title: Neighborhood environment and self-rated health among adults in Southern Sri Lanka.
abstract: The prevalence of different neighborhood environmental stressors and associations between the stressors and self-rated health are described in a representative sample of 2,077 individuals, aged 18-85 years, in southern Sri Lanka. Mosquito menace (69.4%), stray dog problems (26.8%), nuisance from neighbors (20.3%), and nuisance from drug users (18.7%) were found to be the most prevalent environmental stressors. None of the stressors investigated were associated with self-rated physical health, but nuisance from neighbors, nuisance from drug users, shortage of water and having poor water/sewage drainage system were associated with self-rated mental health among the respondents.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Galle, Sri Lanka. pperera@indiana.edu
authors.forename: Bilesha
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: Truls
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Østbye
authors.forename: Chandramali
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jayawardana
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D009033:Culicidae; D004285:Dogs; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015980:Public Health Practice; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D055815:Young Adult