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Review
. 2019 Jan;42(1):184-189.
doi: 10.1002/clc.23107. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Where we live: The impact of neighborhoods and community factors on cardiovascular health in the United States

Yang-Yu Karen Xiao  1 , Garth Graham  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Where we live: The impact of neighborhoods and community factors on cardiovascular health in the United States

Yang-Yu Karen Xiao et al. Clin Cardiol. 2019 Jan.

Abstract

While the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors has decreased in the United States in recent years, cardiovascular disparities by sex and race persist. Among the factors contributing to these disparities is the physical environment in which individuals live. Neighborhood characteristics, ranging from air pollution exposure to residential segregation, have been found to be related to cardiovascular health (CVH) and stroke risk. Through the use of cross-sectional, longitudinal, and analytic regression modeling, we are gaining clarity about the relationship between an individual's external environment and CVH. Moreover, differences in CVH vary by sex and/or race within the same neighborhood. The mechanism by which these disparities exist is still being explored. In this review, we examine the literature that has accumulated regarding how external environments and community factors affect individuals and populations by race and sex.

Keywords: cardiovascular health disparities; neighborhood; social determinants of health; socioeconomic status.

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Conflict of interest statement

Yang‐Yu Xiao reports no conflicts of interests and Garth Graham reports salary from Aetna Inc.

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