Shifting neighborhoods, shifting health: A longitudinal analysis of gentrification and health in Los Angeles County

Gentrification is characterized by an influx of capital, built environment upgrades, and physical and social displacement of residents and institutions. The numerous, relatively rapid transitions that occur during gentrification make accounting for duration of exposure to gentrification particularly important when exploring its relationship to health. Though a large literature explores how timing and duration of exposure to relatively stable neighborhood conditions are linked to health, little is known about how exposure to gentrification is linked to the health of longtime residents. Using restricted, longitudinal data from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey, I ask (1) how is duration of exposure to gentrification linked to the self-reported health of those who remain in the neighborhood? (2) How does this relationship vary for members of different racial and ethnic groups? Results indicate that the longer an individual lives in a gentrifying neighborhood, the better their self-reported health. The results do not vary by race or ethnicity. The results of this study are not an endorsement of the use of gentrification as a public health intervention, as previous work finds that gentrification can also be associated with social, physical, and institutional displacement. Instead, findings reiterate the importance of neighborhood investments for the health and well-being of their residents over time.