IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i6p3595-d773868.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Perceived Environmental Attributes: Their Impact on Older Adults’ Mental Health in Malaysia

Author

Listed:
  • Teck Hong Tan

    (School of Economics and Management, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia)

Abstract

In Malaysia, the population of older adults will increase in the coming years. In this context, there is a requirement to build an age-friendly environment to enable the elderly to age healthily. Many studies have shown that a built environment that allows older adults to age in place improves their mental health. However, person-environment analysis that considers mental well-being has remained rare for older adults living in Malaysia. This study examines the relationship between Malaysian seniors’ perceptions of their surroundings at home and in the neighborhood and their mental health. Using stratified sampling, 510 seniors aged 60 and over were interviewed. The results showed that accessibility ( p -value 0.033, 95% CI for coefficients 0.006, 0.146), environmental qualities (0.015, 0.014, 0.129) and neighborhood problems (0.000, −0.299, −0.146) were significant determinants of elderly people’s mental health. With respect to respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics, female elderly (0.000, 0.616, 0.782), older adults with an elementary education (0.000, 0.263, 0.685) or a college degree (0.026, 0.019, 0.294), being married (0.005, 0.047, 0.259), the ability to drive (0.000, 0.993, 1.315), the number of dependents in the family (0.003, −0.060, −0.012), and homeownership (0.000, −0.602, −0.271) were significantly related to mental well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Teck Hong Tan, 2022. "Perceived Environmental Attributes: Their Impact on Older Adults’ Mental Health in Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-13, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3595-:d:773868
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3595/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3595/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Curl, Angela & Mason, Phil, 2019. "Neighbourhood perceptions and older adults’ wellbeing: Does walking explain the relationship in deprived urban communities?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 119-129.
    2. Tan, Teck Hong, 2008. "Determinants of homeownership in Malaysia," MPRA Paper 34950, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Scott C. Brown & Craig A. Mason & Joanna L. Lombard & Frank Martinez & Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk & Arnold R. Spokane & Frederick L. Newman & Hilda Pantin & José Szapocznik, 2009. "The Relationship of Built Environment to Perceived Social Support and Psychological Distress in Hispanic Elders: The Role of "Eyes on the Street"," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 64(2), pages 234-246.
    4. Zeng, Y. & Gu, D. & Purser, J. & Hoenig, H. & Christakis, N., 2010. "Associations of environmental factors with elderly health and mortality in china," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(2), pages 298-305.
    5. Milligan, Christine & Gatrell, Anthony & Bingley, Amanda, 2004. "'Cultivating health': therapeutic landscapes and older people in northern England," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(9), pages 1781-1793, May.
    6. Yung Yau, 2012. "Social Impacts of the Marking Scheme in Public Housing in Hong Kong," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 107(2), pages 281-303, June.
    7. Leyden, K.M., 2003. "Social Capital and the Built Environment: The Importance of Walkable Neighborhoods," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(9), pages 1546-1551.
    8. Kaczynski, A.T. & Potwarka, L.R. & Saelens P, B.E., 2008. "Association of park size, distance, and features with physical activity in neighborhood parks," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(8), pages 1451-1456.
    9. Shiwang Yu & Yong Liu & Caiyun Cui & Bo Xia, 2019. "Influence of Outdoor Living Environment on Elders’ Quality of Life in Old Residential Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-17, November.
    10. Tan, Teck Hong, 2008. "Determinants of homeownership in Malaysia," MPRA Paper 34909, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yuan Zheng & Bin Cheng & Letian Dong & Tianxiang Zheng & Rong Wu, 2024. "The Moderating Effect of Social Participation on the Relationship between Urban Green Space and the Mental Health of Older Adults: A Case Study in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-21, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hong Leng & Bingbing Han, 2022. "Effect of Environmental Planning on Elderly Individual Quality of Life in Severe Cold Regions: A Case Study in Northeastern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Salleh, Alia, 2023. "Does the culture of property normalise eviction and demolition? The case of Kampung Sungai Baru, Kuala Lumpur," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118023, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Rongrong Zhang & Song Liu & Ming Li & Xiong He & Chunshan Zhou, 2021. "The Effect of High-Density Built Environments on Elderly Individuals’ Physical Health: A Cross-Sectional Study in Guangzhou, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-22, September.
    4. Teck-Hong Tan, 2014. "Satisfaction and Motivation of Homeowners Towards Green Homes," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(3), pages 869-885, May.
    5. Teck Hong Tan & Izian Idris, 2023. "Assessing the significance of first place and online third places in supporting Malaysian seniors’ well-being during the pandemic," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Abigail Mitchell & Kelli L. Larson & Deirdre Pfeiffer & Jose-Benito Rosales Chavez, 2024. "Planning for Urban Sustainability through Residents’ Wellbeing: The Effects of Nature Interactions, Social Capital, and Socio-Demographic Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-18, May.
    7. Megat Mohd Ghaza Rahman & Maryanti Mohd Raid & Asmma' Che Kasim & Khadijah Hussin, 2015. "Impact Of Indoor Environmental Quality And Innovation Features On Residential Property Price And Rent In Malaysia: A Review," ERES eres2015_133, European Real Estate Society (ERES).
    8. Chongxian Chen & Weijing Luo & Ning Kang & Haiwei Li & Xiaohao Yang & Yu Xia, 2020. "Study on the Impact of Residential Outdoor Environments on Mood in the Elderly in Guangzhou, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-18, May.
    9. Aizawa, Toshiaki & Helble, Matthias, 2016. "Determinants of Tenure Choice in Japan: What Makes You a Homeowner?," ADBI Working Papers 625, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    10. Walton, Emily, 2014. "Vital places: Facilitators of behavioral and social health mechanisms in low-income neighborhoods," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 1-12.
    11. Tan, Teck Hong, 2011. "Measuring the willingness to pay for houses in a sustainable neighborhood," MPRA Paper 30446, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Tan, Teck Hong & Khong, Kok Wei, 2012. "The Link between Homeownership Motivation and Housing Satisfaction," MPRA Paper 46890, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Antonio Zumelzu & Marie Geraldine Herrmann-Lunecke, 2021. "Mental Well-Being and the Influence of Place: Conceptual Approaches for the Built Environment for Planning Healthy and Walkable Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-21, June.
    14. Teck Hong Tan & Ji Hei Lee, 2022. "Residential environment, third places and well-being in Malaysian older adults," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(2), pages 721-738, July.
    15. Sadiq R. Younes & Bruno Marques & Jacqueline McIntosh, 2024. "Public Spaces for Older People: A Review of the Relationship between Public Space to Quality of Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-16, May.
    16. Heather McMillen & Lindsay K. Campbell & Erika S. Svendsen & Renae Reynolds, 2016. "Recognizing Stewardship Practices as Indicators of Social Resilience: In Living Memorials and in a Community Garden," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-26, August.
    17. Liamputtong, Pranee & Suwankhong, Dusanee, 2015. "Therapeutic landscapes and living with breast cancer: The lived experiences of Thai women," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 263-271.
    18. Shannon Rogers & Semra Aytur & Kevin Gardner & Cynthia Carlson, 2012. "Measuring community sustainability: exploring the intersection of the built environment & social capital with a participatory case study," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 2(2), pages 143-153, June.
    19. Noelia Somarriba Arechavala & Pilar Zarzosa Espina & Ana Teresa López Pastor, 2022. "The Importance of the Neighbourhood Environment and Social Capital for Happiness in a Vulnerable District: The Case of the Pajarillos District in Spain," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 1941-1965, June.
    20. Zeru Jiang & Bo Zhang & Chunlai Yuan & Zhaojie Han & Jiangtao Liu, 2024. "Can Urban Sprawl Promote Enterprise Innovation? Evidence from A-Share Listed Companies in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-21, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3595-:d:773868. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.