Heart attack : Where do you live matters

   
This is an original research paper published in the prestigious medical journal 'New England Journal of Medicine'

This study involved 13000 participants, which were followed up for 9 years.

Those persons living in homes with a stressful environment had a higher risk of heart attack, and this risk is over and above the established risk factors for heart attack. 


This study examined the  various factors of neighborhood such as wealth,income, education and occupation 

Increased risk:

• Fear of crime
• Insecurity
• Noise
• Lack of open space
• Lack of Social support
• No medical help
• Lack of recreation facilities

Also, such environment may encourage smoking,irregular diet and lack of exercise. 


Decreased risk:

• Large public places
• Medical help
• Recreation facilities
• No noise
• No crime
• Social support
• Security

Such environment promotes a healthy lifestyle and preventive health behavior

P.S.


We already know that lack of education, poverty, low social status increase the risk of heart attack.This study adds an additional risk factor, which is the environment around

your residence.

The illness and the death are related to social inequalities.

Who suffer?

• 'Low' control over life
• 'Low' in social hierarchy 

Social gradient plays a role in life and in death