Does Neighborhood Cohesion Moderate the Association between Cancer and Psychological Distress?

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine (a) the association between cancer diagnosis and psychological distress and (b) the extent to which this association is moderated by perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion. Data are drawn from the 2013 wave of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationally representative survey on broad health topics. We employ ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to examine the links between cancer, neighborhood cohesion, and distress. Findings reveal no statistically significant difference in psychological distress between women with breast and cervical cancer. However, neighborhood social cohesion does moderate the effect of cancer on distress. While perceptions of neighborhood cohesion do not affect levels of psychological distress among women with breast cancer, perceived connectedness with neighbors translates into significantly lower levels of mental distress among women diagnosed with cervical cancer.