|
|
||||||||
Department of Health and Social Behavior, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have demonstrated that income inequality is related to mortality rates. It was hypothesized, in this study, that income inequality is related to reduction in social cohesion and that disinvestment in social capital is in turn associated with increased mortality. METHODS: In this cross-sectional ecologic study based on data from 39 states, social capital was measured by weighted responses to two items from the General Social Survey: per capita density of membership in voluntary groups in each state and level of social trust, as gauged by the proportion of residents in each state who believed that people could be trusted. Age-standardized total and cause-specific mortality rates in 1990 were obtained for each state. RESULTS: Income inequality was strongly correlated with both per capita group membership (r = -.46) and lack of social trust (r = .76). In turn, both social trust and group membership were associated with total mortality, as well as rates of death from coronary heart disease, malignant neoplasms, and infant mortality. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the notion that income inequality leads to increased mortality via disinvestment in social capital.
Related articles in AJPH:
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
T Fujiwara and I Kawachi A prospective study of individual-level social capital and major depression in the United States J. Epidemiol. Community Health, July 1, 2008; 62(7): 627 - 633. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Realo, J. Allik, and B. Greenfield Radius of Trust: Social Capital in Relation to Familism and Institutional Collectivism Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, July 1, 2008; 39(4): 447 - 462. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
X Chen, B Stanton, J Gong, X Fang, and X Li Personal Social Capital Scale: an instrument for health and behavioral research Health Educ. Res., May 9, 2008; (2008) cyn020v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Freeman, K. Pugh, A. Antley, M. Slater, P. Bebbington, M. Gittins, G. Dunn, E. Kuipers, D. Fowler, and P. Garety Virtual reality study of paranoid thinking in the general population The British Journal of Psychiatry, April 1, 2008; 192(4): 258 - 263. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Perry, R. L. Williams, N. Wallerstein, and H. Waitzkin Social Capital and Health Care Experiences Among Low-Income Individuals Am J Public Health, February 1, 2008; 98(2): 330 - 336. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Ming Wen, C. R. Browning, and K. A. Cagney Neighbourhood Deprivation, Social Capital and Regular Exercise during Adulthood: A Multilevel Study in Chicago Urban Stud, December 1, 2007; 44(13): 2651 - 2671. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Yuasa, R. F. de Sa, S. Pincovsky, and N. Shimanouchi Emergence Model of social and human capital and its application to the Healthy Municipalities project in Northeast Brazil Health Promot. Int., December 1, 2007; 22(4): 292 - 298. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. E Pickett and R. G Wilkinson Child wellbeing and income inequality in rich societies: ecological cross sectional study BMJ, November 24, 2007; 335(7629): 1080 - 1080. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Bobak, M. Murphy, R. Rose, and M. Marmot Societal characteristics and health in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union: a multilevel analysis J. Epidemiol. Community Health, November 1, 2007; 61(11): 990 - 996. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. M. Fitzpatrick, J. Irwin, M. LaGory, and F. Ritchey Just Thinking about It: Social Capital and Suicide Ideation among Homeless Persons J Health Psychol, September 1, 2007; 12(5): 750 - 760. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Rostila Social capital and health in European welfare regimes: a multilevel approach Journal of European Social Policy, August 1, 2007; 17(3): 223 - 239. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. S. McEwen Physiology and Neurobiology of Stress and Adaptation: Central Role of the Brain Physiol Rev, July 1, 2007; 87(3): 873 - 904. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. C. Semenza and P. V. Krishnasamy Design of a Health-Promoting Neighborhood Intervention Health Promot Pract, July 1, 2007; 8(3): 243 - 256. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Kemp, R. Chavez, B. Harris-Roxas, and N. Burton What's in the box? Issues in evaluating interventions to develop strong and open communities Community Dev. J., June 5, 2007; (2007) bsm014v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Morgan and E. Ziglio Revitalising the evidence base for public health: an assets model Promotion & Education, June 1, 2007; 14(2_suppl): 17 - 22. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Backlund, G. Rowe, J. Lynch, M. C Wolfson, G. A Kaplan, and P. D Sorlie Income inequality and mortality: a multilevel prospective study of 521 248 individuals in 50 US states Int. J. Epidemiol., June 1, 2007; 36(3): 590 - 596. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. T. Ha and S. A. Gansky HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices Used in U.S. Dental Schools: Factors Related to Readability or Lack Thereof J Dent Educ., March 1, 2007; 71(3): 419 - 429. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. E. Bonomi, M. L. Anderson, R. J. Reid, D. Carrell, P. A. Fishman, F. P. Rivara, and R. S. Thompson Intimate Partner Violence in Older Women Gerontologist, February 1, 2007; 47(1): 34 - 41. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. R. Hipp and A. Perrin Nested Loyalties: Local Networks' Effects on Neighbourhood and Community Cohesion Urban Stud, December 1, 2006; 43(13): 2503 - 2523. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Winkleby, C. Cubbin, and D. Ahn Effect of Cross-Level Interaction Between Individual and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status on Adult Mortality Rates Am J Public Health, December 1, 2006; 96(12): 2145 - 2153. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Dharamsi Building Moral Communities? First, Do No Harm. J Dent Educ., November 1, 2006; 70(11): 1235 - 1240. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. de Jong Gierveld and G. O. Hagestad Perspectives on the Integration of Older Men and Women Research on Aging, November 1, 2006; 28(6): 627 - 637. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S Moore, V Haines, P Hawe, and A Shiell Lost in translation: a genealogy of the "social capital" concept in public health. J. Epidemiol. Community Health, August 1, 2006; 60(8): 729 - 734. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Blakely, J. Atkinson, V. Ivory, S. Collings, J. Wilton, and P. Howden-Chapman No association of neighbourhood volunteerism with mortality in New Zealand: a national multilevel cohort study. Int. J. Epidemiol., August 1, 2006; 35(4): 981 - 989. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Viswanath, W. Randolph Steele, and J. R. Finnegan Jr Social Capital and Health: Civic Engagement, Community Size, and Recall of Health Messages Am J Public Health, August 1, 2006; 96(8): 1456 - 1461. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. P. Pattussi, R. Hardy, and A. Sheiham Neighborhood Social Capital and Dental Injuries in Brazilian Adolescents Am J Public Health, August 1, 2006; 96(8): 1462 - 1468. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
F. N Piro, O. Noss, and B. Claussen Physical activity among elderly people in a city population: the influence of neighbourhood level violence and self perceived safety. J. Epidemiol. Community Health, July 1, 2006; 60(7): 626 - 632. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Bowling, J. Barber, R. Morris, and S. Ebrahim Do perceptions of neighbourhood environment influence health? Baseline findings from a British survey of aging. J. Epidemiol. Community Health, June 1, 2006; 60(6): 476 - 483. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
F. J Zimmerman and J. F Bell Income inequality and physical and mental health: testing associations consistent with proposed causal pathways. J. Epidemiol. Community Health, June 1, 2006; 60(6): 513 - 521. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. Lillbacka Measuring Social Capital: Assessing Construct Stability of Various Operationalizations of Social Capital in a Finnish Sample Acta Sociologica, June 1, 2006; 49(2): 201 - 220. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. M Kavanagh, G. Turrell, and S V Subramanian Does area-based social capital matter for the health of Australians? A multilevel analysis of self-rated health in Tasmania Int. J. Epidemiol., June 1, 2006; 35(3): 607 - 613. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. J. Zolotor and D. K. Runyan Social capital, family violence, and neglect. Pediatrics, June 1, 2006; 117(6): e1124 - e1131. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. W. Higgins, L. Young, S. Cunningham, and P.-J. Naylor Out of the Mainstream: Low-Income, Lone Mothers' Life Experiences and Perspectives on Heart Health Health Promot Pract, April 1, 2006; 7(2): 221 - 233. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. A. Newman, K. A. Griffith, I. Jatoi, M. S. Simon, J. P. Crowe, and G. A. Colditz Meta-Analysis of Survival in African American and White American Patients With Breast Cancer: Ethnicity Compared With Socioeconomic Status J. Clin. Oncol., March 20, 2006; 24(9): 1342 - 1349. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Singhal,, M. J. Papa,, D. Sharma,, S. Pant,, T. Worrell,, N. Muthuswamy, and K. Witte Entertainment Education and Social Change The Communicative Dynamics of Social Capital Journal of Creative Communications, March 1, 2006; 1(1): 1 - 18. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. Bolam, C. Mclean, A. Pennington, and P. Gillies Using New Media to Build Social Capital for Health: A Qualitative Process Evaluation Study of Participation in the CityNet Project J Health Psychol, March 1, 2006; 11(2): 297 - 308. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. T. Hyyppa, J. Maki, O. Impivaara, and A. Aromaa Leisure participation predicts survival: a population-based study in Finland Health Promot. Int., March 1, 2006; 21(1): 5 - 12. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Galea and J. Ahern Distribution of Education and Population Health: An Ecological Analysis of New York City Neighborhoods Am J Public Health, December 1, 2005; 95(12): 2198 - 2205. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Lindstrom Social capital, the miniaturisation of community and consumption of homemade liquor and smuggled liquor during the past year: A population-based study Eur J Public Health, December 1, 2005; 15(6): 593 - 600. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. M. Uslaner and M. Brown Inequality, Trust, and Civic Engagement American Politics Research, November 1, 2005; 33(6): 868 - 894. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. LINDSTROM SOCIAL CAPITAL, THE MINIATURIZATION OF COMMUNITY AND HIGH ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY Alcohol Alcohol., November 1, 2005; 40(6): 556 - 562. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. Weber, L. Jensen, K. Miller, J. Mosley, and M. Fisher A Critical Review of Rural Poverty Literature: Is There Truly a Rural Effect? International Regional Science Review, October 1, 2005; 28(4): 381 - 414. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Viladrich Tango Immigrants in New York City: The Value of Social Reciprocities Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, October 1, 2005; 34(5): 533 - 559. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. R Dunn, B. Burgess, and N. A Ross Income distribution, public services expenditures, and all cause mortality in US states J. Epidemiol. Community Health, September 1, 2005; 59(9): 768 - 774. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. M. Ahern and M. S. Hendryx Social capital and risk for chronic illnesses Chronic Illness, September 1, 2005; 1(3): 183 - 190. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. S Kopp, A. Skrabski, I. Kawachi, and N. E Adler Low socioeconomic status of the opposite sex is a risk factor for middle aged mortality J. Epidemiol. Community Health, August 1, 2005; 59(8): 675 - 678. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. E. Glasgow, D. J. Toobert, M. Barrera Jr, and L. A. Strycker The Chronic Illness Resources Survey: cross-validation and sensitivity to intervention Health Educ. Res., August 1, 2005; 20(4): 402 - 409. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Moore, A. Shiell, P. Hawe, and V. A. Haines The Privileging of Communitarian Ideas: Citation Practices and the Translation of Social Capital Into Public Health Research Am J Public Health, August 1, 2005; 95(8): 1330 - 1337. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Huynh, J. D Parker, S. Harper, E. Pamuk, and K. C Schoendorf Contextual effect of income inequality on birth outcomes Int. J. Epidemiol., August 1, 2005; 34(4): 888 - 895. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. I. Kushner and C. E. Sterk The Limits of Social Capital: Durkheim, Suicide, and Social Cohesion Am J Public Health, July 1, 2005; 95(7): 1139 - 1143. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
F. J. Elgar, C. Roberts, N. Parry-Langdon, and W. Boyce Income inequality and alcohol use: a multilevel analysis of drinking and drunkenness in adolescents in 34 countries Eur J Public Health, June 1, 2005; 15(3): 245 - 250. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T Y Cheng, C P Wen, S P Tsai, W S I Chung, and C C Hsu Reducing health disparity in Taiwan: quantifying the role of smoking Tob. Control, June 1, 2005; 14(suppl_1): i23 - i27. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Shi, J. Macinko, B. Starfield, R. Politzer, J. Wulu, and J. Xu Primary Care, Social Inequalities, and All-Cause, Heart Disease, and Cancer Mortality in US Counties, 1990 Am J Public Health, April 1, 2005; 95(4): 674 - 680. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. R Weitzman and Y.-Y. Chen Risk modifying effect of social capital on measures of heavy alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse, harms, and secondhand effects: national survey findings J. Epidemiol. Community Health, April 1, 2005; 59(4): 303 - 309. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. J. Pan, D. Littlefield, S. G. Valladolid, P. J. Tapping, and D. C. West Building Healthier Communities for Children and Families: Applying Asset-Based Community Development to Community Pediatrics Pediatrics, April 1, 2005; 115(4/S1): 1185 - 1187. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Cummins, M. Stafford, S. Macintyre, M. Marmot, and A. Ellaway Neighbourhood environment and its association with self rated health: evidence from Scotland and England J. Epidemiol. Community Health, March 1, 2005; 59(3): 207 - 213. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. van Oorschot and W. Arts The social capital of European welfare states: the crowding out hypothesis revisited Journal of European Social Policy, February 1, 2005; 15(1): 5 - 26. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Laaksonen, E. Roos, O. Rahkonen, P. Martikainen, and E. Lahelma Influence of material and behavioural factors on occupational class differences in health J. Epidemiol. Community Health, February 1, 2005; 59(2): 163 - 169. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. WILKINSON Why is Violence More Common Where Inequality is Greater? Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., December 1, 2004; 1036(1): 1 - 12. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. L. Terhell, M. I. Broese van Groenou, and T. van Tilburg Network dynamics in the long-term period after divorce Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, December 1, 2004; 21(6): 719 - 738. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. S. Looman Defining Social Capital for Nursing: Experiences of Family Caregivers of Children with Chronic Conditions Journal of Family Nursing, November 1, 2004; 10(4): 412 - 428. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. Loewenson Epidemiology in the era of globalization: skills transfer or new skills? Int. J. Epidemiol., October 1, 2004; 33(5): 1144 - 1150. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||