Racial segregation and longevity among African Americans: an individual-level analysis - PubMed (original) (raw)

Racial segregation and longevity among African Americans: an individual-level analysis

Thomas A LaVeist. Health Serv Res. 2003 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To test the relationship between racial segregation and mortality using a multidimensional questionnaire-based measure of exposure to segregation.

Data sources: Data for this analysis come from the National Survey of Black Americans (NSBA), a national multistage probability sample of 2,107 African Americans (aged 18-101). The NSBA was conducted as a household survey. The NSBA was matched with the National Death Index (NDI).

Study design: Prospective cohort study, where Cox regression analysis was used to examine the effect of baseline variables on time to death over a 13-year period.

Principal findings: Respondents who were exposed to racial segregation were significantly less likely to survive the study period after controls for age, health status, and other predictors of mortality.

Conclusion: The results support previous studies linking segregation with health outcomes.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Acevedo-Garcia D. “Zip Code-Level Risk Factors for Tuberculosis: Neighborhood Environment and Residential Segregation in New Jersey, 1985–1992.”. American Journal of Public Health. 2001;91(5):734–41. -PMC -PubMed
    1. Acevedo-Garcia D. “Residential Segregation and the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases.”. Social Science and Medicine. 2000;51(8):1143–61. -PubMed
    1. Astone NM, Ensminger M, Juon HS. “Early Adult Characteristics and Mortality among Inner-city African American Women.”. American Journal of Public Health. 2002;92(4):640–5. -PMC -PubMed
    1. Berkman L, Syme L. “Social Networks, Host Resistance and Mortality: A Nine-Year Follow-up of Alameda County Residents.”. American Journal of Epidemiology. 1979;109(2):186–204. -PubMed
    1. Blazer DG. “Social Support and Mortality in an Elderly Community Population.”. American Journal of Epidemiology. 1982;115(5):684–94. -PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources