Neighborhood Cohesion Research Articles

Within-person, longitudinal associations between neighborhood cohesion and adult mental health: A test of bidirectional relations.

There is theory and evidence supporting a relationship between neighborhood cohesion and mental health among adult people. However, most studies have used a cross-sectional design, and longitudinal studies have provided mixed support for this hypothesis. Moreover, while neighborhood cohesion is assumed to be a consistent predictor of mental health, the possibility of a reciprocal relation has been overlooked. The aim of the current study was to investigate the within-person reciprocal associations between neighborhood cohesion and adult mental health. This study used data from Understanding Society: the UK Household Longitudinal Study including waves 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 (n = 81,895). A short version of Buckner's Neighborhood Cohesion Instrument was used, along with two well-established measures of mental health: the 12-item General Health Questionnaire and the mental component summary score of the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey. Hierarchical Bayesian continuous time dynamic modeling revealed significant reciprocal within-person cross-effects (i.e. deterministic effects) between neighborhood cohesion and adult mental health, a larger standardized effect of mental health on neighborhood cohesion than than vice versa. Moreover, peak standardized cross-lagged effects were found for a time interval of approximately 1 year. Finally, the combined stochastic and deterministic interpretation revealed effects of neighborhood cohesion on mental health that were opposite to what was expected, suggesting a faster dissipation of some initially correlated change. Although neighborhood cohesion has traditionally been conceptualized in terms of its contribution to mental health, there is greater support for the view that mental health precedes neighborhood cohesion rather than the reverse.

A person-centered approach to understanding psychosocial stressor subgroups and cardiovascular disease: new perspectives from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study.

This study examined the longitudinal associations of baseline psychosocial stress subgroups with cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and whether social support, neighborhood cohesion, and physical activity modified these associations in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Data from 6,349 adults (aged: 62.2±10.2 years; 52.9% women) from the MESA study with no prior CVD in 2000-2002 were used in this analysis. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to specify distinct psychosocial stress subgroups based on self-reported stressors stemming from respondents' neighborhood and social environment. Adjudicated CVD events (fatal and nonfatal events) were ascertained annually through the year 2019. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations between subgroup membership and CVD events. Five distinct psychosocial stress subgroups were identified via LCA and were labeled 'moderate neighborhood noise' (12.1%), 'excessive neighborhood noise' (6.4%), 'multiple high stressors' (6.3%), 'high discrimination' (21.4%), and 'optimal' (53.8%). By the year 2019, 1,121 participants had experienced a CVD event. Membership in the 'high discrimination' (HR: 1.29; 95%CI: 1.10, 1.51) subgroup was associated with higher risk of a CVD event when adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and cardiovascular health metrics. Neither social support, neighborhood cohesion, nor physical activity modified this association (ps>0.05). Distinct subgroups of individuals with high self-reported psychological distress-particularly related to discrimination and chronic stress are associated with high incident cardiovascular events.

The effect of trust in neighbourhood on parents' decision to drive their children to school: Insights from a hybrid choice model

IntroductionThe growing trend of children being driven to school has become a cause of concern in developed countries, with parents' perception of trust in neighbourhoods emerging as a key determinant. Previous research has mainly investigated the influence of either the mother's or the father's perception on children's school travel. While the contribution of each parent's perception to the final decision, and the factors affecting this contribution, remains unclear. MethodsThis study leverages data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) to examine the distinct roles of mothers' and fathers' perceptions of trust in the neighbourhood on their children's school travel mode. It proposes a hybrid choice model (HCM) to measure the contribution of each parent's perception as a function of their socio-economic status (SES) in the school travel mode decision. ResultsThe results indicate that a higher parental perception of trust in the neighbourhood significantly reduces the likelihood of using private car to take children to school. The study also identifies several factors that influence parental perception of trust, highlighting differing impacts on mothers and fathers. Neighbourhood SES has a more pronounced positive impact on mothers’ perceptions of trust, whereas homeownership and urban residency exhibit stronger effects on fathers' perceptions. The analysis further delineates the contribution of individual parents to the overall parental perception of trust, demonstrating that higher levels of income decrease this contribution. ConclusionThis study highlights the significant role of parental perception of neighbourhood trust in children's school travel mode, with both mothers' and fathers' perceptions playing crucial roles. Neighbourhood SES, homeownership, urban residence, and ethnic diversity shape parents' perceptions, with differing effects on mothers and fathers. Future policy initiatives should focus on fostering trust and social inclusion through community events, multicultural programs, and social activities to enhance neighbourhood cohesion and support sustainable school travel choices.

Associations between social determinants of health and cardiovascular and cancer mortality in cancer survivors: a prospective cohort study.

The cause-specific mortality implications of social determinants of health (SDOH) in cancer survivors were unclear. This study aimed to explore associations between SDOH and cardiovascular and cancer mortality in cancer survivors. Data from 2013 to 2017 National Health Interview Survey were used for this prospective cohort study. Social determinants of health were quantified using a 38 point, 6 domain score, with higher points indicating worse deprivation. Associations between SDOH and outcomes (primary: cardiovascular mortality; secondary: cancer and all-cause mortality) were assessed using cause-specific multivariable Cox regression, with cancer survivors and individuals without cancer modelled separately. Post hoc analyses were performed among cancer survivors to explore associations between each domain of SDOH and the risks of outcomes. Altogether, 37 882 individuals were analysed (4179 cancer survivors and 33 703 individuals without cancer). Among cancer survivors, worse SDOH was associated with higher cardiovascular [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.31 (1.02-1.68)], cancer [aHR 1.20 (1.01-1.42)], and all-cause mortality [aHR 1.16 (1.02-1.31)] when adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, and risk factors. Among individuals without cancer, SDOH was associated with cardiovascular mortality and all-cause when only adjusted for demographics, but not when further adjusted for comorbidities and risk factors; no associations between SDOH and cancer mortality were found. Among cancer survivors, psychological distress, economic stability, neighbourhood, physical environment and social cohesion, and food insecurity were varyingly associated with the outcomes. Social determinants of health were independently associated with all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality among cancer survivors but not among individuals without cancer. Different domains of SDOH may have different prognostic importance.

Urbanization, loneliness and mental health model - A cross-sectional network analysis with a representative sample

With increasing urbanization, more people are exposed to mental health risk factors stemming from the urban social or physical environment. However, research on the relationship between urbanization and mental health is lacking. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the relationships of the physical environment (spatial cohesion and urban environment) and social factors (neighborhood cohesion) with mental health (stress, anxiety and depression symptoms) and physical health and the mediating role of loneliness based on the proposed theoretical model. The study was conducted in Metropolis GZM (Silesia, Poland) in a representative sample of 3296 residents (48% women). The measurements used were the PSS-10, GAD-7, PHQ-9, R-UCLA3 and neighborhood cohesion scale. ANOVA results showed that city residents had better mental health indices than residents of villages and small towns. The network approach revealed that urbanization was one of the most influential nodes and played the role of a bridge between all other nodes. The model was confirmed and showed that the relationships between the physical environment and mental health were consecutively mediated by neighborhood cohesion and loneliness. Spatial cohesion related to factors of the physical environment and physical health, while physical health was directly connected to sociodemographic factors and weakly to stress. Anxiety was the strongest risk factor. Mental health can be improved by social and architectural factors, such as strengthening neighborhood cohesion and improving neglected buildings.

Examining patterns of family resilience and neighborhood cohesion as moderators of the effects of adverse childhood experiences on the mental health of Black adolescents.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) confer risk to the mental health of Black youth, but few studies have examined how youth gender, family, and neighborhood factors jointly influence the psychological impact of adversity. This study investigates if family resilience and neighborhood cohesion jointly moderate the link between latent ACE profiles and mental health among Black girls and boys. This study uses data from the National Survey of Children's Health, combined across the years 2016 through 2021, and includes a nationally representative sample of 5,493 Black youth (48% female) between the ages of 12 and 17. Two patterns of ACEs were identified using latent class analysis characterized by no-to-minimal ACE exposure and moderate-to-high ACE exposure. Membership in the high-ACEs class increased the risk for internalizing problems among Black boys (b = 0.56, p < .001) and girls (b = 0.42, p < .01). Only boys in the high-ACEs class who also reported low levels of family resilience and low neighborhood cohesion evidenced an increased risk for externalizing concerns (b = 0.70, p < .001). Conversely, only girls in the high-ACEs class who reported high levels of family resilience and low levels of neighborhood cohesion evidenced an increased risk for externalizing problems (b = 0.69, p < .01). Findings suggest that the impact of ACEs on mental health is not uniform across Black boys and girls, and that family and neighborhood-level factors may collectively shape the impact of ACEs on the mental health among Black youth in unique ways. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The role of social determinants of health in mental health: An examination of the moderating effects of race, ethnicity, and gender on depression through the all of us research program dataset

We investigate how select identity characteristics moderate the role of several SDoH domains on major depressive disorder (MDD). Our study considers an analytical sample of 86,954 participants from the NIH-funded All of Us (AoU) Research Program in the USA. Our independent variables and moderators come from survey responses and our outcome is an EHR diagnostic code. We include race/ethnicity and gender/sexual identity to moderate the role of food insecurity, discrimination, neighborhood social cohesion, and loneliness in assessing risk for MDD diagnosis. We examine those moderating effects based on connections seen in the literature. Our findings illustrate the complexity of where and how people live their lives can have significant differential impact on MDD. Women (AOR = 1.60, 95% CI = [1.53, 1.68]) and LGBTQIA2+ individuals (AOR = 1.71, 95% CI = [1.60, 1.84]) exhibit a significantly higher likelihood of MDD diagnosis compared to cisgender heterosexual males. Our study also reveals a lower likelihood of MDD diagnosis among Asian/Asian American individuals (AOR = 0.41, 95% CI = [0.35, 0.49]) compared to White individuals. Our results align with previous research indicating that higher levels of food insecurity (AOR = 1.30, 95% CI = [1.17, 1.44]) and loneliness (AOR = 6.89, 95% CI = [6.04, 7.87]) are strongly associated with an increased likelihood of MDD. However, we also find that social cohesion (AOR = 0.92, 95% CI = [0.81, 1.05]) does not emerge as a significant predictor, contradicting some literature emphasizing the protective role of neighborhood cohesion. Similarly, our finding that transience (AOR = 0.95, 95% CI = [0.92, 0.98]) reduces the likelihood of MDD diagnosis contradicts conventional wisdom and warrants further exploration. Our study provides a reminder of the substantial challenges for research focused on marginalized community segments and that deliberate sampling plans are needed to examine those most marginalized and underserved.

The forms of neighborhood cohesion: From social contact to symbolic belonging in neoliberal Santiago de Chile

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to study the neighborhood social cohesion of the inhabitants of the Metropolitan Area of Santiago, Chile (MAS), considering its recent urban transformations driven by neoliberal urban policies. Using multilevel logistic regressions based on a survey of 401 inhabitants, we identify a symbolic cohesion among residents with higher incomes, which combines a high sense of belonging with low neighborhood sociability, and a relational cohesion among the vulnerable population, based on a stronger neighborhood sociability and a low sense of belonging. These results show an influence of the geographical divide between high and low income inhabitants, accentuated by the socio-spatial segregation of the metropolis in the past decades, in addition to identifying a certain relationship between neighborhood cohesion and two of its major neoliberal trends of urban growth: the densification of its center and the development of peripheral social housing. We argue that a deeper understanding of the distinction between relational and symbolic forms of neighborhood social cohesion is relevant because, as well as allowing us to analyze the MAS case by addressing its current complexity, it provides an opportunity to discuss the way in which the concept is defined and conceived in recent literature.

Interactions among neighborhood conditions, sleep quality, and episodic memory across the adult lifespan

ABSTRACT Objectives On average, adults racialized as non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic sleep more poorly than adults racialized as non-Hispanic White (hereafter, Black, Hispanic, White), but associations between factors that may moderate sleep-memory associations in these groups, such as neighborhood conditions, are unclear. Poorer neighborhood conditions (e.g. lower neighborhood cohesion) may be negatively associated with sleep quality and multiplicatively influence sleep-memory associations. We hypothesized lower ratings of neighborhood conditions would be associated with poorer sleep quality and moderate the association between sleep quality and episodic memory, especially in Black and Hispanic adults, who are disproportionately situated in poor neighborhood conditions. Design Seven-hundred-thirty-six adults across the adult lifespan (27-89 years) were recruited from the northern Manhattan community as a part of the Offspring Study of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep quality was assessed using a modified version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and episodic memory was evaluated with the Buschke Selective Reminding Test. With multiple regression models, we measured associations between perceived neighborhood conditions and sleep quality and the interaction between sleep quality and neighborhood conditions on episodic memory stratified by racial/ethnic and gender identity groups. Results Overall, poorer neighborhood conditions were associated with poorer sleep quality. In Black and Hispanic women, the sleep-memory association was moderated by neighborhood conditions. With more favorable neighborhood conditions, Black women showed an association between higher sleep quality and higher memory performance, and Hispanic women showed a protective effect of neighborhood (higher memory even when sleep quality was poor). Conclusion Poorer neighborhood experiences may contribute to poorer sleep quality across groups. In Black and Hispanic women, the association between sleep quality and episodic memory performance was dependent upon neighborhood conditions. These findings may inform tailored, structural level sleep interventions, aimed to improve neighborhood experiences and thereby sleep quality and episodic memory.

Effects of Sensory Environment and Playfulness on Cognitive Health Among Older Adults in Singapore Public Housing: Findings from Path Analysis

This study explores the association of “Sensory Environment” and “Playfulness” with Depression and Cognition (SEPDC) among older adults living in high-density public housing neighborhoods in Singapore. The research conducted cross-sectional surveys with 400 adults aged 55 and above living in 20 such neighborhoods. Path analyses suggest that sensory environment (multi-sensory richness of a place and its capacity to engage) and playfulness (personality trait that enables rendering situations as playful) are associated with reduced depressive symptoms, memory problems, and loneliness in older adults, mediated by the increased “neighborhood cohesion” and sense of “at-homeness.” Hence, sensory environment and playfulness are critical for healthful aging in place and should be considered carefully for better design and planning of aging-friendly housing neighborhoods.

Neighborhood Gentrification and Food Insecurity Among Urban Older Adults: Evidence From New York City.

Gentrification is a prevalent neighborhood development process in urban areas across the United States. Prior studies have identified the influence of gentrification on late-life health and quality of life, yet little is known about its relationship with food insecurity, an important public health issue for older adult populations. Using New York City as a case study, this study investigated associations between living in a gentrifying neighborhood and food insecurity, as well as the mediating roles of neighborhood environment factors-social cohesion, public transportation, and food environment. This study adopted 2 waves of annual data from the Poverty Tracker Study (2015-2016; N = 703) merged with American Community Survey and spatial data sets to measure gentrification and neighborhood factors. Adjusted logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between gentrification and food insecurity. Further mediation analyses were conducted to test the mechanisms of such associations. Older adults in gentrifying neighborhoods were more likely to have food insecurity than those in moderate- to high-income neighborhoods. Compared to low-income neighborhoods, older adults in gentrifying neighborhoods had a lower likelihood of reporting food insecurity. Two significant mediators were found when comparing gentrification with moderate- to high-income neighborhoods: social cohesion and healthy food outlets. This study highlights the importance of gentrification in determining late-life food insecurity and identifies possible mechanisms with policy and social service implications to reduce the risk of food insecurity in urban areas.

Survival strategies and neighborhood cohesion facing COVID 19 in Nezahualcóyotl and the historical center

La pandemia en 2020 planteó diversos desafíos para los hogares mexicanos, sobre todos aquellos donde alguno de sus miembros tuvo la enfermedad. Este artículo analiza las estrategias de supervivencia que desarrollaron los hogares y las comunidades que habitan en el Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México y el municipio de Nezahualcóyotl. Se definieron tres variables para analizar dichas estrategias: la cohesión social, la intervención de los vecinos en acciones colectivas y la participación comunitaria. Usando los datos recolectados por la encuesta “Empoderamiento ciudadano para mejorar la seguridad pública y el estado de derecho en la Ciudad de México”, junto con modelos econométricos, se evidenció que ambas comunidades destacaron por su cohesión y participación vecinal. En Nezahualcóyotl, la familia y las relaciones vecinales fueron esenciales, mientras que en el Centro Histórico prevaleció la solidaridad entre vecinos.

The role of country-level characteristics for the association between loneliness and neighborhood cohesion – A multi-level analysis

The role of country-level characteristics for the association between loneliness and neighborhood cohesion – A multi-level analysis

Neighbourhood characteristics, leisure-time walking, and mental health in older veterans

ABSTRACT This study examined the extent to which neighbourhood cohesion and safety are related to leisure-time walking, mental health, and the health-related perceptions of older veterans. Using data from the 2016 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), we focused on 1,501 respondents who reported they were veterans 65 years of age and older. Results of a path analysis indicated that older veterans living in neighbourhoods characterized by high social cohesion and safety tended to report better mental health and more positive health perception compared to those residing in neighbourhoods with lower levels of social cohesion and safety. In addition, older veterans with higher levels of leisure-time walking were more likely to report better mental health and health perception compared to those who engaged in lower levels of leisure-time walking. These results add to the existing body of knowledge that describes how safe and socially cohesive neighbourhoods and leisure time physical activity play an important role in shaping mental health and health perception in older veterans. Practical implications for promoting health-related behaviours and health in the older veteran population are discussed.

Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Psychological Well-Being Among Older Adults: The Mediating Role of Home Attachment, Neighborhood Attachment, and Social Capital

This study aimed to examine the association between neighborhood social cohesion and psychological well-being among older adults in Iran in 2020. A cross-sectional design was employed, with 414 older adults recruited using a clustered sampling technique. The data collection instruments included the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, the Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion scale, the Place Attachment Scale for Older Adults, and the Social Capital Assessment Tool. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and the PROCESS Macro model 4 in SPSS24. Neighborhood social capital was found to completely mediate the association between neighborhood cohesion and psychological well-being among older adults. These results suggest that policymakers should consider implementing targeted policies to enhance neighborhood cohesion in order to improve the psychological well-being of older adults.

The Impact of Vacant and Abandoned Property on Health and Well-Being: A Qualitative Inquiry

This qualitative study explored the role of neglected properties and neighborhood environment characteristics on a sample of New Orleans, Louisiana residents’ health and well-being, sense of community, sense of safety, and civic engagement. We hypothesized that residents would identify conditions of their neighborhood's physical environment, including neglected properties, as one factor that impacted their health and other aspects of well-being. Seventy-four (N = 74) participants, including women, men, youth, young adults, and community leaders, took part in 11 focus groups (n = 51) and 23 key informant interviews. Thematic content analysis through inductive and deductive coding cycles of interview transcripts revealed five main categories related to urban neighborhood-built and social environments: 1) health and well-being, 2) sense of community, 3) sense of safety, 4) civic engagement, and 5) youth and family violence. Ten themes were developed and included, for example, the role of neighborhoods in delineating access to health-promoting characteristics and resources; the role of neighborhood social networks as crime prevention strategies; resident-led decision-making in neighborhood improvements; the negative impact of neglected properties; and the role of the local government in improving physical infrastructure. These findings affirm that residents were aware of and impacted by the cyclical nature of built environment neglect on health and well-being, community violence, neighborhood cohesion, civic engagement, and youth violence. Participants recommended improving neighborhood conditions to shift resident mindsets about the health of neighborhoods, reduce violence, and improve quality of life.

Neighborhood Trust, Cohesion, and Diversity: How Demographic Patterns and Processes Shape Their Relationships

AbstractCompelling evidence from around the world suggests that ethnic diversity is detrimental to neighborhood trust and cohesion. Much of this evidence derives from empirical associations found with static indicators of diversity, measuring the mix of ethnic groups at a single point in time, and controlling for a varied mix of individual and community‐level covariates. Less attention though has sought to understand how dynamic processes of migration and residential settlement both create diversity and influence trust and cohesion. In this study, census and survey data are used to analyze the demographic and economic characteristics and dynamics coinciding with diversity in local communities in Australia, and the implications for neighborhood trust and cohesion. Diverse communities are heavily concentrated in moderately and highly disadvantaged communities in large immigrant gateway cities. Highly diverse communities experience continual high levels of immigration and population turnover and contain young age structures and more diverse and transient housing and household structures. Survey analyses reveal that these characteristics substantially explain observed negative associations between diversity and neighborhood trust and cohesion. The results point to the near‐intractable difficulties in isolating the effects of diversity and the importance of understanding the dynamic demographic processes in the construction of neighborhood diversity, trust, and cohesion.

Unveiling the interplay of social factors in cancer survivorship: A comprehensive social determinants of health (SDOH) profile analysis.

1536 Background: SDOHs contribute to patients’ cancer survivorship outcomes. While studies tend to focus on individual SDOH, understanding the interplay and collective impact of multiple SDOHs is vital for improving patient outcomes and access to care. Our study aims to understand SDOH profiles in cancer survivors and stratify social risks by analyzing relationships between SDOH profiles and health outcomes using a nationally representative dataset. Methods: We conducted an unsupervised clustering analysis using 2013-2018 National Health Interview Survey data, linked to NHIS Mortality Files, to examine 12 social determinants of health (SDOHs) in the general population. 12 SDOH included unmarried status, unemployment, less than high school education, material/psychological/behavioral financial hardship, transportation/food/housing insecurity, delayed care due to other reasons, and low income(less than federal poverty line), and low neighborhood cohesion. K-Modes clustering was used to identify optimal number of cluster. We estimated each cluster’s prevalence in younger (18-64 years) and older (65-79 years) cancer survivors, then used weighted Cox regression to assess the risk of overall (OS)in both age groups, adjusting for demographics. Results: We identified 5 distinct groups based their SDOH profiles, including group A (few SDOH barriers), B (unmarried but no other SDOH barriers), C (unemployed but no other SDOH barriers), D (unmarried, unemployed, occasionally having other SDOH barriers) and E (the highest rate of financial hardship/transportation/food/housing insecurity/low neighborhood cohesion/low income). Notably, group E, compared to all other groups, had the highest rate of racial minorities in both younger and older groups in both younger (71% vs 5-14%) and older populations (74% vs 1-8%). Older survivors in Group C (HR 2.48, 95% CI: 1.02-6.03), Group D (HR 4.09, 95% CI: 1.65-10.14), and Group E (HR 3.88, 95% CI: 1.44-10.46) had significantly lower OS rates compared to those in Group A. For younger survivors, Group D (HR 1.96, 95% CI: 0.97-3.96) and Group E (HR 1.40, 95% CI: 0.67-2.95) were associated with nonsignificant reductions in OS, possibly due to limited sample sizes. Conclusions: SDOHs form distinct clusters, each with profound on cancer survivorship especially among older survivors facing complex social challenges. This necessitates customized health interventions focused on these SDOH profiles, crucial for improving patient outcomes and addressing health disparities.

Community governance during the Shanghai COVID lockdown II: Bridging neighborhood cohesion and the perception of community governance

Social cohesion within neighborhoods significantly influences community governance. Residents in cohesive neighborhoods tend to engage more actively and express greater satisfaction with governance. The COVID-19 pandemic poses challenges to governance at national and local levels, particularly evident in China, where neighborhoods play a vital role in the pandemic response. However, the impact of cohesion on community-level governance satisfaction remains unclear. This study develops a theoretical framework based on social cohesion and social capital, utilizing survey data from Shanghai residents and community governance staff who experienced the Spring 2022 city-wide lockdown. Seven neighborhood cohesion dimensions are established, and community governance is deconstructed into sustenance distribution and PCR testing. Statistical analysis identifies trust, neighborhood connections, togetherness, and general norms as influential factors, with variation between residents and community governance staff. The findings thus connect Chinese neighborhoods to international literature, offering policy insights for crisis-driven community governance.

The influence of nativity/birthplace, neighborhood cohesion, and duration lived in the neighborhood on psychological distress

IntroductionNativity/birthplace and neighborhood cohesion are potential contributing factors to psychological distress. This study explores the impact of nativity/birthplace and neighborhood cohesion on moderate-severe psychological distress among United States (US) adults, considering the duration lived in a neighborhood. MethodsUsing the 2013–2018 National Health Interview Survey data, we conducted a stratified analysis based on years lived in the neighborhood (≤10 years [n = 96,175] and >10 years [n = 68,187]). Bivariate chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the statistical differences and associations between moderate-severe psychological distress and nativity/birthplace, and neighborhood cohesion, while adjusting for other covariates. ResultsIndividuals with 10 years or less of residence reported higher levels of moderate-severe psychological distress than those with more than 10 years (22.3 % vs. 18.1 %). Low or medium neighborhood cohesion, regardless of duration of residence, was associated with significantly higher odds of moderate-severe psychological distress compared to high cohesion. Foreign-born individuals had higher odds of psychological distress after more than 10 years in a neighborhood, although this difference was not statistically significant. However, they had lower odds of psychological distress after 10 years or less in the neighborhood compared to US-born individuals. Similarly, the interaction of foreign-born status and 10 years or less of residence in a neighborhood showed decreased odds of psychological distress. ConclusionsThese findings underscore the importance of strong social cohesion in neighborhoods for positive mental well-being. Establishing community initiatives to enhance neighborhood social cohesion is crucial.