Neighborhoods and Health: Where We Live Matters for Our Health: Neighborhoods and Health

Publication Date: October 2008

Publisher: RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America

Author(s): Susan. Egerter; Veronica. Pedregon; Catherine. Cubbin; Paul. Braveman

Research Area: Health

Type: Report

Abstract:

Just as conditions within our homes have important implications for our health, conditions in the neighborhoods surrounding our homes also can have major health effects. Social and economic features of neighborhoods have been linked with mortality, general health status, disability, birth outcomes, chronic conditions, health behaviors and other risk factors for chronic disease, as well as with mental health, injuries, violence and other important health indicators.

This issue brief produced for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America examines the current evidence linking neighborhoods and health, the opportunities for Americans to live in healthy neighborhoods, and promising programs and interventions to make neighborhoods healthier places to live, learn and play.

According to the brief, the physical, social and service environments of neighborhoods can promote health or put health in jeopardy.

* The physical environment includes the built environment—the environment resulting from structures built by humans—as well as the natural environment.
* The social environment includes the quality of relationships—such as trust, connectedness and cooperation—among neighborhood residents.
* The service environment includes neighborhood resources for education, employment, transportation, health care, grocery shopping, recreation and other services directly or indirectly tied to health.

Features of physical, social, and service environments often overlap (for example, neighborhood access to grocery stores reflects both the physical and service environments), but together they can create vastly different opportunities to be healthy.