Neighborhood deprivation and health risk behaviors in NHANES III.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether neighborhood-level socioeconomic status is an independent risk factor for health risk behaviors.


METHODS
Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were linked with census tracts from the 1990 US Census. Outcome variables included biomarkers for smoking and high dietary fat intake, and self-reported excessive alcohol consumption and physical inactivity.


RESULTS
Multivariate logistic regression showed an association between high levels of neighborhood deprivation and increased odds of health risk behaviors independent of sociodemographic factors, BMI, and comorbidities.


CONCLUSIONS
Living in highly deprived neighborhoods is associated with risky health behaviors.
Stimpson
Jim P
JP
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA. jstimpso@hsc.unt.edu
Ju
Hyunsu
H
Raji
Mukaila A
MA
Eschbach
Karl
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012309:Risk-Taking; D014481:United States