TY - JOUR
T1 - Community Characteristics are Associated with Blood Pressure Levels in a Racially Integrated Community
AU - Samuel, L. J.
AU - Thorpe, R. J.
AU - Bower, K. M.
AU - LaVeist, T. A.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by grant #P60MD000214-01 from the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) and a grant from Pfizer, Inc. to Dr. LaVeist. Dr. Samuel was funded by the National Institute of Aging grant T32AG000247.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2015, The New York Academy of Medicine.
PY - 2015/6/5
Y1 - 2015/6/5
N2 - Community problems have been associated with higher, and community resources and social cohesion with lower, blood pressure. However, prior studies have not accounted for potential confounding by residential racial segregation. This study tested associations between community characteristics and blood pressure levels and prevalent hypertension in a racially integrated community. The Exploring Health Disparities in Integrated Communities Study measured blood pressure in residents of two contiguous racially integrated and low-income US Census Tracts. Community characteristics included a standardized community problem score and binary indicators for community social cohesion, having a community leader available, and having at least one community resource observed on the participant’s block. In adjusted models, greater community problems and proximity to resources were associated with lower systolic (β = −2.020, p = 0.028; β = −4.132, p = 0.010) and diastolic (β = −1.261, p = 0.038; β = −2.290, 0.031) blood pressure, respectively, among whites (n = 548). Social cohesion was associated with higher systolic (β = 4.905, p = 0.009) and diastolic blood pressure (β = 3.379, p = 0.008) among African Americans (n = 777). In one racially integrated low-income community, community characteristics were associated with blood pressure levels, and associations differed by race. Directions of associations for two findings differed from prior studies; greater community problem was associated with lower blood pressure in whites and community social cohesion was associated with higher blood pressure in African Americans. These findings may be due to exposure to adverse environmental conditions and hypertensive risk factors in this low-income community.
AB - Community problems have been associated with higher, and community resources and social cohesion with lower, blood pressure. However, prior studies have not accounted for potential confounding by residential racial segregation. This study tested associations between community characteristics and blood pressure levels and prevalent hypertension in a racially integrated community. The Exploring Health Disparities in Integrated Communities Study measured blood pressure in residents of two contiguous racially integrated and low-income US Census Tracts. Community characteristics included a standardized community problem score and binary indicators for community social cohesion, having a community leader available, and having at least one community resource observed on the participant’s block. In adjusted models, greater community problems and proximity to resources were associated with lower systolic (β = −2.020, p = 0.028; β = −4.132, p = 0.010) and diastolic (β = −1.261, p = 0.038; β = −2.290, 0.031) blood pressure, respectively, among whites (n = 548). Social cohesion was associated with higher systolic (β = 4.905, p = 0.009) and diastolic blood pressure (β = 3.379, p = 0.008) among African Americans (n = 777). In one racially integrated low-income community, community characteristics were associated with blood pressure levels, and associations differed by race. Directions of associations for two findings differed from prior studies; greater community problem was associated with lower blood pressure in whites and community social cohesion was associated with higher blood pressure in African Americans. These findings may be due to exposure to adverse environmental conditions and hypertensive risk factors in this low-income community.
KW - Health disparities
KW - Hypertension
KW - Neighborhood problems
KW - Neighborhood social cohesion
KW - Residential segregation
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U2 - 10.1007/s11524-015-9936-5
DO - 10.1007/s11524-015-9936-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 25665523
AN - SCOPUS:84930381969
VL - 92
SP - 403
EP - 414
JO - Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
JF - Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
SN - 1099-3460
IS - 3
ER -