A multilevel model of life satisfaction among old people: individual characteristics and neighborhood physical disorder

Abstract

Background Considering the lack of studies that examine built environmental factors associated with life satisfaction among old people in developing countries, particularly those focused on Brazil, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of life satisfaction among old adults residents in a Brazilian urban center and to investigate its association with individual characteristics and objective measures of the built environment. Methods A household survey ( N = 832) in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil (2008–2009) and a Systematic Social Observation (SSO) was used in this study. Life satisfaction was assessed through Self-Anchoring Ladder Scale, developed by Cantril, in 1965. Participants’ answers were categorized as satisfied (rungs 6–10) and dissatisfied (rungs 0–5). A Multilevel Poisson regression analysis with robust variance was performed. Results The prevalence of satisfaction with life was approximately 82%. Higher prevalence of life satisfaction was significantly associated with old people who reported higher incomes, higher religious participation, who practice physical activity and who perceive their health as good and very good. In contextual level, results showed that when the contextual features were adjusted separately by the individual characteristics they were no longer significant. The results also showed a lower prevalence of life satisfaction among those living in neighborhoods with higher physical disorder, even after adjusting for individual and other contextual characteristics. Conclusions The present findings suggest that life satisfaction should be assessed whenever evaluating urban redevelopment programs designed to improve neighborhood characteristics, reducing physical disorder, especially among old adults.

Comparative Study of the Effects of Tai Chi and Square Dance on Immune Function, Physical Health, and Life Satisfaction in Urban Empty-Nest Older Adults

“…Hence, physical health, immune function, and life satisfaction significantly correlated ( Table 5 ). Our results are consistent with those of other researchers; for example, Teixeira Vaz et al (2019) found a positive relationship between physical activity and life satisfaction in older adults.…”

Ethnic inequality between Arabs and Jews in Israel in global life satisfaction: A social determinants examination among young adults.

“…I found that good physical attributes of the neighborhood and safety, viewed as resources that allow residents to maintain their health and well-being, were related to young adults’ SWB. This finding is in line with previous evidence from studies conducted among different populations (e.g., Mouratidis, 2018; Teixeira Vaz et al, 2019). Living in clean, green, and safe environments is assumed to facilitate and encourage outdoor social interaction, such as spontaneous encounters with neighbors and physical activity that fosters social networks and health.…”

“…While neighborhood characteristics such as air pollution and noise can directly affect residents’ health and well-being, other characteristics, such as level of cleanliness, green spaces, perception of neighborhood security, and access to public transportation, can be regarded as resources that allow residents to maintain their health and well-being (see discussion in Mouratidis, 2018). Better perceived and observed neighborhood characteristics—in both metropolitan and nonurban areas—such as perceived safety, level of crime or community violence, physical environment aspects including density, cleanliness, green spaces, state of roads and sidewalks, street connectivity, lightening, air pollution, and noise have been found in some studies to contribute to higher level of GLS (Cao, 2016; Mouratidis, 2019; Teixeira Vaz et al, 2019; Vemuri et al, 2011; F. Zhang et al, 2022; Z.…”

Factors Associated With Positive Self-Rated Health: Comparing Older Adults in Brazil and in Portugal

“…Positive self-rated health is an excellent indicator of one's own health, predicting the survival of each individual (98). It is related to good physical, cognitive and emotional components, in addition to a feeling of well-being and satisfaction with life (3,99). Self-rated health is related to some important aspects of the health of older adults, such as functional capacity, physical condition and mental health (100); and to sociodemographic and economic characteristics, such as gender, schooling, housing arrangements and income (8).…”