Urban Adults Research Articles

THE URBAN AGING RESIDENT’S COALITION: A CASE STUDY IN LATE-ADULTHOOD COMMUNITY ACTIVISM

Abstract The COVID-19 global pandemic, police brutality, and threats to voting rights retraumatized African American older adults, who lived during civil rights, causing feelings of powerlessness. Older adults can be equipped to regain agency and control through community activism. We provide a case study of an older African American activist’s (Ms. P) journey to create the Urban Aging Resident’s Coalition (UARC)—an affiliation of the National African American Men’s Wellness Agency. UARC was founded in 2019 to improve mental and physical health for urban older adults. Post-pandemic, Ms. P along with teenage volunteers, held monthly educational sessions that included interactions with local police and voting rights education. To facilitate a non-confrontational experience, Ms. P had the police bring Golden Retriever therapy dogs and a community support person. To increase relatability for voter education, Ms. P formed a panel of retired legislators, the first African American state senator who developed the Ohio Office of Minority Health, a younger state representative, and the former CEO of the Urban league to hold an open forum on voting rights and redistricting. Nearly 60 older adults attended the monthly educational sessions. The community activist addressed those traumas experienced by older adults in a safe and encouraging social environment. Participants reported feeling more comfortable interacting with the police. Older adults increased their awareness of the importance of voting to elect leaders that represent them and their ideas. This model, to engage minoritized groups to regain agency and power, can be a template for other communities.

RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COGNITIVE HEALTH AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN CHINA

Abstract Existing research links perceived social support from family and friends to cognitive health in later life. Yet we know less about how cognitive functioning may also shape social support and whether these reciprocal relationships vary between rural and urban areas, especially in China where rural-urban migration is common. This study investigates: (1) whether family support and friendship support help maintaining cognitive functioning, (2) whether cognitive functioning improves perceived family support and friendship support, and (3) whether and how these relationships differ between rural and urban areas. I estimate cross-lagged panel models with a sample including 9,553 adults aged 60 years and above, from two waves of the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS). Results show that cognitive functioning was positively associated with perceived friendship support, regardless of the area of residence. There was a reciprocal relationship between friendship support and cognitive functioning only for rural older adults, with friendship support predicting lower cognitive functioning for urban older adults. Findings suggest that rural and urban context matter – perceived social support, whether from friends or family, may have different implications for the cognitive health of older Chinese adults depending on where they live.

RURAL DISPARITIES IN THE USE OF FAMILY AND FORMAL CAREGIVING FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES

Abstract As federal and state policies rebalance long-term care from institutional settings to home- and community-based settings, reliance on formal (paid) and family (unpaid) caregivers for support at home nationally has increased in recent years. Yet, it’s unknown if use of formal and family care varies by rurality as a disproportional share of the aging population reside in rural areas. Using the Health and Retirement Study, we describe patterns in receipt of combinations of formal and family home care by rurality among community-dwelling adults aged 65+ with functional limitations from 2004-2016. Compared to older adults in urban areas, older adults in rural areas are more likely to receive any family care than those in urban areas and less likely to receive any formal care (2.4 and -4.4 percentage points respectively, p<0.05). From 2004 to 2016, a growing proportion of older adults in rural areas receive care from family caregivers exclusively while a decreasing proportion receive care from formal caregivers exclusively. When examining older adults in urban areas, we find the opposite trend — a growing proportion of urban adults rely exclusively on formal care and a decreasing proportion rely exclusively on family care. We find that national estimates of sources of caregiving and their trends mask significant heterogeneity in uptake by rurality. Understanding how older adults in rural areas are, or are not, receiving home-based care compared to their urban peers and how these patterns are changing over time is the first step to informing supports for family and formal caregivers.

MEASUREMENTS OF SKIN CAROTENOID STATUS BY VEGGIE METER® IN URBAN ADULTS

Abstract Recent advances in technology related to objective measures of dietary intake have led to tools such as the Veggie Meter®. The Veggie Meter uses pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy to determine skin carotenoid status as an objective proxy of fruit and vegetable intake. This project is part of a larger study to determine seasonal changes in skin carotenoids of residents in an urban setting. The purpose of this project is to report baseline measures of skin carotenoids in a subset of older urban adults. Adults frequenting community events (senior center, food pantries, health fairs) consented to triplicate Veggie Meter readings. Adults (n=54) ages >60 years old who provided consent completed a survey and a baseline Veggie Meter reading. Participants were 68% female with a mean ± standard deviation age of 68 ± 7.2 years. Mean BMI was 29.9 ± 7.47 kg/m² . Most were non-smokers (75%). Participants identified as African American (78%), Caucasian (7%), two or more races (7%), or other race (6%). Mean Veggie Meter score was 275.6 ± 98.88. Smokers had a significantly lower Veggie Meter® score (216±73.4) than non-smokers (295 ± 98.7) p=0.006. Conclusion: For this sample of older adults in the DC area, differences in skin carotenoid status was seen by smoking status. Additional data is pending for Winter, Spring and Summer readings to determine whether seasonal variations exist in skin carotenoid status as measured by the Veggie Meter.

COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Mediates the Relationship between Health Literacy and Vaccination in a Diverse Sample of Urban Adults.

We sought to analyze the relationship between health literacy, confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, and self-reported vaccination. We hypothesized that the relationship between health literacy and vaccination would be mediated by vaccine confidence. We recruited (N = 271) English- and Spanish-speaking adults in Boston and Chicago from September 2018 to September 2021. We performed a probit mediation analysis to determine if confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and health literacy predicted self-reported vaccination. We hypothesized that the relationship between health literacy and vaccination would be mediated by vaccine confidence. Participants were on average 50 years old, 65% female, 40% non-Hispanic Black, 25% Hispanic, and 30% non-Hispanic White; 231 (85%) reported at least one COVID-19 vaccination. A higher mean vaccine confidence score (t = -7.9, p < 0.001) and higher health literacy (t = -2.2, p = 0.03) were associated with vaccination, but only vaccine confidence predicted vaccination in a multivariate model. Vaccine confidence mediated the relationship between health literacy and COVID-19 vaccination (mediated effects: 0.04; 95% CI [0.02, 0.08]). We found that using a simple tool to measure vaccine confidence identified people who declined or delayed COVID-19 vaccination in a diverse sample of adults with varying levels of health literacy. Simple short survey tools can be useful to identify people who may benefit from vaccine promotion efforts and evidence-based communication strategies.

A Study on The Prevalence of Overweight and Associated Risk Factors in Urban Adult Women (19-49 Years) Of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is escalating worldwide, and it has been acknowledged as a global issue by the World Health Organization (WHO). Even though India's overweight rates are comparatively lower than those of Western countries, they are steadily increasing. Therefore, it becomes crucial to understand the extent of overweight in cities like Kolkata. The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of overweight among urban adult women (aged 19-49 years) in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, involving 130 subjects, and a pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-economic details, physical activity, dietary patterns, and perceptions and knowledge related to overweight through interviews. The outcome variables measured were Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Univariate, bivariate, and logistic regression analyses were performed using MS Excel. There was a 54% overweight prevalence among urban adult women, and a 67.4% abdominal obesity prevalence. Several factors were significantly associated with being overweight (having a BMI over 25). These factors included women perceiving themselves as thinner than they actually are, being aged over 35 years, and having a husband who is self-employed. In urban West Bengal, overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity levels are considerably high. This highlights the urgency of addressing the issue of overweight in this region and calls for targeted interventions to promote healthier lifestyles and combat the growing problem of overweight and obesity.

Social participation in the city: exploring the moderating effect of walkability on the associations between active mobility, neighborhood perceptions, and social activities in urban adults

BackgroundLiving in urban environments is associated with several health risks (e.g., noise, and air pollution). However, there are also beneficial aspects such as various opportunities for social activities, which might increase levels of social participation and (physically) active mobility that in turn have positive effects on health and well-being. However, how aspects of the environment, active mobility, and social participation are associated is not well established. This study investigates the moderating effect of low vs. high walkability neighborhoods on the associations between active mobility, and social participation and integrates individuals’ subjective perception of the neighborhood environment they are living in.MethodsCross-sectional data from 219 adults (48% female, mean age = 46 ± 3.8 years) from 12 urban neighborhoods (six low, six high walkability) were analyzed: First, social participation, active mobility, and subjective neighborhood perceptions were compared between people living in a low vs. high walkability neighborhood via t-tests. Second, multigroup path analyses were computed to explore potential differences in the associations between these variables in low vs. high walkability neighborhoods.ResultsSocial participation, active mobility, and subjective neighborhood perceptions didn’t differ in low vs. high walkability neighborhoods (p: 0.37 − 0.71). Active mobility and subjective neighborhood perceptions were significantly stronger related to social participation in low vs. high walkability neighborhoods (active mobility in low: ß = 0.35, p < .01 vs. high: ß = 0.09, p = .36; subjective neighborhood perceptions in low: ß = 0.27, p < .01 vs. high: ß = 0.15, p = .18).ConclusionsDespite living in neighborhoods with objectively different walkability, participants rated social participation and active mobility equally and perceived their neighborhoods similarly. However, zooming into the interrelations of these variables reveals that social participation of residents from low walkability neighborhoods depends stronger on active mobility and perceiving the environment positively. Positive perceptions of the environment and active mobility might buffer the objectively worse walkability. Future research should focus on underlying mechanisms and determinants of subjective neighborhood perceptions and active mobility, especially in low walkability neighborhoods.

Health and Wellbeing Implications of Urban Green Exposure on Young Adults in a European City

Urbanization has caused a disconnect between people and nature. There has also been a rise in health and well-being issues in urban dwellers. In recent years, many cities, especially in Europe, have consciously developed urban parks and green spaces to allow the urban population to experience nature without having to travel out of the city. This study explores the health and well-being benefits of exposure to urban green spaces on urban young adults. A sample of young adults living in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, were studied using Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS) and Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS) to discover psychological benefits. Blood pressure and heart rate monitoring were also employed to examine the physiological benefits of urban green exposure. It was found that there was a direct relationship between urban green exposure and health and well-being. There was a significant increase in restorative benefits and an increase in the overall vitality level.

Contact with nature for emotion regulation: the roles of nature connectedness and beauty engagement in urban young adults

Contact with nature has emotional benefits, but the psychological mechanism and potential moderator underlying the association between nature contact and emotion regulation remain unclear. The present study investigated how self-reported frequency of nature contact is associated with the use of emotion regulation strategies and explored the mediating role of nature connectedness (i.e., psychological connection to nature) and the moderating role of engagement with natural beauty. Employing mediation and moderated mediation analyses, in a cross-sectional sample of 2097 young adults aged 18–35 years old (M = 24.01, SD = 4.80) residing in urban China, we obtained three major findings. First, nature connectedness mediated the associations between direct/indirect nature contact and cognitive reappraisal as well as expressive suppression. Second, engagement with natural beauty moderated the path from direct/indirect nature contact to cognitive reappraisal in the mediation models. Third, engagement with natural beauty moderated the path from indirect nature contact to nature connectedness in the mediation models. Our study is the first to reveal mediating and moderating factors in the relationships among direct/indirect contact with nature, nature connectedness, engagement with natural beauty, and emotion regulation strategies. These findings provide support for the emotional health of nature contact and have implications for nature-based education and urban planning.

Plasma neurofilament light and brain volumetric outcomes among middle‐aged urban adults

AbstractBackgroundElevated plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) is associated with dementia, but the specific underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. We examined cross‐sectional and longitudinal relationships of plasma NfL with selected brain structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) prognostic markers of dementia, namely global and cortical brain, hippocampal and white matter lesion volumes (WMLV).MethodData were extracted from three prospective visits within the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span (HANDLS) study, selecting participants with complete v1 (2004‐2009) and v2 (2009‐2013) plasma NfL exposure and ancillary sMRI data at vscan (2011‐2015, n = 179, mean v1 to vscan time: 5.4y). Multivariable‐adjusted linear regression models were conducted, overall, by sex, and by race, correcting for multiple testing with q‐values.ResultNfL(v1) (Loge transformed) had a moderately strong association with larger WMLV at follow‐up vscan visit, after a period of 5‐6 years of follow‐up, overall (β = +2.131±0.660, b = +0.29, p = 0.001, q = 0.0029). Moreover, a 1 unit increase in NfLv2 was linked to a left hippocampal volume that was lower by 125 mm3 (p = 0.004, q = 0.015), using minimally adjusted models and mainly among males. Associations were largely unaltered by further adjustment for downstream health‐related factors.ConclusionIn summary, plasma NfL may be an independent medium‐term (within 5 years) marker for increase in WMLV, and a short term (within 1 year) marker for smaller hippocampal volumes normalized to the intracranial volume, independently of other confounding factors. Therefore, plasma NfL holds promise as a blood‐based marker to predict future subclinical brain pathologies in middle‐aged adults.

Examining Accessibility to Medical Resources for Urban Older Adults with Common Diseases Using Multisource Data: A Case Study of Beijing

Examining Accessibility to Medical Resources for Urban Older Adults with Common Diseases Using Multisource Data: A Case Study of Beijing

Cognitive Health and Functional Abilities of Illiterate Older Peruvians

AbstractBackgroundThe demographic changes are clearly affecting developing countries like Peru. Is estimated that approximately 7% of the population in the capital city of Lima, Peru, lives with dementia but there is no knowledge of the cognitive health of illiterate older in urban and rural communities outside Lima, where 41.5% of older adults living in these communities are illiterate. On the other hand, Peru is home to tremendous social and geocultural diversity, which may mitigate the worrisome dementia risk. In this respect, it is interesting to note that many older Peruvians remain active preserved and prolonged functional independence in their respective communities for long periods of time. Additionally, in Peru, several brief cognitive tests have been validated in urban cohorts (mostly within Lima) with elementary level education, but, to our knowledge, no brief tests of cognition or functionality have been validated in illiterate Peruvians. These observations raise important research questions that the present pilot proposal seeks to begin investigating.MethodsWe are characterizing the cognitive health and functional abilities of rural and urban illiterate older adults living in two geoculturally‐distinct regions of Peru, the Andean and Amazonian regions. Within the Andes region, we are studying a cohort of illiterate older adults living in the urban area of Cuzco and another cohort from the rural area of Pomacanchis ‐ Cuzco; within the Amazon region, we will study a cohort of illiterate older adults living in the urban area of Iquitos and another cohort from the rural area of San Reyes. We are conducting a gold standard neurological, neuropsychological, and functional evaluations in all enrolled participants in each of the four cohorts and these will be used to arrive at a multidisciplinary consensus diagnosis of suspected normal aging, subjective cognitive impairment, mild neurocognitive disorder (or mild cognitive impairment), or major neurocognitive disorder (or dementia). We are correlating these diagnoses with results of brief cognitive tests and a brief functionality assessment, the MMSE, RUDAS, the BHA ‐ TabCAT, and the adapted version of PFAQ.Results In collection process ConclusionThis pilot project represents the initial steps towards addressing these hypotheses and will generate unique data.

Balancing on the redline: a qualitative study of the experiences purchasing sugar-sweetened beverages among Indigenous adults in a Canadian urban neighbourhood

ObjectiveGrowing evidence suggests that inner-city residents actively navigate their food landscape to meet a wide range of socio-economic needs. Given the increasing focus of health policies on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) through price-based strategies, it is critical to understand purchasing habits of populations with higher SSB intake. This study examined urban Indigenous adults’ SSB shopping behaviour and experiences.MethodsWe conducted a community-based participatory research study using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of Indigenous adults (≥ 18 years old) from the North End neighbourhood of Winnipeg. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed.ResultsAll 20 participants (women = 10; men = 8; two-spirit = 2) consumed SSB on a regular, daily basis either at the time of the interview or at a prior period in their lives. Themes defining residents’ SSB shopping behaviour and experiences of shopping for SSB included balancing on the redline, specifically (1) balancing SSB purchasing constraints and facilitators with savvy shopping approaches and (2) balancing (stereo)typical reactions with resilient coping approaches. Residents procured SSB in various stores within and beyond the boundaries of the North End neighbourhood. SSB is a considerable, reoccurring expense, requiring savvy price-shopping strategies in order to access. Indigenous adults experience judgement and stereotyping when purchasing SSB, including intersecting racial, class, and weight stigma.ConclusionPurchasing SSB is perceived as a source of judgement when outside of inner-city neighbourhoods. Policymakers should consider how policies directed at SSB, which are consumed by Indigenous and food-insecure populations in greater quantities, may magnify existing racial, class, and weight-based discrimination.

Urban insights into mental health: A study of depression and anxiety factors among urban adults of Bangladesh in the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT This study investigates the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among urban adults in Bangladesh and explores the associated socio-demographic factors. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to May 2021 among the adults living in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, using a standard questionnaire designed using Google Forms and sent via a unique uniform resource locator (URL). The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) was employed to assess symptoms of mental health issues. The survey included responses from 993 participants. The results indicate that about 40% of the urban adults had moderate-severe anxiety symptoms, while about 46% had depression symptoms. Urban adults’ level of education, gender, occupation, place of birth, and asset quintile were found to have a significant correlation with increased anxiety and depression. The findings stressed the need for developing effective mental health services and educational programs for urban people to meet their mental health needs and prevention mechanisms. There is an urgent need for interventions that specifically target mental health issues.

Rental sector liberalization and the housing outcomes for young urban adults

ABSTRACT Young adults increasingly rely on precarious and costly rental housing, particularly in major cities and liberalized housing markets. Amsterdam has a more regulated housing system, but increasing market-liberal logic in policy-making has led to considerable loosening of rent regulations in the last decade. One outcome has been the significant growth, and transformation, of liberalized rental housing. Drawing on city of Amsterdam survey data from 2005 to 2019, our analysis considers how recent policy and housing market shifts have generated and shaped housing inequalities for young adults. Where private rental growth was stimulated to fill the middle segment, our findings reveal that it has largely catered to affluent young adults. Households with less resources struggle to gain access, and pay more when they do. Our findings demonstrate that this variation of ‘generation rent” is not simply an outcome of market-liberal agendas, but is also shaped on a city-scale, partly through rental market restructuring.

The Association between Betel Quid Chewing and Metabolic Syndrome Among Urban Adults in Mandalay District of Myanmar.

As the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, obesity and diabetes increase worldwide, the need to identify modifiable lifestyle risk factors also increases, especially those that may be relatively unique to a specific population. To explore a possible association between betel quid chewing and metabolic syndrome, a community-based cross-sectional study was conducted. Three hundred ninety-one (391) adults were interviewed and the following parameters were measured: triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, glucose, waist circumference, body mass index and blood pressure. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the association between betel quid chewing and metabolic syndrome while controlling for confounders. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was similar in chewers and non-chewers, 50% and 49%, respectively. After controlling for other factors, development of metabolic syndrome was positively associated with number of betel quids chewed per day, age greater than 40 years, and a positive family history of hypertension and diabetes. Regarding the duration of betel chewing, when analyzed by sex, the risk was doubled in men compared to non-chewers (OR 2.15; 95% CI = 1.21, 3.84). As a result, a man chewing more than 10 pieces (OR 2.49; 95% CI = 1.36, 4.57) of betel quids per day for more than 10 years had a two-fold increased chance of developing the metabolic syndrome. Frequency and duration of betel quid chewing may represent a behavioral lifestyle target for approaches to reduce the incidence of metabolic syndrome.

Social connectedness in older Urban African-American adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: the roles of education and partnership

Objective This study examined education, partnership status, and the moderating role of the lockdown period on social connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of urban African-American older adults. Methods Five hundred thirty-four African-American adults living in Detroit (91.0% female, Mage = 74.53) reported demographic information pre-pandemic and answered one social connectedness questionnaire between April and December 2020. Results Participants interviewed after the lockdown (post-June 2020) reported more loneliness than those interviewed during the lockdown (April–June, 2020). Married/partnered participants reported less loneliness and social isolation. Loneliness did not differ between those with high education levels interviewed during the lockdown compared to post-lockdown. However, among individuals with low education levels, those interviewed after the lockdown reported more loneliness than those interviewed during the lockdown period. Conclusion Our findings suggest partnership status is associated with more social connectedness during the pandemic and education accentuates the effects of forced isolation related to loneliness among urban African-American older adults.

Prevalence and related factors of abdominal obesity among urban adults aged 35 to 79 years in southwest China.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and related factors of abdominal obesity among urban adults aged 35 to 79 years in southwest China. From September 2013 to March 2014, a multi-stage sampling was conducted, and a total of 10,981 people aged 35-79 years living in Chengdu and Chongqing were included. More than 30 investigators were trained in data collection, including questionnaire, anthropometric measurements and blood biomarkers testing. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥ 90 cm for men and ≥ 85 cm for women. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was 30.7%, 24.8% in males and 33.9% in females (p < 0.001). The prevalence of abdominal obesity increased with BMI. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was positively correlated with age, sex, marriage, alcohol consumption, hypertension and diabetes, and negatively correlated with high education level, smoking and Physical activity. The prevalence of abdominal obesity among adults aged 35-79 in urban communities in southwest China is high, which is close to that of adults in urban communities in China. We should strengthen health education among the population, adopt healthy diet, maintain moderate physical activity and other measures to curb the prevalence of abdominal obesity in urban communities in southwest China.

Abstract 17368: Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases in Haiti: Implications for Low-Income Countries

Introduction: Although 80% of global cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden occurs in low- and middle-income countries, data from Black populations in these settings are scarce. We estimated the baseline prevalence of CVD using data from the population-based Haiti Cardiovascular Disease Cohort. Methods: Among urban Haitian adults ≥18 years, we collected data on demographics, health behaviors, psychosocial measures, anthropometrics and clinical exams including imaging and laboratory data at enrollment from 2019-2021. Prevalent cases of CVD were adjudicated using approaches guided by US and international cohorts. Multivariable Poisson regressions assessed relationships between risk factors and prevalent CVD. Results: Among 3,003 participants, median age was 40 years, 58.1% were female, and 70.2% reported income of &lt;$1/day. The most common risk factors were elevated blood pressure (30.4% hypertension, 23.0% prehypertension) and obesity (17.2%). Age-adjusted prevalence of CVD was 14.7% (95%CI 13.3%, 16.5%). Heart failure was the predominant disease with an adjusted prevalence of 11.9% (95%CI 10.5%, 13.5%), followed by stroke (2.4% [95%CI 1.9%, 3.3%]), angina (2.1% [95%CI 1.6%, 2.9%]), MI (1.0% [95%CI 0.6%, 1.8%]), and TIA (0.4% [95%CI 0.2%, 1.0%]). Of all heart failure, 80% had preserved ejection fraction, with a median age of 57 years. Heart failure was associated in a dose-response relationship with hypertension, and with obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, depression, and stress. Conclusions: The burden of CVD in urban Haiti is primarily early-onset heart failure, with low prevalence of ischemic heart disease, challenging current global assumptions. These findings highlightunderscore the urgent need for local population-based epidemiologic data on cardiovascular disease and risk factors to inform health policy, planning and promotion.

Dualities of Place among Rural and Urban Periphery Homegrown Adults in Israel☆

AbstractFollowing the general idea of place matters and based on the particular features of rural/peripheral settlements, people, and communities, the current study aims at exploring the development and meaning of peripheral identity and its construction, as perceived by adults who were born and raised in the northern periphery of Israel. Using the phenomenological genre, 40 interviews were conducted with adults aged 26–40 who grew up in the periphery at least until the age of 21. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted, based on the principles of grounded theory. The analysis yielded four main categories that represented four dimensions of a conflict or a paradox that characterizes life in the periphery: (1) Personal chronology from childhood to adulthood; (2) Family as an anchor vs. an obligation; (3) Settlement as inner vs. the outside environment; (4) Region as empowerment and powerful vs. deficit and powerless. The findings indicate that the embedded identity of the peripheral homegrown is ambiguous, conflictual, and contradictory. The current study aims to demonstrate how the social constructive approach can challenge the meanings of rurality/peripherally as an experience that is shaped in different ways.