Social Capital, Neighborhood Perceptions and Self-Rated Health: Evidence from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (LAFANS)

INTRODUCTION Neighborhood environments are increasingly recognized to be important contexts where health outcomes are shaped and where interventions can be directed. From the negative health impacts associated with living in areas with high levels of air pollution (1, 2) to the possible health benefits of local social networks(3), a growing body of research suggests that where one lives can indeed influence one's health. Identifying and evaluating which particular neighborhood qualities and characteristics are important to health is central to understanding better the connection between health and place and can inform future health intervention strategies. Neighborhoods comprise both physical and social environments that overlap and that are not mutually exclusive. We recognize and appreciate both the physical and social dimensions of neighborhoods, but our interest is focused upon the social aspects of the neighborhood environment. With regard to such social aspects, many conceptions and definitions of neighborhoods presume that residents of a particular neighborhood share certain traits and interact with each other. Some of the features of such interactions, such as levels of trust and reciprocity between individuals, fall under the rubric of social capital which is considered by many to be an essential component of productive communities and cohesive neighborhoods(4). Unlike financial or human capital that is typically considered an individual trait, social capital refers to the nature and quality of social relationships between individuals. Interpersonal trust, norms of reciprocity or mutual aid and civic engagement are qualities that are frequently associated with social capital (5-7). Higher levels of such qualities arguably foster the development of communities and neighborhoods that coalesce and cooperate. Social capital has also been positively linked to a range of societal phenomena including youth development(8, 9), educational attainment(10), economic growth(11), environmental preservation(12) government performance(5), and more recently, health(13, 14). With regard to the relationship between social capital and health, several possible linkages can be drawn. For instance, individual health may benefit from one neighbor helping another in a time of need or community health may benefit from the collective action of residents protesting the health risks of toxic waste coming from a nearby industrial facility. Aggregate-and individual-level analyses in the United States and elsewhere indicate that social capital is positively related to self-rated health(14) and child obesity risk(15), and inversely related to mortality(16). Despite such findings, questions remain about how social capital is conceptualized and measured and the causal pathways between it and individual health(7, 17, …