Neighborhood Disorder, Social Ties, and Preventive Healthcare Utilization among Urban-Dwelling Older Adults.

TitleNeighborhood Disorder, Social Ties, and Preventive Healthcare Utilization among Urban-Dwelling Older Adults.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsLatham-Mintus, K, Vowels, A, Chavan, S
JournalJ Aging Health
Volume32
Issue10
Pagination1387-1398
Date Published2020 Dec
ISSN1552-6887
KeywordsAged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Odds Ratio, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Preventive Health Services, Residence Characteristics, Social Participation, Urban Population
Abstract

This research examines whether perceived neighborhood disorder influences the use of preventive healthcare services (i.e. influenza vaccine, pneumonia vaccine, cholesterol screening, colonoscopy, and dental care) by older adults and whether social ties buffer the potential adverse effects of perceived neighborhood disorder. Using data from the 2012 wave of the Health and Retirement Study, binary logistic regression was used to generate odds ratio estimates of preventive healthcare use in the past 2 years. We find that greater levels of neighborhood disorder were associated with fewer dental care visits net of social and health factors. Regular participation in four or more social activities was associated with decreased odds of restricted use and increased odds of receiving a pneumonia vaccine and colonoscopy. This research provides evidence that perceived neighborhood disorder may act as a barrier for specific preventive healthcare services and highlights the need for targeted intervention.

DOI10.1177/0898264320929544
Alternate JournalJ Aging Health
PubMed ID32571111