Figure 1. Acute Versus Chronic Effects of Neighborhood Conditions.

If the event does not occur, health outcomes may be affected negatively by stress and by the opportunity costs of steps taken to avoid the event or to mitigate its effects if it did occur. For example, fear of crime may lead someone to avoid leaving home to make friends, or to install a burglar alarm. This is the chronic path. In contrast, if one is criminally victimized, there is a potential for immediate effects on psychological or physical health. This is the acute path.