Density, health, and social disorganization revisited

A 1966 article by the senior, based on 1948--1952 census tract data for the Honolulu SMSA, reported a colse correlation between resident population densities and various health and social disorganization rates, even when persons per room, educational level, and income were controlled. The present study, based largely on 1974 tract data for the same SMSA, finds that the simple, multiple, and partial correlations previously reported have declined sharply in the intervening years. Newly developed census tract data on daytime and de facto population densities proved little better as indicators of health and welfare levels.