Neighbourhood socio-economic status and all-cause mortality in adults with atrial fibrillation: A cohort study of patients treated in primary care in Sweden.

Our aim was to study the potential impact of neighbourhood socio-economic status (SES) on all-cause mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) treated in primary care

How does neighbourhood socio-economic status affect the interrelationships between functioning dimensions in first episode of psychosis? A network analysis approach

The links between psychosis and socio-economic disadvantage have been widely studied. No previous study has analysed the interrelationships and mutual influences between functioning dimensions in first episode of psychosis (FEP) according to their neighbourhood household income, using a multidimensional and transdiagnostic perspective. 170 patients and 129 controls, participants in an observational study (AGES-CM), comprised the study sample. The WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) was used to assess functioning, whereas participants' postcodes were used to obtain the average household income for each neighbourhood, collected by the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE). Network analyses were conducted with the aim of defining the interrelationships between the different dimensions of functioning according to the neighbourhood household income. Our results show that lower neighbourhood socioeconomic level is associated with lower functioning in patients with FEP. Moreover, our findings suggest that “household responsibilities” plays a central role in the disability of patients who live in low-income neighbourhoods, whereas “dealing with strangers” is the most important node in the network of patients who live in high-income neighbourhoods. These results could help to personalize treatments, by allowing the identification of potential functioning areas to be prioritized in the treatment of FEP according to the patient's neighbourhood characteristic

Inequitable walking conditions among older people: examining the interrelationship of neighbourhood socio-economic status and urban form using a comparative case study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Supportive neighbourhood walking conditions are particularly important for older people as they age and who, as a group, prefer walking as a form of physical activity. Urban form and socio-economic status (SES) can influence neighbourhood walking behaviour. The objectives of this study were: a) to examine how urban form and neighbourhood SES inter-relate to affect the experiences of older people who walk in their neighbourhoods; b) to examine differences among neighbourhood stakeholder key informant perspectives on socio-political processes that shape the walkability of neighbourhood environments.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An embedded comparative case study examined differences among four Ottawa neighbourhoods that were purposefully selected to provide contrasts on urban form (inner-urban versus suburban) and SES (higher versus lower). Qualitative data collected from 75 older walkers and 19 neighbourhood key informants, as well as quantitative indicators were compared on the two axes of urban form and SES among the four neighbourhoods.</p> <p>Results and discussion</p> <p>Examining the inter-relationship of neighbourhood SES and urban form characteristics on older people's walking experiences indicated that urban form differences were accentuated positively in higher SES neighbourhoods and negatively in lower SES neighbourhoods. Older people in lower SES neighbourhoods were more affected by traffic hazards and more reliant on public transit compared to their higher SES counterparts. In higher SES neighbourhoods the disadvantages of traffic in the inner-urban neighbourhood and lack of commercial destinations in the suburban neighbourhood were partially offset by other factors including neighbourhood aesthetics. Key informant descriptions of the socio-political process highlighted how lower SES neighbourhoods may face greater challenges in creating walkable places. These differences pertained to the size of neighbourhood associations, relationships with political representatives, accessing information and salient neighbourhood association issues. Findings provide evidence of inequitable walking environments.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Future research on walking must consider urban form-SES inter-relationships and further examine the equitable distribution of walking conditions as well as the socio-political processes driving these conditions. There is a need for municipal governments to monitor differences in walking conditions among higher and lower SES neighbourhoods, to be receptive to the needs of lower SES neighbourhood and to ensure that policy decisions are taken to address inequitable walking conditions.</p

The association between the presence of fast-food outlets and BMI:the role of neighbourhood socio-economic status, healthy food outlets, and dietary factors

BACKGROUND: Evidence on the association between the presence of fast-food outlets and Body Mass Index (BMI) is inconsistent. Furthermore, mechanisms underlying the fast-food outlet presence-BMI association are understudied. We investigated the association between the number of fast-food outlets being present and objectively measured BMI. Moreover, we investigated to what extent this association was moderated by neighbourhood socio-economic status (NSES) and healthy food outlets. Additionally, we investigated mediation by frequency of fast-food consumption and amount of fat intake. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we used baseline data of adults in Lifelines (N = 149,617). Geo-coded residential addresses were linked to fast-food and healthy food outlet locations. We computed the number of fast-food and healthy food outlets within 1 kilometre (km) of participants' residential addresses (each categorised into null, one, or at least two). Participants underwent objective BMI measurements. We linked data to Statistics Netherlands to compute NSES. Frequency of fast-food consumption and amount of fat intake were measured through questionnaires in Lifelines. Multivariable multilevel linear regression analyses were performed to investigate associations between fast-food outlet presence and BMI, adjusting for individual and environmental potential confounders. When exposure-moderator interactions had p-value < 0.10 or improved model fit (∆AIC ≥ 2), we conducted stratified analyses. We used causal mediation methods to assess mediation. RESULTS: Participants with one fast-food outlet within 1 km had a higher BMI than participants with no fast-food outlet within 1 km (B = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.21). Effect sizes for at least two fast-food outlets were larger in low NSES areas (B = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.57), and especially in low NSES areas where at least two healthy food outlets within 1 km were available (B = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.19, 1.31). Amount of fat intake, but not frequency of fast-food consumption, explained this association for 3.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Participants living in low SES neighbourhoods with at least two fast-food outlets within 1 km of their residential address had a higher BMI than their peers with no fast-food outlets within 1 km. Among these participants, healthy food outlets did not buffer the potentially unhealthy impact of fast-food outlets. Amount of fat intake partly explained this association. This study highlights neighbourhood socio-economic inequalities regarding fast-food outlets and BMI

Neighbourhood socio-economic status and positive affectivity among older residents in Germany: a cross-sectional analysis with data from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study

Background: Physical and social neighbourhood characteristics can vary according to the neighbourhood socio-economic status (SES) and influence residents’ perceptions, behaviours and health outcomes both positively and negatively. Neighbourhood SES has been shown to be predictive of mental health, which is relevant for healthy ageing and prevention of dementia or depression. Positive affectivity (PA) is an established indicator of mental health and might indicate a positive emotional response to neighbourhood characteristics. In this study, we focussed on the association of neighbourhood SES with PA among older residents in Germany and considered social integration and environmental perceptions in this association. Methods: We used questionnaire-based data of the ongoing population-based Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study for our cross-sectional analysis, complemented by secondary data on social welfare rates in the neighbourhood of residents’ address. PA was assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) in 2016. Linear regression models were performed to estimate the associations and adjusted for socio-demographic variables. Results: Higher social welfare rates were associated with lower PA scores. The strongest negative association from the crude model (b = -1.916, 95%-CI [-2.997, -0.835]) was reduced after controlling for socio-demographic variables (b = -1.429, 95%-CI [-2.511, -0.346]). Social integration factors (b = -1.199, 95%-CI [-2.276, -0.121]) and perceived environmental factors (b = -0.875, 95%-CI [-1.971, 0.221]) additionally diminished the association of social welfare rates with PA in the full model (b = -0.945, 95%-CI [-2.037, 0.147]). Conclusion: Our results suggest that neighbourhoods have an influence on the occurrence and the extent of PA. Public health interventions that address socio-economic disadvantage in the neighbourhood environment could be an effective and far-reaching way to reduce the risk of depression and depressive symptoms due to low PA in older residents

Securing the urban space: on whose terms? Insights from poverty and crime baseline survey in Tamale, Ghana

Typically, the interaction of official security policies, the urban tissue, and individual characteristics largely underpin the liveabiliy of cities as centres of social interaction which invoke residents’ sense of place attachment, social cohesion, and quality of life. Studies in advanced countries have contributed significantly to understanding these synergies, but there remains a large gap in knowledge in rapidly urbanizing countries. Ghana presents an interesting case study, as the security landscape appears motivated more by ideology than rationality, with what ‘works’ increasingly becoming populism rather than responsibility. Moreover, the limited researched criminology literature has focused mainly on the larger cities, neglecting medium-sized cities such as Tamale. Based on extensive fieldwork involving 450 household heads, ten key informant interviews (KIIs), and three focus group discussions (FGDs) from three socio-economic communities in Tamale, this paper examines how security arrangements in the city’s various neighbourhoods reflect and connect the urban fabric with residents. We advocate for a more geographically sensitive and nuanced understanding of each neighbourhood’s concerns and a re-consideration of security interventions, in order to reflect not only the broad spectrum of safety demands of the affluent but also those of the socially excluded and more economically disadvantaged groups in society.Keywords: neighbourhood; socio-economic status; police–population ratio; informal crime control; Ghan

Neighbourhood effects in small neighbourhoods.

This paper uses data on a sample of Australian teenagers to test for neighbourhood effects on school dropout rates. The data allows us to test for neighbourhood effects at two different spatial scales. We find that educational composition of the larger neighbourhood can influence the dropout rate. We argue that this is most likely to reflect the structure of local labour market demand. We also find that low socio-economic status of the immediate neighbourhood has an adverse impact on dropout rate. This suggests that government policy may need to consider the socio-economic composition of quite small geographical areas if it considers interfering in the market to create greater income mixing within neighbourhoods.

Associations of neighbourhood environmental attributes and socio-economic status with health-related quality of life in urban mid-aged and older adults : Mediation by physical activity and sedentary behaviour

This study examined the associations of objectively assessed physical features of the neighbourhood environment with physical and mental aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as measured by the SF-36, and the roles of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in these associations. We used data from a national sample of Australian mid-aged and older adults living in urban areas (N = 4141). Environmental attributes were computed for 1-km-radius areas surrounding participants' residential addresses. Neighbourhood socio-economic status (SES) and average annual concentrations of PM2.5 were the only attributes related to HRQoL in the expected direction in the total- and direct-effect regression models. All other environmental attributes were related to HRQoL via physical activity behaviours and leisure-time sitting. The associations of most environmental features with HRQoL mediated by physical activity and sedentary behaviours were inconsistent, positive through some pathways and negative through others. This study suggests that neighbourhood SES may in part benefit HRQoL by helping promote an active lifestyle. Neighbourhood attributes defining walkability may benefit HRQoL by providing opportunities for walking and resistance training and, through these, by helping reduce leisure-time sitting. However, the same attributes also may limit opportunities for household activities and gardening and negatively impact on HRQoL through these pathways

Socio-economic status and family structure differences in early trajectories of child adjustment: Individual and neighbourhood effects

We examined the effects of single-parent family status and high parental socio-economic status (SES) on the trajectories of children's emotional/behavioural adjustment in early-to-middle childhood (ages 3-7 years). We also assessed whether these family characteristics interact with the equivalent neighbourhood characteristics of shares of single-parent families and high-SES adults in predicting these trajectories. Using data on 9850 children in England participating in the Millennium Cohort Study, we found that family status and parental SES predicted children's trajectories of adjustment. Even after controlling for these family factors and key child and parent characteristics, the neighbourhood shares of high-SES adults and single-parent families were related (negatively and positively, respectively) to child problem behaviour. Importantly, children of low-SES parents in neighbourhoods with a high concentration of high-SES adults had fewer emotional symptoms than their counterparts in areas with fewer high-SES adults. Surprisingly, the adverse effect of single-parent family status on child hyperactivity was attenuated in areas with a higher share of single-parent families