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Studies examining the effects of neighbourhood characteristics have reported what has been called a ‘group density’ effect on health, such that members of low status minority communities living in an area with a higher proportion of their own racial or ethnic group tend to have better health than those who live in areas with a lower proportion. In this paper we survey published research on ethnic group density and health with the aim of stimulating further research. We situate the research question in the context of contemporary social epidemiology and provide a narrative review of studies of ethnic density and health. We go on to discuss processes which may underlie ethnic density effects, and highlight gaps in the literature and opportunities for further research.

Although first recognised in studies of mental illness, ‘group density’ effects on physical health have been shown more recently. Generally, given …