Community characteristics and mortality: The relative strength of association of different community characteristics

K.S. Chan, E. Roberts, R. McCleary, C. Buttorff and D.J. Gaskin

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 9, 1751-1758

Abstract: Objectives. We compared the strength of association between average 5-year county-level mortality rates and area-level measures, including air quality, sociodemographic characteristics, violence, and economic distress. Methods. We obtained mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System and linked it to socioeconomic and demographic data from the Census Bureau, air quality data, violent crime statistics, and loan delinquency data. We modeled 5-year average mortality rates (1998-2002) for all-cause, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory diseases as a function of county-level characteristics using ordinary least squares regression models. We limited analyses to counties with population of 100 000 or greater (n = 458). Results. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, particularly the percentage older than 65 years and near poor, were top predictors of all-cause and condition-specific mortality, as were a high concentration of construction and service workers. We found weaker associations for air quality, mortgage delinquencies, and violent crimes. Protective characteristics included the percentage of Hispanics, Asians, and married residents. Conclusions. Multiple factors influence county-level mortality. Although county demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are important, there are independent, although weaker, associations of other environmental characteristics. Future studies should investigate these factors to better understand community mortality risk.

Keywords: adolescent; adult; age; aged; air pollution; article; cardiovascular disease; child; crime; demography; human; infant; middle aged; mortality; neoplasm; newborn; occupation; poverty; preschool child; respiratory tract disease; socioeconomics; statistics; very elderly; violence; young adult, Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Air Pollution; Cardiovascular Diseases; Child; Child, Preschool; Crime; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Middle Aged; Mortality; Neoplasms; Occupations; Poverty; Residence Characteristics; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Socioeconomic Factors; Violence; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.2105/AJPH.2014.301944

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.301944_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.301944

Access Statistics for this article

American Journal of Public Health is currently edited by Alfredo Morabia

More articles in American Journal of Public Health from American Public Health Association
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Christopher F Baum ().