Feeling safe from crime, other built environment factors tied to lower risk for CVD, death
Key takeaways:
- Feeling safe from crime was linked to reduced risk for death and cardiovascular events such as heart attack.
- Positive attitudes about other built environment factors were also tied to lower risk for events.
A variety of factors related to the built environment, including feeling safe from crime, were associated with reduced risk for major CVD events and all-cause mortality, researchers reported at the European Society of Cardiology Congress.
“There is increasing evidence that the neighborhood we live in affects our health,” Mengya Li, MD, of the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing, said in a press release. “This study highlights the importance of many aspects of our surroundings for heart health and longevity, including feeling safe, having shops, transport and parks close by, cleanliness, and feeling that our neighborhood is a good place to live and to raise children.”
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Li and colleagues analyzed 32,534 participants from the PURE-China study aged 35 to 70 years (mean age, 51 years; 60% women) who were recruited from 2005 to 2009. All participants were free from CVD at baseline and took the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) questionnaire; higher scores reflected more positive attitudes about a participant’s community.
During 11.7 years of follow-up, 5.7% of participants died and 8.5% had a major CVD event, defined as CV death, nonfatal MI, stroke or HF.
In a fully adjusted model, higher levels of the following built environment characteristics based on NEWS score were associated with reduced risk for a composite of death and major CVD events: land use access (HR = 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.11), aesthetics (HR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.12), safety from crime (HR = 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.1), community satisfaction (HR = 1.04; 95% CI, 1-1.09) and combined built environment metrics (HR = 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.1).
A higher score related to safety from crime was associated with a 9% reduced risk for death, 10% reduced risk for CVD events, 6% reduced risk for MI and 10% reduced risk for CV death, according to the researchers.
“While some of the percentage reductions in risk are small, they affect large numbers of people and therefore could have a wide-ranging impact,” Li said in the release. “The findings can be used by policymakers to take action to mitigate the adverse effect of poor community conditions on health, such as improving local amenities and transport connectivity, providing green spaces and street lighting, and building paths for walking, running and cycling.”
Reference:
- Feeling safe from crime linked with lower risks of heart attack and death. https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/feeling-safe-from-crime-linked-with-lower-risks-of-heart-attack-and-death. Published Aug. 24, 2023. Accessed Aug. 24, 2023.
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Li M, et al. Abstract 82634. Presented at: European Society of Cardiology Congress; Aug. 25-28, 2023; Amsterdam (hybrid meeting).
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