Neighbourhoods and Health Flashcards

Question

What are the key findings of the "Moving for Opportunity" study?

Answer 1

- the study emphasized the potential effects of cumulative exposure over time to neighbourhood social and economic disadvantage (or advantage) on health, development, and opportunity --> prolonged exposure to either disadvantaged or advantaged environments can significantly influence a child's or adult's future outcomes. - children under 13, especially very young children, may be particularly vulnerable to unhealthy conditions in neighbourhoods --> these early-life exposures can have lasting consequences on health and well-being, affecting their development and opportunities later in life

Answer 2

- advantaged neighbourhood produce better health outcomes later in life - disadvantaged neighbourhoods lead to worse health outcomes later in life

Answer 3

- access to parks and recreational facilites promotes physical activity and exercise - prevalence of unhealthy food outlet poorly impacts diet and lead to obesity - neighbourhood resources may increase risk of smoking and drinking

Answer 4

- BOTH the neighbourhood environment and the individual characteristics of the residents influence health outcomes - the physical features, social relationships, services, and opportunities within a neighbourhood can either enhance or constrain people's exposures and options, which can have lasting consequences for their health and well-being.

Answer 5

- poor U.S. families became more likely to live in disadvantaged neighbourhoods with concentrated poverty = worse health - high-income families became more likely to live in advantaged neighbourhoods with concentrated affluence = better health

Answer 6

- schools in wealthier neighbourhoods have higher test scores and perform better - schools in poorer neighbourhoods have lower test scores, and perform more poorly

Answer 7

- individuals or households with incomes at or below the poverty lines - African Americans, Indigenous and Latino/Hispanics

Answer 8

- the likelihood of living in a poor neighbourhood varies by a person’s race or ethnic group - black people and latinos are more likely to live in economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods than White people of similar income

Answer 9

- Jim Crow laws where enacted to deliberately and systemically constrain the rights and opportunities of black people - Jim Crow laws reinforced racial segregation in all aspects of life, including residential location, schools, transportation, and other public services

Answer 10

systemic/structural racism refers to systems, laws, and practices that create and maintain racial inequality, often without intentional discrimination - Jim Crow laws and discriminatory lending practices systematically segregated Black people and other people of colour into disadvantaged neighbourhoods. - these neighbourhoods often lack basic services, good schools, and job opportunities, contributing to poor health outcomes. - racial segregation limits upward mobility, leaving people of colour in poor-quality housing with increased exposure to health risks (e.g., lead poisoning, asthma triggers).

Answer 11

- redlining and discriminatory lending practices = banks considered the racial/ethnic composition and income level of neighbourhoods to determine mortgage risks, resulting in discrimination against communities of colour - non-White borrowers were more likely to get high-cost mortgages, leading to higher foreclosure rates in their neighbourhoods - zoning policies often place industries or commercial spaces (environmental hazards) near poorer neighbourhoods, which are typically home to people of colour. - gentrification is when wealthier people move into poorer neighbourhoods, raising rents and pushing out low-income residents

Answer 12

- both physical and social characteristics of neighbourhoods can influence health directly (e.g., exposure to pollutants) and indirectly (e.g., shaping behaviours - public health often focuses on individual choices, behaviours, or treatments, but this approach alone is not enough to improve health or reduce disparities - improving health requires addressing the health-related opportunities and barriers within the places people live, not just individual actions

Answer 13

- toronto is becoming increasingly divided by income and socioeconomic status - toronto is so polarized that is could be described as 3 geographically distinct "cities" - no longer referred to as "city of neighbourhoods" --> "city of disparities" * this three-city disparity did not exist before!!!

Answer 14

there may be a correlation between mortality rates and income distribution - lower income areas of Toronto coincide with regions with higher mortality rates (U shape effect around Yonge street) - in fact, life expectancy varies by almost 12 years across Toronto neighbourhoods - may be due to access to health, housing quality, environmental factors, food security etc

Answer 15

- the idea that wealthier communities are concentrated in central area along Yonge street - poorer communities tend to be scattered along the outskirts in a U shape

Answer 16

low income = $32,000 average - 42% non-immigrants - 40% established immigrants 17% recent immigrants high income = $102,000 average - 70% non-immigrants - 23% established immigrants - 8% recent immigrants low-income neighbourhoods are increasingly dominated by visible minorities, while high-income areas have remained relatively white over the years

Answer 17

- greater community development initiatives to promote inclusivity and relationships - increase affordable housing in opportunity neighbourhoods - reduce environmental hazards - prioritize economic development by investing in physical and social environments