revenue; 4) adoption of Complete Streets Policies into all new projects; and 5) decriminalizing certain related laws.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/36977329

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