Neighborhood socioeconomic conditions are associated with psychosocial functioning in older black and white adults

Abstract

We examined neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES) in relation to depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and hostility in 5,770 community-dwelling older black and white adults (mean age=73 years; 62% female) from 3 contiguous neighborhoods covering 82 census block groups in Chicago, IL. NSES was an average of z-scores of four Census 2000 block-group variables: % public assistance, % households earning ≤$25,000 annually, % with ≥college degree, and % owner-occupied dwellings valued ≥$200,000. NSES was inversely related to hostility (beta=−0.305), stress (beta=−0.333) and depressive symptoms (beta=−0.223) (p<.001) in multi-level mixed-effects regression models adjusted for age, sex, race and years in the neighborhood. With further adjustment for education, income, marital status and health conditions, NSES remained associated with depressive symptoms (beta=−0.078) and hostility (beta=−0.133) (p<.05); the association with hostility was strongest in non-black neighborhoods. Neighborhood social conditions contribute to the psychosocial well-being of older residents; research is needed to investigate pathways through which neighborhoods influence health outcomes in an aging population.

Neighborhood Environment and Self-Rated Health Among Urban Older Adults

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Neighborhood-health links: Differences between rural-to-urban migrants and natives in Shanghai

“…It has long been recognized that neighborhood environments function as contextual regulators that shape individual behaviors, lives, and opportunities (e.g., Everson-Rose et al 2011). Neighborhood contextual factors can be roughly categorized into physical (built/natural) environments and social environments (Diez Roux 2001;Hyman 2004;Macintyre, Ellaway, and Cummins 2002;Schulz et al 2005).…”

Are self-reported neighbourhood characteristics associated with onset of functional limitations in older adults with or without memory impairment?

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