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Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics and Cognitive Functioning among Diverse Older Adults: An Intersectional Approach

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  • Amy D. Thierry

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA)

  • Kyler Sherman-Wilkins

    (Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO 65897, USA)

  • Marina Armendariz

    (Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA)

  • Allison Sullivan

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA)

  • Heather R. Farmer

    (Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA)

Abstract

Unfavorable neighborhood conditions are linked to health disparities. Yet, a dearth of literature examines how neighborhood characteristics contribute to cognitive health in diverse samples of older adults. The present study uses an intersectional approach to examine how race/ethnicity, gender, and education moderate the association between neighborhood perceptions and cognitive functioning in later life. We used data from adults ≥65 years old ( n = 8023) in the 2010–2016 waves of the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We conducted race/ethnicity-stratified linear regression models where cognitive functioning, measured using the 35-point Telephone Interview Cognitive Screen (TICS), was regressed on three neighborhood characteristics—cleanliness, safety, and social cohesion. We examine whether there is heterogeneity within race/ethnicity by testing if and how the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and cognitive functioning differs by gender and education. Among White adults, worse neighborhood characteristics were associated with lower cognitive functioning among those with less education. However, for Black adults, poor perceived quality of one’s neighborhood was associated with worse cognitive functioning among those with more years of education compared to those with fewer years of education. Among Mexicans, perceived neighborhood uncleanliness was associated with lower cognitive functioning among those with less education, but higher cognitive functioning for those with higher levels of education. Thus, this study contributes to the literature on racial/ethnic disparities in cognitive aging disparities by examining neighborhood contextual factors as determinants of cognitive functioning. In particular, we find that higher education in the context of less favorable neighborhood environments does not confer the same benefits to cognitive functioning among all older adults.

Suggested Citation

  • Amy D. Thierry & Kyler Sherman-Wilkins & Marina Armendariz & Allison Sullivan & Heather R. Farmer, 2021. "Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics and Cognitive Functioning among Diverse Older Adults: An Intersectional Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-14, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:5:p:2661-:d:512094
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Atsushi Motohiro & Takafumi Abe & Kenta Okuyama & Keiichi Onoda & Tomoko Ito & Minoru Isomura & Toru Nabika & Shunichi Kumakura, 2021. "Environmental Factors Affecting Cognitive Function among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-9, August.
    2. Sunwoo Lee, 2021. "Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Association between Neighborhood Environment and Perceived Control in Older Adults: Findings from HRS," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-8, October.

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