Determinants of Mental Health and Self-Rated Health: A Model of Socioeconomic Status, Neighborhood Safety, and Physical Activity

Abstract

Objectives We investigated the underlying mechanisms of the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on mental health and self-rated health (SRH), and evaluated how these relationships might vary by race/ethnicity, age, and gender. Methods We analyzed data of 44 921 adults who responded to the 2009 California Health Interview Survey. We used a path analysis to test effects of SES, neighborhood safety, and physical activity on mental health and SRH. Results Low SES was associated with greater neighborhood safety concerns, which were negatively associated with physical activity, which was then negatively related to mental health and SRH. This model was similar across different racial/ethnic and gender groups, but mean levels in the constructs differed across groups. Conclusions SES plays an important role in SRH and mental health, and this effect is further nuanced by race/ethnicity and gender. Identifying the psychological (neighborhood safety) and behavioral (physical activity) factors that influence mental health and SRH is critical for tailoring interventions and designing programs that can improve overall health.

Sociodemographic Characteristics and Health Status of Lifetime Abstainers, Ex-Drinkers, Bingers, and Nonbingers Among Baby Boomers and Older Adults

“…However, bivariate analyses show that lifetime abstainers in both age groups were more likely to rate their health as fair or poor than nonbingers. Since SES plays an important role in self-rated health (Meyer, Castro-Schilo, & Aguilar-Gaxiola, 2014), lifetime abstainers' overall lower SES may have affected their lower self-rated health.…”

The Neighbourhood Effects on Health and Well-being (NEHW) study

“…By now, hundreds of crosssectional and more recently longitudinal studies have linked area characteristics, both physical and social, to a range of health behaviours and outcomes such as distress and anxiety, depression (Truong and Ma, 2006;Kim, 2008;Mair et al, 2008) substance use (Stockdale et al, 2007), partner violence (Frye and O'Campo, 2011;Pinchevsky and Wtight, 2012), cardiovascular disease (Chaix, 2009), obesity and lack of physical activity (Sallis and Glanz, 2009), perinatal outcomes (Metcalfe et al, 2011), and poor self-rated health and chronic conditions (Poortinga et al, 2007;Meyer et al, 2014).…”

“…Few, if any, neighbourhood exposures are disease specific, and measuring a range of individual health status and behaviours would enable the examination of multiple outcomes for the exploration of shared or unique pathways and effects of neighbourhood exposures which could be valuable information to inform the design of interventions. (Stockdale et al, 2007;Meyer et al, 2014).…”

What is the role of culture, diversity, and community engagement in transdisciplinary translational science?

“…However, many behavioral interventions are developed with mostly white, suburban populations; and historically, researchers have utilized universal application of preventive interventions to facilitate cost-effective and sustainable approaches [6,7]. Yet, the evidence base supporting the significant and positive impact of culture, diversity, and community engagement in preventive intervention development is growing [8].…”