Tobacco smoking in urban neighborhoods: exploring social capital as a protective factor in Santiago, Chile.

Introduction: Research examining the relationship between social capital and health in Latin America has been limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between social capital and tobacco use in four low-income neighborhoods in Santiago, Chile.

Methods: A multistage probability sample was used to select households in 4 of the 10 poorest neighborhoods in the district of Puente Alto, in Santiago, Chile.