The HOLC stopped mapping in the 1940s, but racist housing policies continued for decades.red lining Ban Enacted by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, it has been around for a long time. related Risk of disease increases, access to health care decreases, and other health conditions worsen.
The researchers used historical HOLC and census data, as well as medical data from Veterans Administration patients, to determine cardiovascular health in 79,997 veterans with atherosclerosis, such as coronary artery disease. I checked my health. We also looked at median household income and education level, as well as other information, to assess the current prosperity of neighborhoods.
The analysis included 81.5 percent of patients in regions graded by HOLC. Patients living in areas once given the highest HOLC grade were more likely to be Caucasian and had lower rates of cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and obesity. These risk factors were more common in formerly red-lined areas. For example, 31.1% of veterans living in areas assessed as highest risk by the HOLC smoked, while 27.2% of veterans living in areas assessed as lowest risk smoked.
Patients living in previously red-lined areas were more likely to be diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, heart failure, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They also had a nearly 13 percent higher risk of death and a 14 percent higher risk of having a serious cardiovascular event, such as a stroke or heart attack, than people in other regions.
This risk is likely the result of a variety of factors, the researchers write. For example, areas that were once red-lined now have poorer air quality and higher noise levels, both of which are associated with adverse health effects. And people whose ancestors faced racism and discrimination may inherit genetic factors that can affect cardiovascular health, the researchers added.
Even though it’s been almost a century since the HOLC introduced redlining, “this further underscores the idea that the surrounding environment is a powerful estimator of health status,” he said. researchers write. They urge public health experts to consider neighborhoods when assessing cardiovascular risk and conduct further research to inform policies on everything from food access to tobacco sales. are proposing to
