Research Symposium

BIO

Kendall Sampson is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student at Florida State University, expected to graduate in December 2026. She is actively involved in undergraduate research through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), where she contributes to a systematic review examining geospatial stigma at the neighborhood level under the mentorship of Casey Xavier Hall. Her research interests include pain management, anesthesia, and health disparities, particularly how structural and environmental factors influence patient outcomes.

In addition to her academic work, Kendall serves as a Learning Assistant for Health Assessment and Interventions, supporting student learning through peer education. She has clinical experience in podiatry, where she assisted with patient care and administrative operations.

Kendall plans to pursue graduate education through a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, with an interest in acute care practice. She is passionate about combining clinical expertise with research to improve patient care and advance equitable healthcare practices.

Mapping Neighborhood-Level Stigma: A Scoping Review of Geospatial Approaches and Influences on Health

Abstract

Stigma is a well-documented determinant of adverse health outcomes across diverse identities and lived experiences, including race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, substance use, HIV status, and disability. While most stigma research focuses on individual-level experiences, less is known about stigma as a structural or contextual feature of neighborhoods and other localized geographic units. This project systematically reviews the literature on geospatial stigma, with emphasis on neighborhood-level units of analysis. Using Covidence, a comprehensive search yielded n=3,804 abstracts for screening. Each abstract was independently reviewed by two researchers using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Eligible studies were published in English, involved original peer-reviewed research with data collection or analysis, explicitly addressed geospatial stigma or a related construct, and used a neighborhood-level (or equivalent) geospatial unit. Studies were excluded if they were non-English, lacked original data, did not address stigma, or focused on broader geographic levels (e.g., state or country). Preliminary screening identified n=237 (6.2%) full texts for review, of which 137 (57.8%) are quantitative; n=44 (18.6%) have been included in the dataset and n=130 (55.9%) remain under review. Early observations indicate that neighborhood-level stigma is commonly operationalized through concentrated disadvantage, racialized spatial segregation, crime labeling, environmental neglect, and community attitudes toward marginalized populations. Neighborhoods are often symbolically associated with deviance or disorder, contributing to disinvestment and reduced healthcare access. Upon completion, this review will synthesize evidence on neighborhood-level stigma and identify gaps, advancing understanding of geospatial stigma as a structural determinant of health.

Keywords: Geospatial, Neighborhood, Systematic