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Is perceived neighbourhood physical disorder associated with muscle strength in middle aged and older men and women? Findings from the US health and retirement study.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Research documenting the relevance of neighbourhoods for the health of older adults has focused on global physical functioning outcomes, such as disability, rather than physiologic impairments that lead to disability. Muscle weakness is an age-related impairment and a central mechanism of disability. Evaluating neighbourhood effects on muscle weakness may offer insight into physiologic mechanisms of disability. We examined the association between perceived neighbourhood disorder and muscle strength in a nationally representative sample of US adults aged 51+. METHODS:Among 11?277 participants (57% women; mean age: 66.6 years) in the Health and Retirement Study (2012-2014), we investigated whether self-reported neighbourhood physical disorder (1-7 scale, mean=2.61, SD=1.45); presence of vandalism/graffiti, litter, deserted houses, feeling safe walking alone) was associated with mean hand grip strength using linear regression models with sampling weights. We tested whether the association between neighbourhood disorder and grip strength differed by age and gender. RESULTS:After adjusting for demographic characteristics, marital status, education and household wealth, residence in neighbourhoods with high perceived physical neighbourhood disorder was associated with lower muscle strength for men (?=-1.95?kg; 95% CI, 2.68 to -1.22) and to a lesser extent, for women (?=-0.64?kg, 95% CI, -1.11 to -0.19), (p for interaction <0.0001). For both men and women, associations between neighbourhood physical disorder and grip strength were more adverse among the middle aged (51-64 years) than for older (ages 65+) adults. DISCUSSION:Perceived neighbourhood disorder was associated with lower muscle strength. Future studies should more rigorously evaluate causality and evaluate potential interventions.

SUBMITTER: Duchowny KA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7035691 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Is perceived neighbourhood physical disorder associated with muscle strength in middle aged and older men and women? Findings from the US health and retirement study.

Duchowny Kate A KA Glymour M Maria MM Cawthon Peggy M PM

Journal of epidemiology and community health 20200110 3

<h4>Background</h4>Research documenting the relevance of neighbourhoods for the health of older adults has focused on global physical functioning outcomes, such as disability, rather than physiologic impairments that lead to disability. Muscle weakness is an age-related impairment and a central mechanism of disability. Evaluating neighbourhood effects on muscle weakness may offer insight into physiologic mechanisms of disability. We examined the association between perceived neighbourhood disord ...[more]

PMID: 31924624

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Project description:Background and objectivesPerceived discrimination is a risk factor for poor mental health. However, most studies measure discrimination at one time point, which does not account for heterogeneity in the cumulative patterning of exposure to discrimination. To address this gap, we examine the association between discrimination trajectories and depressive symptoms among black middle-aged and older adults.Research design and methodsData were analyzed from a subsample of black Health and Retirement Study respondents (2006-2018, N = 2926, older than 50 years). General discrimination and racial discrimination trajectories were constructed based on the Everyday Discrimination Scale using repeated measures latent profile analyses. We examined the extent to which the association between discrimination trajectories are differentially associated with depressive symptoms (8-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale) using negative binomial regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Effect modification by age and gender was tested.ResultsIndividuals in the persistently high (incident rate ratio [IRR]: 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.49-1.95) and moderate general discrimination trajectories (IRR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.06-1.33) were more likely to have elevated depressive symptoms in comparison to those in the persistently low trajectory. This relationship was strongest among older adults aged older than 65 years. Respondents in the persistently high racial discrimination trajectory (IRR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.29-1.73) had a higher risk of elevated depressive symptoms in comparison to respondents in the persistently low trajectory. Sensitivity analyses indicated that there was an independent association between persistently high racial discrimination trajectory class and elevated depressive symptoms, after adjusting for racial discrimination measured at a single time point.Discussion and implicationsCharacterizing longitudinal patterns of perceived discrimination may facilitate the stratification of mental health risk and vulnerability among black middle-aged and older adults. Trajectories of racial discrimination may inform risk of worse depressive symptoms more accurately than a single assessment of discrimination.

Dataset Information

Is perceived neighbourhood physical disorder associated with muscle strength in middle aged and older men and women? Findings from the US health and retirement study.

Publications

Is perceived neighbourhood physical disorder associated with muscle strength in middle aged and older men and women? Findings from the US health and retirement study.

Similar Datasets

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