scholarly journals Compound Disadvantage between Economic Declines at the City and Neighborhood Levels for Older Americans’ Depressive Symptoms

2021 ◽  
pp. 153568412098099
Author(s):  
Jason Settels
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Neighborhood Effects ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
Neighborhood Problems ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Socioeconomic Changes ◽  
Neighborhood Level

American cities and neighborhoods vary in their residents’ typical levels of mental health. Despite scholarship emphasizing that we cannot thoroughly understand city and neighborhood problems without investigating how they are intertwined, limited research examines how city and neighborhood effects interact as they impact health. I investigate these interactions through a study of the effects of the Great Recession of 2007–2009. Using Waves 1 (2005–2006) and 2 (2010–2011) of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project survey ( N = 1,341) and in accordance with the compound disadvantage model, I find through fixed-effects linear regression models that city- and neighborhood-level economic declines combine multiplicatively as they impact older Americans’ depressive symptoms. I furthermore find that this effect is only partly based on personal socioeconomic changes, suggesting contextual channels of effect. My results show that we cannot fully understand the effects of city-level changes without also considering neighborhood-level changes.

scholarly journals Changes in City-Level Foreclosure Rates and Home Prices through the Great Recession and Depressive Symptoms among Older Americans

2020 ◽  
pp. 215686931989556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Settels
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Home Prices ◽  
Household Assets ◽  
Home Foreclosure ◽  
Household Incomes ◽  
Financial Losses

The changing economic fortunes of cities influence mental health. However, the mechanisms through which this occurs are underexplored. I address this gap by investigating the Great Recession of 2007-2009. Using the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project survey ( N = 1,341), I study whether rises in cities’ home foreclosure rates and declines in median home prices through the Great Recession increase older persons’ depressive symptoms. I also study possible mediation through household assets declines. I find that increases in cities’ home foreclosure rates and declines in median home prices increase depressive symptoms beyond the effects of personal financial losses. Results show no evidence of mediation through asset loses, suggesting effects through other channels. Supplementary analyses reveal less direct links between changes in city-level unemployment rates and median household incomes and changes in depressive symptoms.

scholarly journals Changes in Neighborhood-Level Concentrated Disadvantage and Social Networks Among Older Americans

2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482096905
Author(s):  
Jason Settels
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Concentrated Disadvantage ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Neighborhood Level

Close social networks provide older persons with resources, including social support, that maintain their well-being. While scholarship shows how networks change over time, a dearth of research investigates changing social contexts as causes of network dynamics. Using the first two waves of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project survey ( N = 1,776), this study shows how rising neighborhood-level concentrated disadvantage through the Great Recession of 2007–2009 was associated with smaller close networks, largely due to fewer new close ties gained, among older Americans. Worsening neighborhood circumstances pose obstacles to older residents’ acquisition of new close ties, including heightened fear, lower generalized trust, stress and depression, and declines in local institutions that attract both residents and nonresidents.

Neighborhood Effects on the Health of Chinese Older Adults: Beyond the Rural and Urban Dichotomy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuekang Li ◽  
Yi Wang ◽  
Nancy Morrow-Howell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Neighborhood Effects ◽  
Neighborhood Environment ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Physical Frailty ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Neighborhood Level

Abstract Background and Objectives The associations between physical frailty and depressive symptoms among older individuals were established in the existing literature. Taking the person–environment perspective, we argue that neighborhood environment could either buffer the stress derived from being physically vulnerable or worsen it by adding another layer of stressors in the environmental context when physical health declined. The objectives of this study were to explore to what extent the neighborhood-level characteristics moderate the relationship between physical frailty and depressive symptoms. Research Design and Methods Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011 wave, 6,245 individuals aged 60 years and older were included for analyses. Multilevel mixed-effects models were fitted to examine the moderating effects of urbanicity and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES) on the relationship between frailty and depressive symptoms among older adults, controlling for individual-level characteristics. Results Results showed a stronger relationship between deterioration in physical health and depressive symptoms in rural neighborhoods and neighborhoods with lower SES, after controlling for individual-level SES. Also, the moderating effects of the neighborhood-level socioeconomic factors remained after controlling for urbanicity, indicating that neighborhood SES works beyond the rural–urban contexts. Discussion and Implications Findings from this study demonstrate the important roles of neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics in reshaping, and the need to redefine, China’s rural–urban dichotomy. The findings also identified neighborhoods with low SES as potential targets for policy and practice to reduce the stress associated with health decline.

scholarly journals As Goes the City? Older Americans’ Home Upkeep in the Aftermath of the Great Recession

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-397
Author(s):  
Markus H Schafer ◽  
Jason Settels ◽  
Laura Upenieks
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Fixed Effects Regression ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract The private home is a crucial site in the aging process, yet the upkeep of this physical space often poses a challenge for community-dwelling older adults. Previous efforts to explain variation in disorderly household conditions have relied on individual-level characteristics, but ecological perspectives propose that home environments are inescapably nested within the dynamic socioeconomic circumstances of surrounding spatial contexts, such as the metro area. We address this ecological embeddedness in the context of the Great Recession, an event in which some U.S. cities saw pronounced and persistent declines across multiple economic indicators while other areas rebounded more rapidly. Panel data (2005–6 and 2010–11) from a national survey of older adults were linked to interviewer home evaluations and city-level economic data. Results from fixed-effects regression support the hypothesis that older adults dwelling in struggling cities experienced an uptick in disorderly household conditions. Findings emphasize the importance of city-specificity when probing effects of a downturn. Observing changes in home upkeep also underscores the myriad ways in which a city’s most vulnerable residents— older adults, in particular—are affected by its economic fortunes.

scholarly journals Changes in Neighborhood-Level Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Older Americans’ Cognitive Functioning

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 483-483
Author(s):  
Jason Settels ◽  
Anja Leist
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Socioeconomic Disadvantage ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Policies And Programs ◽  
Neighborhood Level

Abstract Most studies of later life cognitive functioning have focused on individual-level variables. While some studies have examined neighborhood-level variables as influences upon older adults’ cognitive functioning, this scholarship has neglected to consider neighborhoods in a dynamic context. The present study helps fill this research gap by considering how changing extents of neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage cause changes in older residents’ cognitive functioning. We employ waves 2 (2010-2011) and 3 (2015-2016) of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) as our source of individual-level variables and the American Community Survey as our source of neighborhood-level variables. Our analytical sample includes 1,989 respondents who participated in both waves and were 50 to 90 years in age at wave 2 of the NSHAP. Through structural equation modelling, we find that rising neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage significantly decreases older residents’ cognitive functioning, both without and after controlling for baseline neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage and cognitive functioning. Furthermore, approximately 7.2% of this effect is mediated through decreases in the sizes of networks of close confidants, and roughly 8.5% of this effect occurs through increased depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that older adults’ cognitive decline can be slowed down or prevented through improvements in their living environments. In particular, policies and programs that improve living spaces while also facilitating older residents’ development of close and supportive confidant ties are likely to be particularly effective. Our study encourages further research on how neighborhood dynamics affect older persons’ cognitive functioning.

Association of negative financial shocks during the Great Recession with depressive symptoms and substance use in the USA: the CARDIA study

2020 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-213917 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Longworth Swift ◽  
Tali Elfassy ◽  
Zinzi Bailey ◽  
Hermes Florez ◽  
Daniel J Feaster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Financial Shocks ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
The Usa

BackgroundThe Great Recession of 2008 was marked by large increases in unemployment and decreases in the household wealth of many Americans. In the 21st century, there have also been increases in depressive symptoms, alcohol use and drug use among some groups in the USA. The objective of this analysis is to evaluate the influence of negative financial shocks incurred during the Great Recession on depressive symptoms, alcohol and drug use.MethodsWe employed a quasi-experimental fixed-effects design, using data from adults enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Our financial shock predictors were within-person change in employment status, income and debt to asset ratio between 2005 and 2010. Our outcomes were within-person change in depressive symptoms score, alcohol use and past 30-day drug use.ResultsIn adjusted models, we found that becoming unemployed and experiencing a drop in income and were associated with an increase in depressive symptoms. Incurring more debts than assets was also associated with an increase in depressive symptoms and a slight decrease in daily alcohol consumption (mL).ConclusionOur findings suggest that multiple types of financial shocks incurred during an economic recession negatively influence depressive symptoms among black and white adults in the USA, and highlight the need for future research on how economic recessions are associated with health.

scholarly journals Educational expectations in the great recession: has the impact of family background become stronger?

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 465-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leire Salazar ◽  
Héctor Cebolla-Boado ◽  
Jonas Radl
Keyword(s):  
Great Recession ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Social Background ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Educational Expectations ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
8Th Graders ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This article addresses the impact of economic climate, and particularly of the Great Recession, on the configuration of educational expectations among students around 14 years old. We analyze expectations regarding educational attainment conditional on school performance and compare our results across countries with varying levels of economic growth over time. We expect a changing economic environment to impact on (a) the average level of educational expectations, (b) the association between social background and expectations, and (c) the association between school grades and expectations. Using pooled data from TIMSS for the years 2003, 2007 and 2011 among 8th graders for 24 developed countries, we estimate a set of country-fixed effects and hierarchical random-slope linear regression models. Most notably, our results indicate that economic down times depress educational expectations, especially among average-performing students, and lead to a growth in educational inequalities by family background.

scholarly journals Age Cohort Differences and Depressive Symptoms Among Community-Dwelling Older Americans

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 61-61
Author(s):  
Ethan Siu Leung Cheung ◽  
Ada Mui
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Independent Effect ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
Age Cohorts ◽  
Cohort Differences ◽  
Age Cohort

Abstract This study uses Wave 3 National Social Life, Health and Aging Project to examine the correlation between age cohorts [60s (n=1204); 70s (n=1176); 80 and older (n= 724)], cognitive status, and depression symptoms. In the total sample, 53.90% were females, 76.15% Whites, 15.29% Blacks, and 8.56% Asians. Compared to the 60s and 70s cohorts, 80+ cohort was cognitively more impaired [Mean (SD) of MoCA Short Form were 10.7(2.9), 10.0(3.2), and 8.1(3.6)]. There were no age cohorts’ differences in depressive symptoms experienced (Mean of CESD Short Form = 21.03; SD = 4.06). In order to identify predictors of depression, multiple hierarchical regressions were performed. The 60s sample was the reference group to compare with 70s and 80s cohorts. Results showed that age cohort variables had a significant independent effect as well as a joint effect with cognitive status in explaining depression scores. For each age cohort group, parallel regression analyses were conducted and all models were significant. Findings suggest that ADL impairment was the only common predictor for depressive symptoms for the three cohort groups, and the association was the strongest for the 60s cohort (b = .31). Other unique predictors for 60s cohort were lower-income, more IADLs impairment, higher stress and cognitive impairment. For the 70s cohort, unique predictors of depressive symptoms were female gender, unmarried, and less socialization. For the 80 and above group, correlates of depression are female, White, and high stress level. Findings highlight the necessity of age-sensitive programs on depression support for community-dwelling older Americans.

scholarly journals Association of FKBP5 genotype with depressive symptoms in patients with coronary heart disease: a prospective study

2020 ◽  
Vol 127 (12) ◽  
pp. 1651-1662
Author(s):  
Julia Brandt ◽  
Katharina Warnke ◽  
Silke Jörgens ◽  
Volker Arolt ◽  
Katja Beer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coronary Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Coronary Revascularization ◽  
Central Element ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Stress System ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
A Prospective Study

AbstractDepression and coronary heart disease (CHD) are prevalent and often co-occurring disorders. Both have been associated with a dysregulated stress system. As a central element of the stress system, the FKBP5 gene has been shown to be associated with depression. In a prospective design, this study aims to investigate the association of FKBP5 with depressive symptoms in CHD patients. N = 268 hospitalized CHD patients were included. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D) at four time points (baseline, and after 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months). The functional FKBP5 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1360780 was selected for genotyping. Linear regression models showed that a higher number of FKBP5 C alleles was associated with more depressive symptoms in CHD patients both at baseline (p = 0.015) and at 12-months follow-up (p = 0.025) after adjustment for confounders. Further analyses revealed that this effect was driven by an interaction of FKBP5 genotype with patients’ prior CHD course. Specifically, only in patients with a prior myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization, more depressive symptoms were associated with a higher number of C alleles (baseline: p = 0.046; 1-month: p = 0.026; 6-months: p = 0.028). Moreover, a higher number of C alleles was significantly related to a greater risk for dyslipidemia (p = .016). Our results point to a relevance of FKBP5 in the association of the two stress-related diseases depression and CHD.

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