Poverty area residence and changes in depression and perceived health status: evidence from the Alameda County Study

BACKGROUND: Previous evidence from the Alameda County Study indicated that residential area has an independent effect on risk for mortality, adjusting for a variety of important individual characteristics. The current research examined the effect of poverty area residence on risk for developing depressive symptoms and decline in perceived health status in a sample of 1737. METHODS: Data were from a longitudinal population-based cohort. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used. RESULTS: Age- and sex-adjusted risk for incident high levels of depressive symptoms in 1974 was higher for poverty area residents (odds ratio [OR] 2.14; confidence interval [CI]: 1.49-3.06). Those reporting excellent/good health in 1965 were at higher risk for having fair/poor health in 1974 if they lived in a poverty area (age- and sex-adjusted OR 3.30; CI: 2.32-4.71). Independent of individual income, education, smoking status, body mass index, and alcohol consumption, poverty area residence remained associated with change in outcome variables. CONCLUSION: These results further support the hypothesis that characteristics of place affect health conditions and health status.