Population density: What does it really mean in geographical health studies?
Geographic scale
Health outcomes and services
Population density
Surrogate variables
Journal
Health & place
ISSN: 1873-2054
Titre abrégé: Health Place
Pays: England
ID NLM: 9510067
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
05 2023
05 2023
Historique:
received:
21
12
2022
revised:
09
02
2023
accepted:
07
03
2023
medline:
8
5
2023
pubmed:
23
3
2023
entrez:
22
3
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Population density is an indicator in many studies, but often with only a cursory explanation of why. Unfortunately, elected officials and the media draw misleading conclusions about population density and public health. After providing three reasons why population density is linked to human health outcomes, using state, county, municipal and neighborhood scale data, we show that population density serves as a surrogate for explaining the geographical distribution of life expectancy and broadband access. However, population density loses its unique contribution when other factors influencing health are included. We urge authors to explain why they include population density in their studies.
Identifiants
pubmed: 36947902
pii: S1353-8292(23)00038-2
doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103001
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
103001Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.