Jul 21, 2008 2:18 pm US/Eastern
Study: Dangerous Neighborhoods Are Unhealthy
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
As if you weren't already concerned about violence, here's something else to think about.
Jessica Kartalija reports a study out of Johns Hopkins finds people living in dangerous neighborhoods are at high risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Crime in some city neighborhoods is all too familiar.
"I stay in the house. I don't come outside," said Mrs. Hurtt.
Now researchers at Johns Hopkins have found people living in poor and violent neighborhoods are more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke.
"There was about a three-and-a-half times increase in the chances that someone living in the neighborhoods highest in psychosocial hazards were likely to have cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Thomas Glass.
Glass and his team studied the history of cardiovascular disease among 1,100 people, then compared their findings with crime, housing and income.
"We really wanted to find out what it is that makes one place toxic," Glass said.
"My daughter, she got maced, got locked up. She's pregnant. My great-granddaughter just had her baby for fighting. This area is very bad," Mrs. Hurtt said.
"I've seen a lot of drugs, people on streets off and on. People in and out of hospitals, people in wheelchairs and walking on the streets with health problems," said Steve Madden.
Dr. Glass also says when temperatures are soaring that people tend to stay inside and be more isolated. He says in a situation like this, it's important to check on your neighbors.
The study focused on areas where violent crime and abandoned homes were prevalent.
"We ought to be thinking about ways to improve and strengthen our neighborhoods. There are a lot of good reasons to do that and we don't think of health as one of them," Glass said.
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