Neighbourhood cohesion and health in socially contrasting neighbourhoods: implications for the social exclusion and public health agendas.

Abstract

Objective: To report on perceived neighbourhood cohesion and describe its social distribution.

Design: Analysis of data from third wave of data collection from Localities component of West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study, collected in 1997 by postal survey.

Setting: Socially contrasting neighbourhoods in Glasgow City in the West of Scotland.

Subjects: Five hundred and ninety seven people (262 males, 336 females), participants in a longitudinal study.

Results: Respondents who are older, live in owner-occupied houses in more affluent areas and who are not working outside the home report significantly more positive assessments of perceived neighbourhood cohesion. Sex, social class and family circumstances did not predict perceived neighbourhood cohesion. There were significant associations between neighbourhood cohesion and self assessed health in the last year; mental health using the GHQ12 measure; total number of symptoms reported in the last month; and reported number of 'malaise' or 'physical' symptoms after taking socio-demographic factors into account.

Conclusion: Lack of social cohesion may be more common in deprived areas in Scotland and may produce poorer mental health. Living in an area with low levels of social cohesion may be part of the pathway between life circumstances and death.