Individual characteristics associated with self-perceived territorial extension of the neighborhood

Introduction: There is a rising interest in investigating the association between physical and social characteristics of neighborhoods and health outcomes. To define neighborhood two main strategies are found: one uses artificial borders, usually created for administrative purposes, the second considers the participant's own definition, self-perceived neighborhood.  Objective: To determine and quantify the factors associated with the heterogeneity of self-perception of the territorial dimension of neighborhood between 4048 adults participants in a health survey. Methods: Data was obtained from a population-based household survey named “Saúde em Beagá study”, conducted in two sanitary districts of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 2008 and 2009 through a confidential questionnaire. To investigate the association between perceived neighborhood extension and the explanatory variables, proportional odds model for ordinal logistic regression was used. Results: Increased perception of the territorial extension of the neighborhood was statistically associated with: better socioeconomic position (OR = 1.08-1.34, 95% CI); being working (OR = 1.07-1.61, 95% CI); positive evaluation of the aesthetic (OR = 1.01-1.13, 95% CI); positive assessment of mobility within the neighborhood (OR = 1.12-1.30, 95% CI), greater identification of problems in the neighborhood (noise, violence, drug use, among others) (OR = 1.03-1.11, 95% CI), less involvement in social/ leisure activities (OR = 0.86-0.99, 95% CI), high number of relatives living in the neighborhood (OR = 2.55-6.38 95% CI) and meeting a greater number of people in the neighborhood ( OR = 1.22-5.85, 95% CI). Conclusions: The findings of this study may help to delimit boundaries closer to the perceptions of individuals and provide more accurate estimates of the impact on neighborhood on health-related events.