Wilson M, Daly M. Life expectancy, economic inequality, homicide, and reproductive timing in Chicago neighbourhoods. British Medical Journal 1997; 314: 1271-4.

This challenging study suggests that in disadvantaged neighborhoods, many people, especially young adults and poor take opportunities now, rather than count on the future. This may be associated with lower life expectancy found in such neighborhoods as those in Chicago that formed the data for this analysis. Homicide rates (a reflection of competition for status and resources among unrelated men), for example vary inversely with local male life expectancy. Economic inequality accounts for that aspect of homicidal violence unaccounted for by local life expectancy. Other behaviors such as early pregnancy signify an age of reproduction gradient with life expectancy among communities. The authors suggest that life expectancy may be the best all encompassing quality of life index. From an economic perspective people adjust their rates of future discounting and risk acceptance in the non-violent domain of reproductive decision making as well as in the potentially violent domain of social competition.  

Abstract

In comparisons among Chicago neighbourhoods, homicide rates in 1988-93 varied more than 100-fold, while male life expectancy at birth ranged from 54 to 77 years, even with effects of homicide mortality removed. This "cause deleted" life expectancy was highly correlated with homicide rates; a measure of economic inequality added significant additional prediction, whereas median household income did not. Deaths from internal causes (diseases) show similar age patterns, despite different absolute levels, in the best and worst neighbourhoods, whereas deaths from external causes (homicide, accident, suicide) do not. As life expectancy declines across neighbourhoods, women reproduce earlier; by age 30, however, neighbourhood no longer affects age specific fertility. These results support the hypothesis that life expectancy itself may be a psychologically salient determinant of risk taking and the timing of life transitions.

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keywords

• city
• civic society
• community
• crime
• homicide
• income inequality
• inequality
• infant mortality
• life expectancy
• mortality
• neighborhoods
• poverty
• race
• relative deprivation
• reproduction
• socioeconomic status
• stress
• structural violence
• unemployment
• violence
• violent crime
• women