Past research on the associations between area-level/contextual social capital and health has produced conflicting evidence. However, interpreting this rapidly growing literature is difficult because estimates using conventional regression are prone to major sources of bias including residual...

Past observational studies of the associations of area-level/contextual social capital with health have revealed conflicting findings. However, interpreting this rapidly growing literature is difficult because estimates using conventional regression are prone to major sources of bias including...

Although social capital has been linked to a variety of health outcomes, its association with obesity has yet to be elucidated. This study explored the relations between social capital measured at the US state and county levels and individual obesity and leisure-time physical inactivity....

Objectives : To examine whether per capita income and income inequality are independently associated with teen birth rate in populous U.S. counties. Methods : This study used 1990 U.S. Census data and National Center for Health Statistics birth data. Income inequality was measured with the 90:10...

Social participation has been linked to healthy aging and the maintenance of functional independence in older individuals. However, causality remains tenuous because of the strong possibility of reverse causation (healthy individuals selectively participate in social activities). We describe a...

The effects of unemployment on health behaviors, and substance use in particular, is still unclear despite substantial existing research. This study aimed to assess the effects of individual and spousal unemployment on smoking and alcohol consumption. The study was based on eight waves of...