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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Peter Baltrus, PhD¹, Yong Liu, MS², and Sharon Davis, PhD². (1) National Center For Primary Care, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Ave, NCPC 315, Atlanta, GA 30310, 404-752-1180, pbaltrus@msm.edu, (2) Social Epidemiology Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Ave, NCPC 315, Atlanta, GA 30310

Background: Studies have suggested that neighborhood environment may impact health status and behaviors. However few studies have examined this relationship in an African American (AA) population. This study seeks to determine if African Americans(AA) living in demographically different neighborhoods have different health status/risk factor profiles and whether they differ in reporting perceived discrimination. Methods: Data from 402 African Americans residing in Fulton County, GA from the Regional Health Surveillance Study, a population based BRFSS style survey of five counties in Georgia was used, as well year 2000 census data. Three types of neighborhoods, predominantly AA high income(AAHI), predominately AA low income(AALI), and predominately White high income(WHI); were identified based on racial and income composition. CVD, diabetes, self-rated health, BMI, physical activity, and smoking, were the health related outcomes investigated. Perceived discrimination on the job, in receiving health care, and ever in life were all also examined. Regression models adjusted for age, gender and education were used to examine the relationship of neighborhood type with the outcome measures. Results: None of the health outcomes were related to neighborhood type. Preliminary analyses suggest that AAs living in WHI neighborhoods were the most likely to experience discrimination at work and equally likely as AAs living in AALI neighborhoods to experience discrimination in health care. Conclusion: Among AAs neighborhood type was not related to health status and behaviors. Discrimination may vary by neighborhood environment or be a determining factor in where AAs choose to live.

Learning Objectives:

• Decribe how neighborhood composition is related to health in African Americans 2)Describe how perceived racial discrimination is related to neighborhood composition

Keywords: Social Inequalities, Social Justice

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation