Is Sprawl Associated with a Widening Urban–Suburban Mortality Gap?

Journal of Urban Health
Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine

Abstract by Shaun Roberts

The link

http://gtsearch.library.gatech.edu/search/metasearch/record?group=000079&resultSet=000542&startRecord=6

leads from the Georgia Tech library and goes to the next link for where the article is

http://www.springerlink.com.www.library.gatech.edu:2048/content/w72228hw6n489l77/fulltext.html

The essay disputes the difference between the mortality rate of urban areas and suburban areas. The writer compares the national average and the average of Portland. Basically what is being stated is that there is a higher risk for death and disease in suburban areas and that the gap is spreading between them because there is not a way to contain the spread of sprawl. In Portland, that difference is slowly getting smaller because they are implementing smart ways to develop the land and prevent sprawl. Other findings discovered is that sprawling areas have older citizens who also make more money while the urban areas are filled with younger citizens. The writer uses many statistics and facts to support the topic on the difference in mortality rates between portland and other urban areas, and suburbia. The development showed that not only was it more healthy to live in urban areas instead of suburbia, but also that the gap in mortality rate had greatly increased and affected a wider variety of citizens.