The Article in Brief

Can family and community have a substantial influence on a person’s health? Yes, according to this study by Ferrer and colleagues. Based on the results of a telephone survey of 35,000 adults in 60 US cities, the study found that between 4.5% and 26.1% of individual health was influenced by the family. Aspects of the family environment can have positive or negative effects on health. These include quality of housing, neighborhood conditions, transportation, access to medical care, health beliefs and behaviors, physical environments, common stresses, and interpersonal relations.