Social capital and neo-materialist contextual determinants of sense of insecurity in the neighbourhood: A multilevel analysis in Southern Sweden.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of contextual (social capital and neo-materialist) and individual factors on sense of insecurity in the neighbourhood. Methods: The 2000 public health survey in Scania is a cross-sectional study. A total of 13,715 persons answered a postal questionnaire, which is 59% of the random sample. A multilevel logistic regression model, with individuals at the first level and municipalities at the second, was performed. The effect (median odds ratios, intra-class correlation, cross-level modification and odds ratios) of individual and municipality/city quarter (social capital and police district) factors on sense of insecurity was analysed. Results: The crude variance between municipalities/city quarters was not affected by individual factors. The introduction of administrative police district in the model reduced the municipality variance, although some of the significant variance between municipalities remained. The introduction of social capital did not affect the municipality variance. Conclusions: This study suggests that the neo-materialist factor administrative police district may partly explain the individual's sense of insecurity in the neighbourhood.