Table 2.
Hypothesized mechanism, distribution and categorization of neighborhood-level variables used to predict primary care access; Census 2000 and L.A. FANS 2000–2001 (adults 18–64, n = 90)
| Neighborhood characteristic | Mean or % (SD) | Categorization |
|---|---|---|
| Information networks | ||
| Percent with high school or greater educationa | 54.5 (23.1) | Quartiles |
| Frequency neighbors ask adviceb | 2.80 (0.29) | Often (1) or sometimes versus rarely or never (4) |
| Number of neighbors talked to in last 30 daysb | 2.37 (0.23) | Linear ranging from 1 (none) to 4 (6 or more) |
| Health behavior norms | ||
| Adult smokingb,c | 2.33 (0.18) | Linear ranging from 1 (do not disapprove) to 3 (strongly disapprove) |
| Social capital | ||
| Percent in same house 5 years agoa | 49.8 (10.4) | Quartiles |
| Predominant ethnic groupa | 63.3 | Predominantly white or Latino versus no predominant group |
| Neighborhood is close-knitb | 2.89 (0.39) | Strongly agree (1) or agree versus unsure, disagree or strongly disagree (5) |
| People are willing to help neighborsb | 2.38 (0.35) | Strongly agree versus agree, unsure, disagree or strongly disagree |
| Neighbors do not share same valuesb | 3.07 (0.35) | Strongly disagree, disagree or unsure versus agree or strongly agree |
| Neighbors can be trustedb | 2.66 (0.46) | Strongly agree or agree versus unsure, disagree or strongly disagree |
| Friends living in neighborhoodb | 1.93 (0.23) | None (1) versus a few, many, most or all (4) |
| Frequency neighbors do favors for one anotherb | 2.33 (0.30) | Often (1) versus sometimes, rarely or never (4) |
| Healthcare resources | ||
| Incomea | $40,861 ($25,728) | Quartiles |
| Percent age 65 or oldera | 7.8 (4.8) | Highest quartile versus lowest three quartiles |
| Percent age 5 or youngera | 10.9 (3.2) | Highest quartile versus lowest three quartiles |
| Highly disadvantaged neighborhooda | 15.6 | Tracts in highest quartile of both unemployment and poverty versus all other |
a
From Census 2000.
b
Variables from L.A. FANS measuring neighborhood attitudes are based on questions asked to RSAs in the adult module. A mean score for each neighborhood was calculated by averaging all of the individual responses in the same tract. This mean score was assigned to each individual in the census tract.
c
The question about smoking disapproval was also asked of another adult in the household, who may be a different person than the RSA. The mean score for neighborhood included responses from all respondents living in the same neighborhood.