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Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health are using a novel interview method to assess New Yorkers' perceptions and feelings related to their difficulties paying for and controlling heating and cooling in their homes. Inspired by social media influencers, the resulting short videos are quickly posted on social media, where they have found a receptive following.

The street interview approach, dubbed StreetTalk, was used for the first time to engage the public on the topic of energy insecurity—a public health and environmental justice issue. The findings are published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.

In 2023, researchers conducted 31 short interviews in English and Spanish with individuals on sidewalks, at bus stops, parks, and other public outdoor locations, in all five boroughs with individuals from varied racial/ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Video content was evaluated for thematic commonalities, then edited and published on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube under the handle @hotandcold_nyc.

"StreetTalk has the potential to create a paradigm shift in how research is conducted and disseminated by engaging with larger, more diverse audiences in a timely manner. This method has the potential to alter scientific research accessibility and communication to the public, while maintaining rigorous standards in data analysis and reporting of findings," says study senior author Diana Hernández, Ph.D., associate professor in Sociomedical Sciences and a leading authority on energy insecurity.

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