Adverse Housing and Neighborhood Conditions and Inflammatory Markers among Middle-Aged African Americans

Abstract

Adverse housing and neighborhood conditions are independently associated with an increased risk of various diseases and conditions. One possible explanation relates to systemic inflammation, which is associated with these adverse health outcomes. The authors investigated the association between housing and neighborhood conditions with inflammatory markers using data about 352 persons aged 49-65 years from the African American Health study. Participants were identified by a multistage random selection process in 2000 to 2001(response rate, 76%). Blood was analyzed for soluble cytokine receptors (interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha), C-reactive protein, and adiponectin. Neighborhood and housing characteristics consisted of five observed block face conditions (external appearance of the block on which the subject lived), four perceived neighborhood conditions, four observed housing conditions (home assessment by the interviewers rating the interior and exterior of the subject's building), and census-tract level poverty rate from the 2000 census. Differences in some inflammatory markers were found by age, gender, chronic conditions, and body mass index (all Bonferroni-adjusted p < 0.0034). There was no association between any of the housing/neighborhood conditions and the pro-inflammatory markers and potential associations between some housing/neighborhood conditions and adiponectin (p < 0.05, Bonferroni-adjusted p > 0.0034). Inflammation does not appear to be a mediator of the association between poor housing/neighborhood conditions and adverse health outcomes in middle-aged African Americans.

Neighborhoods and systemic inflammation: High CRP among legal and unauthorized Brazilian migrants

“…Only a few existing studies have examined relationships between inflammation and neighborhood factors (Petersen et al, 2008; Schootman et al, 2010), and only one of which we are aware has gone beyond conventional neighborhood socioeconomic (SES) characteristics to investigate other sociogeographic aspects of local environments that may be linked to high CRP (Nazmi et al, 2010). We report new evidence from 2007 Boston Metropolitan Immigrant Health & Legal Status (BM IHLSS) data that neighborhood level disorder and social capital are associated with high CRP among Brazilian migrant adults residing in the Boston Cambridge Quincy metropolitan statistical area.…”

“…Furthermore, recent research has identified psychosocial factors that may be associated with inflammatory processes, such as chronic and acute stressors, social support and poor psychological health (McDade et al, 2006; Ranjit et al, 2007; Uchino, 2006). Yet only a handful of studies have investigated relationships between neighborhood sociogeographic environments, in which stressors may be generated and social support forged, and inflammation (Liang et al, 2008; Nazmi et al, 2010; Petersen et al, 2008; Schootman et al, 2010). …”

Individual and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Inflammation in Mexican American Women

“…Prior research suggests that associations of inflammation with individual and neighborhood SES vary across demographic groups, with several studies showing inconsistent associations in ethnic minorities (18, 37–39). However, few studies have examined these associations in Latinos, who form a large and growing segment of the US population (40), and who are at disproportionate risk for certain CVD risk factors including obesity and type 2 diabetes (41, 42).…”

Gene–environment interactions between JAZF1 and occupational and household lead exposure in prostate cancer among African American men

“…Older housing has also been associated with higher rates of infection in children [53], potentially leading to higher rates of inflammation. However, a study of middle-aged African Americans showed no difference in markers of inflammation by housing conditions [54], although they did not specifically consider age of housing. A higher proportion of older housing is also correlated with lower income and education levels and could be associated with other social variables that may explain our findings as well.…”