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Importance of proximity to resources, social support, transportation and neighborhood security for mobility and social participation in older adults: results from a scoping study.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Since mobility and social participation are key determinants of health and quality of life, it is important to identify factors associated with them. Although several investigations have been conducted on the neighborhood environment, mobility and social participation, there is no clear integration of the results. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding regarding how the neighborhood environment is associated with mobility and social participation in older adults. METHODS:A rigorous methodological scoping study framework was used to search nine databases from different fields with fifty-one keywords. Data were exhaustively analyzed, organized and synthesized according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) by two research assistants following PRISMA guidelines, and results were validated with knowledge users. RESULTS:The majority of the 50 selected articles report results of cross-sectional studies (29; 58%), mainly conducted in the US (24; 48%) or Canada (15; 30%). Studies mostly focused on neighborhood environment associations with mobility (39; 78%), social participation (19; 38%), and occasionally both (11; 22%). Neighborhood attributes considered were mainly 'Pro ducts and technology' (43; 86) and 'Services, systems and policies' (37; 74%), but also 'Natural and human-made changes' (27; 54%) and 'Support and relationships' (21; 42%). Mobility and social participation were both positively associated with Proximity to resources and recreational facilities, Social support, Having a car or driver's license, Public transportation and Neighborhood security, and negatively associated with Poor user-friendliness of the walking environment and Neighborhood insecurity. Attributes of the neighborhood environment not covered by previous research on mobility and social participation mainly concerned 'Attitudes', and 'Services, systems and policies'. CONCLUSION:Results from this comprehensive synthesis of empirical studies on associations of the neighborhood environment with mobility and social participation will ultimately support best practices, decisions and the development of innovative inclusive public health interventions including clear guidelines for the creation of age-supportive environments. To foster mobility and social participation, these interventions must consider Proximity to resources and to recreational facilities, Social support, Transportation, Neighborhood security and User-friendliness of the walking environment. Future studies should include both mobility and social participation, and investigate how they are associated with 'Attitudes', and 'Services, systems and policies' in older adults, including disadvantaged older adults.

SUBMITTER: Levasseur M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4460861 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Importance of proximity to resources, social support, transportation and neighborhood security for mobility and social participation in older adults: results from a scoping study.

Levasseur Mélanie M Généreux Mélissa M Bruneau Jean-François JF Vanasse Alain A Chabot Éric É Beaulac Claude C Bédard Marie-Michèle MM

BMC public health 20150523

<h4>Background</h4>Since mobility and social participation are key determinants of health and quality of life, it is important to identify factors associated with them. Although several investigations have been conducted on the neighborhood environment, mobility and social participation, there is no clear integration of the results. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding regarding how the neighborhood environment is associated with mobility and social participation in older ad ...[more]

PMID: 26002342

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Project description:BackgroundLiving in urban environments is associated with several health risks (e.g., noise, and air pollution). However, there are also beneficial aspects such as various opportunities for social activities, which might increase levels of social participation and (physically) active mobility that in turn have positive effects on health and well-being. However, how aspects of the environment, active mobility, and social participation are associated is not well established. This study investigates the moderating effect of low vs. high walkability neighborhoods on the associations between active mobility, and social participation and integrates individuals' subjective perception of the neighborhood environment they are living in.MethodsCross-sectional data from 219 adults (48% female, mean age = 46 ± 3.8 years) from 12 urban neighborhoods (six low, six high walkability) were analyzed: First, social participation, active mobility, and subjective neighborhood perceptions were compared between people living in a low vs. high walkability neighborhood via t-tests. Second, multigroup path analyses were computed to explore potential differences in the associations between these variables in low vs. high walkability neighborhoods.ResultsSocial participation, active mobility, and subjective neighborhood perceptions didn't differ in low vs. high walkability neighborhoods (p: 0.37 - 0.71). Active mobility and subjective neighborhood perceptions were significantly stronger related to social participation in low vs. high walkability neighborhoods (active mobility in low: ß = 0.35, p < .01 vs. high: ß = 0.09, p = .36; subjective neighborhood perceptions in low: ß = 0.27, p < .01 vs. high: ß = 0.15, p = .18).ConclusionsDespite living in neighborhoods with objectively different walkability, participants rated social participation and active mobility equally and perceived their neighborhoods similarly. However, zooming into the interrelations of these variables reveals that social participation of residents from low walkability neighborhoods depends stronger on active mobility and perceiving the environment positively. Positive perceptions of the environment and active mobility might buffer the objectively worse walkability. Future research should focus on underlying mechanisms and determinants of subjective neighborhood perceptions and active mobility, especially in low walkability neighborhoods.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Investigating the association of the neighborhood social environment on physical activity is complex. A systematic scoping review was performed to (1) provide an inventory of studies assessing the influence of the neighborhood social environment on physical activity since 2006; (2) describe methodologies employed; and (3) formulate recommendations for the field. METHODS:Two databases were searched using terms related to 'physical activity,' 'neighborhood,' and 'social environment' in January 2017. Eligibility criteria included: 1) physical activity as an outcome; 2) neighborhood social environment as a predictor; 3) healthy population (without diagnosed clinical condition or special population); 4) observational or experimental design. Of 1352 studies identified, 181 were included. Textual data relevant to the social environment measurement and analysis were extracted from each article into qualitative software (MAXQDA) and coded to identify social environmental constructs, measurement methods, level of measurement (individual vs. aggregated to neighborhood), and whether authors explicitly recognized the construct as the social environment. The following measures were generated for each construct: number of unique measurements; % of times measured at an aggregate level; % of times authors referred to the construct as the social environment. Social environmental constructs were then grouped into larger descriptive dimensions. RESULTS/FINDINGS:Fifty-nine social environmental constructs were identified and grouped into 9 dimensions: Crime & Safety (n?=?133 studies; included in 73% of studies); Economic & Social Disadvantage (n?=?55, 33%); Social Cohesion & Capital (n?=?47, 26%); Social Relationships (n?=?22, 12%); Social Environment (n?=?16, 9%); Disorder & Incivilities (n?=?15, 8%); Sense of Place/Belonging (n?=?8, 4%); Discrimination/Segregation (n?=?3, 2%); Civic Participation & Engagement (n?=?2, 1%). Across all articles, the social environment was measured using 176 different methods, was measured at an aggregate-level 38% of the time, and referred to as the social environment 23% of the time. CONCLUSIONS:Inconsistent terminology, definitions, and measurement of the social environment and the lack of explicit language identifying constructs as the social environment make it challenging to compare results across studies and draw conclusions. Improvements are needed to increase our understanding of social environmental correlates and/or determinants of physical activity and facilitate cross-disciplinary conversations necessary to effectively intervene to promote physical activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION:PROSPERO CRD42017059580.

Project description:BackgroundNeighborhood social cohesion (NSC) is the network of relationships as well as the shared values and norms of residents in a neighborhood. Higher NSC has been associated with improved cardiovascular health, largely among Whites but not African Americans. In a bi-racial cohort, we aimed to study the association between NSC and chronic disease awareness and engagement in healthy self-management behaviors, two potential mechanisms by which NSC could impact cardiovascular health outcomes.MethodsUsing the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Lifespan Study (HANDLS), we cross-sectionally examined the association between NSC and awareness of three chronic conditions (diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and hypertension) and engagement in healthy self-management behaviors including physical activity, healthy eating, and cigarette avoidance.ResultsStudy participants (n = 2082) had a mean age of 56.5 years; 38.7% were White and 61.4% African American. Of the participants, 26% had diabetes, 70% had hypertension and 20.2% had CKD. Mean NSC was 3.3 (SD = 0.80) on a scale of 1 (lowest score) to 5 (highest score). There was no significant association between NSC and any chronic disease awareness, overall or by race. However, each higher point in mean NSC score was associated with less cigarette use and healthier eating scores, among Whites (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: =0.76, 0.61-0.94; beta coefficient [βc]:, 95% CI: 1.75; 0.55-2.97, respectively) but not African Americans (aOR = 0.95, 0.79-1.13; βc: 0.46, - 0.48-1.39, respectively; Pinteraction = 0.08 and 0.06). Among both Whites and African Americans, higher NSC scores were associated with increases in self-reported physical activity (βc: 0.12; 0.08-0.16; Pinteraction = 0.40).ConclusionsCommunity engagement and neighborhood social cohesion may be important targets for promotion of healthy behaviors and cardiovascular disease prevention. More research is needed to understand the different associations of NSC and healthy behaviors by race.

Dataset Information

Importance of proximity to resources, social support, transportation and neighborhood security for mobility and social participation in older adults: results from a scoping study.

Publications

Importance of proximity to resources, social support, transportation and neighborhood security for mobility and social participation in older adults: results from a scoping study.

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