Neighborhoods

CSEPH played a leading role in neighborhood research at the beginning of the 21st century. Building on this important history, CSEPH faculty continue to examine how place affects health in new and innovative ways. We assess how the broader social, political, and economic structural context shape unequal allocation of health resources, and in turn affect health inequities.

CSEPH faculty consider the importance of different geographic levels in their research, including the neighborhood, counties, states, and countries. For example, substance use policies (e.g., Tobacco 21, cannabis retail zoning laws) at the city, county, and state levels all impact access to substances and their use. Structural racism, including racial residential segregation, also impacts health differentially, and can be measured at different geographic levels. Place matters, and CSEPH researchers continue to examine its impact on health inequities over time.