Work

Urban Neighborhood Context and Mortality in Late Life

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To examine the contextual effects of urban neighborhood characteristics on mortality among older adults. METHOD: Data are from the Study of Assets and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD). Death is assessed between the baseline assessment (1993) and the first follow-up interview (1995). Neighborhood data are from the 1990 Census. RESULTS: The log odds of dying between the two time points are higher in high proportion Hispanic neighborhoods, net of individual-level sociodemographic variables, but this effect is partly mediated by individual-level health. The log odds of dying are significantly (p < .05) lower in affluent neighborhoods, controlling for all individual-level variables and neighborhood proportion Hispanic. DISCUSSION: There are survival-related benefits of living in an affluent urban neighborhood, which we posit may be manifested through the diffusion of innovations in health care and health-promotion activities.

Source: Journal of Aging and Health

DOI: 10.1177/0898264309355980

Authors: Richard G. Wight, Janet R. Cummings, Arun S. Karlamangla, Carol 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