Residential Segregation, Social Cohesion, and Aging in Place: Health and Mental Health Inequities

Abstract

Abstract Background and Objectives Research shows that living in segregated neighborhoods may have deleterious health outcomes via social, physical, and socioeconomic contexts that deepen existing inequities. However, there has been limited scholarship examining the effects of segregation on older adults, despite an increasing focus on aging in place. Guided by the Ecological Model of Aging, we examined the effects of segregation on older adults’ self-rated health and mental health, accounting for both individual characteristics and neighborhood opportunities and risks (e.g., social cohesion) and the potential moderating role of race and economic vulnerability. Research Design and Methods We used data from the first 4 rounds of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2011–2014) merged with tract-level census data for a final sample size of 3,084 community-dwelling older adults in urban areas. We conducted multivariate regression analyses after conditioning on residential location selection variables. Results There was no significant association between neighborhood segregation and self-rated health or between segregation and anxiety and depression symptoms. Consistent with the literature, perceived social cohesion was protective of health in each model. Discussion and Implications Our findings highlight the need for more rigorous research on segregation and older residents that utilize longitudinal and spatial data. Our findings also have implications for policies and programs that aim to support the ability to age in place for older adults who have different racial identities and live in different neighborhood contexts. Because social cohesion can be a protective factor for older adults’ health and mental health, policymakers and practitioners should support initiatives to increase social cohesion.