Do perceived social neighborhood factors explain the association between neighborhood age composition and mental health among Dutch older adults?

Eline Verspoor,Frank J Van Lenthe,Mariëlle A Beenackers,Joost Oude Groeniger

doi:10.1186/s12889-021-11453-w

Abstract

BackgroundIn the light of urbanization and aging, a crucially relevant policy question is how to shape neighborhoods to foster healthy aging. An important debate is whether older adults should group in neighborhoods, or whether a more mixed neighborhood age composition is more beneficial to health and well-being. We therefore assessed the association between neighborhood age structure and mental health and the mediating role of individual perceptions of neighborhood social factors.MethodsWe conducted multivariable linear regression models and causal mediation analyses in 1255 older adults of the Dutch Globe study. The neighborhood age structure was measured in 2011 as the homogeneity of the age composition (using the Herfindahl-Hirschman index, range from 0 to 100, a higher score indicating more homogeneity) and the percentage of specific age groups in a neighborhood. Mental health was measured in 2014 by the Mental Health Inventory-5 score (range 0 to 100, a higher score indicating better mental health). Potential mediators were assessed in 2011 and included perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion, feeling at home in a neighborhood, and social participation.ResultsA more homogeneous age composition (not specified for age) and a higher percentage of children living in a neighborhood were associated with better mental health, the other age categories were not. Social cohesion, feeling at home and social participation did not mediate the associations.ConclusionsThe neighborhood age composition may be an interesting but currently insufficiently understood entry point for policies to improve older adult’s mental health status.

Highlights

In the light of urbanization and aging, a crucially relevant policy question is how to shape neighborhoods to foster healthy aging
We suggest further research into more diverse neighborhoods in terms of age composition to determine whether and what the most optimal neighborhood age composition is in a neighborhood for healthy aging, accompanied by research into a broader range of potential mediating factors to clarify the possible pathways in the association between the neighborhood age composition and mental health
Our study is the first study that assessed the association of the neighborhood age structure as the presence of different neighborhood age groups on older adults’ mental health status

Summary

Introduction

In the light of urbanization and aging, a crucially relevant policy question is how to shape neighborhoods to foster healthy aging. A crucially relevant policy question is how to shape neighborhoods to foster healthy aging and a relevant debate [1] is whether older adults should group in neighborhoods, or whether a more mixed neighborhood age composition is more beneficial [2]. The neighborhood age composition may affect how people feel about their neighborhood [3], and influence community life, including opportunities for social engagement, social cohesion, loneliness, and social participation These individual perceptions of neighborhood social factors may be associated with older adult’s mental health status [3]. It is thought that a mixed neighborhood age composition, where younger and older age groups live together, may promote healthy aging through individual perceptions of neighborhood social factors such as providing social participation [13–15], and a higher perceived social cohesion [16–18]

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