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March 22, 2007
Los Angeles - Teens living in neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-income households are unlikely to have a safe park near their home and are more likely to get less physical activity, according to a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. The policy brief finds the same trends among teens in neighborhoods with higher unemployment rates, lower levels of education and higher levels of household crowding.
Examining neighborhood poverty, the brief shows that as the concentration of households in a neighborhood with income below the poverty line rises from fewer than 25 percent to 50 percent or higher, the percentage of teens with a safe park near home drops from 28 percent to 19 percent, the percentage of teens who get regular physical activity drops from 74 percent to 67 percent and the percentage of teens who get no physical activity doubles from 5 percent to 10 percent.
"These findings tell us that neighborhood, social and economic factors contribute greatly to adolescent health," said Susan H. Babey, lead author of the brief and a research scientist at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
The findings in the policy brief are based on data from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey and US Census data. The complete brief is available for download at www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu.
Other findings in the brief include:
- As the neighborhood unemployment rate rises from less than 3 percent to 8 percent and above, the percentage of teens with a safe park near home drops from 30 percent to 11 percent, the percentage of teens getting regular physical activity drops from 75 percent to 65 percent, and the percentage of teens who get no physical activity rises from 4 percent to 9 percent.
- As the percentage of college-educated adults in a neighborhood drops from more than 50 percent to less than 25 percent, the percentage of teens with a safe park near home drops from 35 percent to 19 percent, the percentage of teens who get regular physical activity drops from 74 percent to 69 percent and the percentage of teens who get no physical activity rises from 5 percent to 8 percent.
- As the neighborhood concentration of crowded households (households with more than one occupant per room) increases from below 25 percent to 50 percent or higher, the percentage of teens with a safe park near home drops from 23 percent to 15 percent, the percentage of teens who get regular physical activity drops from 73 percent to 56 percent and the percentage of teens who get no physical activity rises from 6 percent to 21 percent.
"This report provides further validation that a person's health is influenced by more than just doctor's visits and check-ups," said Robert K. Ross, M.D. president and CEO of The California Endowment, which provided funding for the brief. "Health is linked to a number of community issues, and both the public and private sector must be prepared to break out of our traditional issue 'silos' to make strategic investments that address a variety of issues such as public safety, community development, nutrition education, and after-school programs."
The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research was established in 1994 and is one of the nation's leading health policy research centers. It is also the premier source of key health policy information for California. The Center is based in the UCLA School of Public Health and is affiliated with the UCLA School of Public Affairs.
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