Neighbourhood disadvantage and smoking: Examining the role of neighbourhood-level psychosocial characteristics

Jerome N Rachele; Lisa Wood; Andrea Nathan; Katrina Giskes; Gavin Turrell

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2016.04.012

Neighbourhood disadvantage and smoking: Examining the role of neighbourhood-level psychosocial characteristics

Health Place. 2016 Jul:40:98-105. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2016.04.012. Epub 2016 May 23.

Authors

Jerome N Rachele¹, Lisa Wood², Andrea Nathan³, Katrina Giskes⁴, Gavin Turrell⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Australia; School of Public Health and Social Work and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Australia; School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: jerome.rachele@acu.edu.au.
² School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. Electronic address: lisa.wood@uwa.edu.au.
³ Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Australia; School of Public Health and Social Work and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Electronic address: andrea.nathan@acu.edu.au.
⁴ Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: kgis4867@uni.sydney.edu.au.
⁵ Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Australia; School of Public Health and Social Work and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Australia; School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: gavin.turrell@acu.edu.au.

PMID: 27228312
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2016.04.012

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to determine if neighbourhood psychosocial characteristics contribute to inequalities in smoking among residents from neighbourhoods of differing socioeconomic disadvantage.

Methods: This cross-sectional study includes 11,035 residents from 200 neighbourhoods in Brisbane, Australia in 2007. Self-reported measures were obtained for smoking and neighbourhood psychosocial characteristics (perceptions of incivilities, crime and safety, and social cohesion). Neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage was measured using a census-derived index. Data were analysed using multilevel logistic regression random intercept models.

Results: Smoking was associated with neighbourhood disadvantage; this relationship remained after adjustment for individual-level socioeconomic position. Area-level perceptions of crime and safety and social cohesion were not independently associated with smoking, and did not explain the higher prevalence of smoking in disadvantaged areas; however, perceptions of incivilities showed an independent effect.

Conclusions: Some neighbourhood psychosocial characteristics seem to contribute to the higher rates of smoking in disadvantaged areas.

Keywords: Neighbourhood disadvantage; Psychosocial characteristics; Smoking; Social environment; Socioeconomic status.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Australia
Crime / psychology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Residence Characteristics*
Safety
Smoking / epidemiology*
Smoking / psychology*
Social Environment*
Socioeconomic Factors*