New York City residents who live in predominantly black neighborhoods are more likely to consider themselves in poor health than their counterparts in more diverse neighborhoods, according to a study published in the current issue of Ethnicity and Disease Journal, Long Island Newsday reports. The study, which was conducted by researchers at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, examined data on 2,845 New York City residents living in 170 ZIP codes who responded to the 1999 and 2002 New York City Social Indicator Survey, combining it with neighborhood information from the U.S. Census. According to the study, 27% of respondents living in neighborhoods with a high concentration of black residents reported poor health, compared with 22% of respondents in neighborhoods with a medium concentration of black residents and 17% of respondents in neighborhoods with a low concentration. After accounting for education and income, the study found that respondents in more diverse neighborhoods were still more likely to report better health than their counterparts in mostly black neighborhoods. Co-author Luisa Borrell, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia, said, "When people think they are sick, they tend to die earlier, they tend to seek health care less and have higher mortality and morbidity rates." Borrell added, "Segregated neighborhoods tended to be disempowered, have less resources, lack health care resources and suffer from higher concentrations of poverty." Aloysius Cuyjet, vice president for clinical effectiveness and minority health initiatives at Nassau University Medical Center, said the study "does validate some things that are known, but just because you live in a black neighborhood doesn't necessarily mean you have poor health." Cuyjet said the 30% response rate to the survey is low, adding, "The study raises more questions than it answers" (Taylor, Long Island Newsday, 10/30).

The study is available online. Note: You must have Adobe Reader to view the study.