The studies described in this section have considered
how neighborhood environments affect several health behaviors. These studies
have found that living in an economically disadvantaged area is related
to greater prevalence of heart disease, increased incidence of cardiovascular
disease, and increased cardiovascular disease mortality as well as to higher
levels of cardiovascular and overall health risk factors, such as smoking,
poor diet, higher blood pressure, higher body mass index, and physical
inactivity. Strong effects of neighborhood environments on cardiovascular
risk factors observed in African Americans may be related to residential
segregation. Researchers recommend that efforts to reduce coronary heart
disease should focus on both places and people.
Cubbin
C, Hadden WC, Winkleby MA. Neighborhood context and cardiovascular disease
risk factors: the contribution of material deprivation. Ethnicity and
Disease. 2000;11:687-700.
Diehr
P, Koepsell T, Cheadle A, Psaty B, Wagner E, Curry S. Do communities differ
in health behaviors? Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 1993;46:1141-1149.
Diez
Roux AV. Residential environments and cardiovascular risk. Journal of
Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine. 2003;80:569-589.
Hart
C, Ecob R, Davey G. People, places and coronary heart disease risk factors:
a multilevel analysis of the Scottish Heart health study archive. Social
Science and Medicine. 1997;45:893-902.
Karvonen
S, Rimpelä A. Socio-regional context as a determinant of adolescents'
health behavior in Finland. Social Science and Medicine. 1996;43:1467-1474.
Lee
RE, Cubbin C. Neighborhood context and youth cardiovascular health behaviors. American Journal of Public Health. 2002;92:3.
