Work

Urban Neighborhood Context and Change in Depressive Symptoms in Late Life

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: This study examines associations between urban neighborhood sociodemographic characteristics and change over time in late-life depressive symptoms. METHODS: Survey data are from three waves (1993, 1995, and 1998) of the Study of Assets and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old, a U.S. national probability sample of noninstitutionalized persons aged 70 years or older in 1993. Neighborhoods are 1990 U.S. Census tracts. Hierarchical linear regression is used to estimate multilevel models. RESULTS: The average change over time in depressive symptoms varies significantly across urban neighborhoods. Change in depressive symptoms is significantly associated with neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage and ethnic composition in unadjusted models but not in models that control for individual-level characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that apparent neighborhood-level effects on change in depressive symptoms over time among urban-dwelling older adults reflect, for the most part, differences in characteristics of the neighborhood residents.

Source: The Journals of Gerontology Series B

DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbn016

Authors: R. G. Wight, J. R. Cummings, A. S. Karlamangla, C. S. Aneshensel

Institution: University of California, Los Angeles

Language: English

Topic: Health disparities and outcomes

Subfield: Health

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Sustainable cities and communities, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute on Aging