Study objective-This study examined both individual and neighbourhood correlates of injury mortality to better understand the contribution of socioeconomic status to cause specific injury mortality. Of particular interest was whether neighbourhood eVects remained after adjusting for individual demographic characteristics and socioeconomic status. Design-Census tract data (measuring small area socioeconomic status, racial concentration, residential stability, urbanisation, and family structure) was merged with the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and a file that links the respondents to subsequent follow up of vital status and cause of death data. Cox proportional hazards models were specified to determine individual and neighbourhood eVects on homicide, suicide, motor vehicle deaths, and other external causes. Variances are adjusted for the clustered sample design of the NHIS. Conclusions-Social inequalities in injury mortality exist for both persons and places. Policies or interventions aimed at preventing or controlling injuries should take into account not only the socioeconomic characteristics of people but also of the places in which they live. (J Epidemiol Community Health 2000;54:517-524) Recent research in the area of socioeconomic disparities in health has focused on the role of the residential environment in determining health. A growing body of literature has demonstrated that characteristics of communities where people live, such as family stability, housing conditions, income and wealth, crime, unemployment, segregation, and political empowerment, influence health outcomes and behaviour. Setting-United

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