while individual poverty increases one’s likelihood of having diabetes for both Blacks and Whites,
neighborhood poverty increases the odds of having diabetes for only Blacks and poor Whites. In other words, non-poor
Whites are not affected by the residential environment, but poor Whites living in poor neighborhoods are more likely to
have diabetes than poor Whites living in non-poor neighborhoods. For Blacks, the prevalence of diabetes increases in
the order of: non-poor Blacks in non-poor neighborhoods, poor Blacks in non-poor neighborhoods, non-poor Blacks in
poor neighborhoods, and poor Blacks in poor neighborhoods. This study suggests that social and environmental
determinants underlie the racial differences in the prevalence of diabetes in the U.S. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of improving the living conditions (e.g., availability of healthy foods, walkability), particularly for those in
poor residential neighborhoods.