Improving the Neighborhood Environment for Urban Older Adults: Social Context and Self-Rated Health.

Arlesia Mathis,Daniel Kruger,Ronica Rooks

doi:10.3390/ijerph13010003

Abstract

Objective: By 2030, older adults will account for 20% of the U.S. population. Over 80% of older adults live in urban areas. This study examines associations between neighborhood environment and self-rated health (SRH) among urban older adults. Methods: We selected 217 individuals aged 65+ living in a deindustrialized Midwestern city who answered questions on the 2009 Speak to Your Health survey. The relationship between neighborhood environment and self-rated health (SRH) was analyzed using regression and GIS models. Neighborhood variables included social support and participation, perceived racism and crime. Additional models included actual crime indices to compare differences between perceived and actual crime. Results: Seniors who have poor SRH are 21% more likely to report fear of crime than seniors with excellent SRH (p = 0.01). Additional analyses revealed Black seniors are 7% less likely to participate in social activities (p = 0.005) and 4% more likely to report experiencing racism (p < 0.001). Discussion: Given the increasing numbers of older adults living in urban neighborhoods, studies such as this one are important for well-being among seniors. Mitigating environmental influences in the neighborhood which are associated with poor SRH may allow urban older adults to maintain health and reduce disability.

Highlights

IntroductionThere has been a resurgence of interest in the impact of neighborhoods on health
During the last decade, there has been a resurgence of interest in the impact of neighborhoods on health
The purpose of this study is to examine associations between the neighborhood environment and self-rated health (SRH) in older adults living in an urban environment

Summary

Introduction

There has been a resurgence of interest in the impact of neighborhoods on health. The geographic area mostly commonly referred to as the neighborhood is not precise. The terms neighborhood and community are often used interchangeably to refer to a person’s immediate residential environment which is hypothesized to have material and social characteristics related to health [3]. Defined areas, such as census tracts, block groups, and zip (postal) codes have been used as rough proxies for neighborhoods. Other criteria used to define a neighborhood can be historical, based on residential characteristics, or based on

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Methods

Discussion

Conclusion