title: Determinants of mental health and self-rated health: a model of socioeconomic status, neighborhood safety, and physical activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the underlying mechanisms of the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on mental health and self-rated health (SRH), and evaluated how these relationships might vary by race/ethnicity, age, and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data of 44 921 adults who responded to the 2009 California Health Interview Survey. We used a path analysis to test effects of SES, neighborhood safety, and physical activity on mental health and SRH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low SES was associated with greater neighborhood safety concerns, which were negatively associated with physical activity, which was then negatively related to mental health and SRH. This model was similar across different racial/ethnic and gender groups, but mean levels in the constructs differed across groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SES plays an important role in SRH and mental health, and this effect is further nuanced by race/ethnicity and gender. Identifying the psychological (neighborhood safety) and behavioral (physical activity) factors that influence mental health and SRH is critical for tailoring interventions and designing programs that can improve overall health.
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Oanh L. Meyer was with the Center for Reducing Health Disparities, University of California, Davis and the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco. Laura Castro-Schilo was with the Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola was with the Center for Reducing Health Disparities and the Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis.
authors.forename: Oanh L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castro-Schilo
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Gaxiola
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D005006:Ethnicity; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D044469:Racial Groups; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012449:Safety; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors