Sense of Belonging to Community and Avoidable Hospitalization: A Population-Based Cohort Study of 456,415 Canadians

Abstract

A sense of belonging to a community is a dimension of subjective well-being that is of growing population health interest. This cohort study linked Canadian Community Health Survey data (2000–2014) with hospital records for 456,415 adults to evaluate associations between community belonging and avoidable hospitalizations. Results showed that very weak and very strong sense of belonging were both associated with higher risk of hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions among women, but not men. Findings highlight the complex role of community belonging in population health outcomes.

Sarah M Mah

Assistant Professor

I am a health geographer specializing in the use of linked geospatial, survey, and administrative data to examine how neighborhood environments influence health and well-being.