Community involvement and self-rated health status: findings from a cross-sectional survey in Central Sydney.

A sense of community and community involvement are said to have positive effects on health status; however, research supporting such associations is inconclusive. This article uses data from the 1998 NSW Health Survey—an annual telephone survey of approximately 17,000 residents throughout the State— to investigate the association between sense of community and community involvement and self-reported health. Other variables including physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and socio-demographic characteristics, were also examined for their relationships with self-reported health.