A number of studies have investigated neighborhood
factors that might be associated with drug and alcohol use and smoking.
Many of these studies have found that more disadvantaged neighborhoods
are linked to more smoking and substance dependency, although one study
found that alcohol and cigarette consumption among early adolescents was
higher in wealthier neighborhoods than it was in poorer ones. Some studies
have found that the density of alcohol outlets in a neighborhood is associated
with pedestrian accidents and alcohol-related hospital admissions. Liquor
stores are more likely to be located in predominantly African American
areas than in predominantly white neighborhoods.
To address substance use
and abuse and associated injury hazards, researchers suggest interventions
to address community factors associated with substance
use as well as policies (e.g., environmental traffic safety measures
and zoning regulations) to reduce pedestrian hazards and limit bar density.
Ennett
ST, Flewelling RL, Lindrooth C, Norton EC. School and neighborhood characteristics
associated with school rates of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use. Journal
of Health and Social Behavior. 1997;38:55-71.
Kadushin
C, Reber Saxe L, Livert D. The substance use system: social and neighborhood
environments associated with substance use and misuse. Substance Use
and Misuse.
1998;33:1681-1710.
Kleinschmidt
I, Hills M, Elliott P. Smoking behavior can be predicted by neighborhood
deprivation measures. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 1995;49:72-77.
LaScala
EA, Johnson FW, Gruenewald P, et al. Neighborhood and alcohol-related pedestrian
injury collisions: a geostatistical analysis. Prevention Science. 2001;2:123-134.
LaVeist
TA, Wallace JM Jr. Health risk and inequitable distribution of
liquor stores in African American neighborhoods. Social Science Medicine. 2000;51:613-617.
Tatlow
JR, Clapp JD, et al. The relationship between the geographic density of
alcohol outlets and alcohol-related hospital admissions in San Diego County. Journal of Community Health. 2000;25:79-88.
