Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118499

Carlos Mendes de Leon, PhD, Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush University Medical Center, 1645 W. Jackson Blvd, Suite 675, Chicago, IL 60612, 999-999-9999, cmendes@rush.edu

Background: There are substantial social disparities in health among seniors. There is a growing interest to examine whether these disparities are influenced by the neighborhood social context. However, it remains unclear which specific neighborhood conditions are associated with poor health in older age. Methods: We conducted a population-based study of 3,793 adults (72% black, 28% white) aged > 65 from three Chicago neighborhoods, encompassing 82 census block groups. Data included self-reported questions on neighborhood conditions and a performance-based measure of physical function. We created two neighborhood summary measures - social cohesion and neighborhood problems - and aggregated individual-level values on each measure at the block group-level. Multi-level mixed regression models were used to test the cross-sectional association between block group-level neighborhood measures and physical function, after controlling for individual-level neighborhood measures and SES. Results: Block group-level social cohesion was significantly associated with physical function (coefficient = 2.55; p<.001). The association remained significant after adjusting for individual-level social cohesion (p=.02), but not after adjustment for individual-level SES (p=.16). Block group-level neighborhood problems was also significantly associated with physical function (coefficient = -3.25, p<.001). The association remained significant after adjusting for individual-level neighborhood problems (p<.001) and individual-level SES (p<.001). Conclusion: Physical function is a widely accepted measure of overall physical health in seniors. Our findings suggest that certain aspects of the neighborhood social context play a role in shaping the overall physical health of seniors. Future research should determine the degree to which the neighborhood context contributes to health disparities in seniors.

Learning Objectives:

• Educate participants about different aspects of the neighborhood context that may be of importance to health in older age.
• Educate participants about the association between the neighborhood social context and overall physical health in older adults.
• Discuss the degree to which these findings can inform public policy to create more ‘health-friendly’ neighborhood environments.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.