Perceived Neighborhood Environment and Its Association with Health Screening and Exercise Participation amongst Low-Income Public Rental Flat Residents in Singapore

Jaime Yee,Liang En Wee,Kellynn Oen,Choon Huat Gerald Koh,Yun Ying Tammy Tsang,Sook Muay Tay,Mark Puhaindran,Shannon Lee,Andre Cheah

doi:10.3390/ijerph16081384

Abstract

Background: In Singapore, an Asian city-state, more than 80% live in public housing. While the majority (90%) own their homes, a needy minority lives in rental flats. Public rental flats are built in the same location as owner-occupied blocks. We evaluated factors associated with perceptions of the neighborhood environment and its association with exercise and health screening participation. Methods: Logistic regression was used to identify associations between perceptions of the neighborhood environment (overall perceived neighborhood disadvantage, safety, and convenience) and sociodemographic factors, as well as exercise and screening participation, amongst residents aged ≥60 years in two Singaporean public housing precincts in 2016. Results: Our response rate was 62.1% (528/800). Staying in a rental flat independently was associated with increased neighborhood disadvantage (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 1.58, 95%CI = 1.06–2.35). Staying in a stand-alone block (as opposed to staying in a mixed block comprised of both rental and owner-occupied units) was associated with perceptions of a poorer physical environment (aOR = 1.81, 95%CI = 1.22–2.68) and lower perceived proximity to recreational areas (aOR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.04–1.25). Perceptions of neighborhood disadvantage were independently associated with reduced exercise participation (aOR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.45–0.98) and reduced participation in diabetes screening (aOR = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.41–0.95). Conclusion: Despite sharing the same built environment, differences in the perception of the neighborhood environment between low-socioeconomic status (SES) and high-SES communities persist. Perceived neighborhood disadvantage is associated with lower participation in regular exercise and diabetes screening.

Highlights

IntroductionWhile subjective and objective constructs of neighborhood quality are both related to individual health, perceived neighborhood quality is more strongly associated [6,7]
There was no significant association between perceived neighborhood quality and gynecological cancer screening, we demonstrated an association between perceived poorer neighborhood quality and lower odds of regular diabetes screening participation amongst non-diabetics
Even though needy residents share the same built environment compared to their more well-to-do neighbors in densely urbanized Singapore, there are still differences in perception of the neighborhood environment

Summary

Introduction

While subjective and objective constructs of neighborhood quality are both related to individual health, perceived neighborhood quality is more strongly associated [6,7]. The majority of these studies, though, have been conducted in Western societies; only in recent years have there been studies from urban. We evaluated factors associated with perceptions of the neighborhood environment and its association with exercise and health screening participation. Methods: Logistic regression was used to identify associations between perceptions of the neighborhood environment (overall perceived neighborhood disadvantage, safety, and convenience) and sociodemographic factors, as well as exercise and screening participation, amongst residents aged ≥60 years in two Singaporean public housing precincts in 2016.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion