Work

Roles of Neighborhood Cohesion, Discrimination, and Outlook on Life in Preventative Healthcare

Year: 2017

Type: conference-abstract

Abstract: Background: Contextual differences impacting African American (AA) and White older adults are critical to promote healthy aging. Methods: A secondary analysis of the Health and Retirement Study (2008–2014; n=2390; 215 AAs and 2175 Whites) examined relationships between neighborhood factors, personal experiences, and preventative health service utilization (breast, cervical, and prostate cancer, cholesterol screening, flu shots). Results: Multivariate analyses indicated that AAs were less likely than Whites to report a completed breast (OR=1.79), cervical (OR=1.70) or prostate cancer (OR=1.67) preventative health screening in 2012. Among all women, worse treatment from physicians in 2008 predicted lower cancer screening utilization in 2012 (OR=1.25),while women reporting greater life satisfaction in 2008 were more likely to complete cancer screenings in 2012 (OR=1.10). Men were less likely to report completing a prostate cancer screening if they perceived poorer treatment from physicians in 2008 (OR=1.04) or were stopped unfairly by police (OR=1.52). Race differentiated men with regard to police contact. Police stops also predicted the odds of all participants eschewing cholesterol screening (OR=1.71). At baseline, all older adults were less likely to report: receiving flu shots (OR=1.10); feeling that someone would help them if in trouble (OR=1.11); receiving poorer service than others (OR=1.10); having important things to look forward to in life (OR=1.17); or enjoying making plans for the future (OR=1.10). Conclusions: Given the diversity of responses, the importance of viewing all older adults through multiple lenses is critical to health promotion programming.

Source: Innovation in Aging

DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igx004.2996

Authors: T. Cadet, J. Mitchell, S. Burke, L. Bakk, O. Rostant