scholarly journals The Urban Built Environment, Walking and Mental Health Outcomes Among Older Adults: A Pilot Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Roe ◽  
Andrew Mondschein ◽  
Chris Neale ◽  
Laura Barnes ◽  
Medhi Boukhechba ◽  
...  
2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 819-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Burns ◽  
V. Loh ◽  
J.E. Byles ◽  
H.L. Kendig

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sayanti Mukherjee ◽  
Emmanuel Frimpong Boamah ◽  
Prasangsha Ganguly ◽  
Nisha Botchwey

AbstractThe built environment affects mental health outcomes, but this relationship is less studied and understood. This article proposes a novel multi-level scenario-based predictive analytics framework (MSPAF) to explore the complex relationships between community mental health outcomes and the built environment conditions. The MSPAF combines rigorously validated interpretable machine learning algorithms and scenario-based sensitivity analysis to test various hypotheses on how the built environment impacts community mental health outcomes across the largest metropolitan areas in the US. Among other findings, our results suggest that declining socio-economic conditions of the built environment (e.g., poverty, low income, unemployment, decreased access to public health insurance) are significantly associated with increased reported mental health disorders. Similarly, physical conditions of the built environment (e.g., increased housing vacancies and increased travel costs) are significantly associated with increased reported mental health disorders. However, this positive relationship between the physical conditions of the built environment and mental health outcomes does not hold across all the metropolitan areas, suggesting a mixed effect of the built environment’s physical conditions on community mental health. We conclude by highlighting future opportunities of incorporating other variables and datasets into the MSPAF framework to test additional hypotheses on how the built environment impacts community mental health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meneka C Johnson Nicholson ◽  
Peter Martin ◽  
Megan Gilligan ◽  
Carolyn E Cutrona ◽  
Daniel W Russell ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and Objectives Over the years, a large amount of research has been devoted to the investigation of factors that led to mental health outcomes in older adults. For African American older adults, their lived experiences place them at high risk for mental health problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of early life influences (i.e., education, childhood life events, and childhood financial well-being) and present psychosocial resources (i.e., individual, financial, and social) on current mental health outcomes in a sample of African American older adults in their 60s, 80s, and 100s. Research Design and Methods Using data from the Georgia Centenarian Study, 125 participants were interviewed about their mental health, resources, and early life influences. Results A structural equation model was tested and resulted in a good fit. Results indicated that the more social resources African American older adults had available, the lower the number of depressive symptoms they reported. African Americans with higher levels of financial well-being during childhood reported higher self-rated mental health. Older adults had higher levels of financial resources. Level of education showed a positive relationship with financial resources. Indirect effects of distal influences on health outcomes via current resources were not found. Discussion and Implications The findings are of direct practical relevance and can be used to more readily identify older African Americans who may be susceptible to poorer mental health outcomes based upon the impact of their unique distal and proximal psychosocial resources.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Mamta Saxena ◽  

The spread of COVID-19 mandated several restrictions, mediated changes in routines, and impacted coping abilities and mental health outcomes. In terms of physical health outcomes, undoubtedly, adults 50 years and older were more severely affected by a higher death rate, medical complications and hospitalization. Nevertheless, how do older adults respond to the uncertainty and scare for life compared to other age groups within the context of COVID-19 remains partially unexplored.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 36-36
Author(s):  
Jeongeun Lee

Abstract COVID-19 has been especially devastating to older adults. To prevent the spread of the virus, physical distancing has become the norm. As a result, there are fewer opportunities available for face-to-face interaction and social activities, which may be particularly harmful to older adults, given their existing loneliness levels. Thus, this symposium brings together a collection of papers that exemplify the interplay of social connection, activities, and mental health outcomes among older adults facing loneliness. The first paper will discuss how activity diversity is linked to higher loneliness and depressive symptoms among heterosexual and LGBTQ older adults. The second paper will present findings on the changes in social connectedness due to physical distancing and their associated impact on the mental health outcomes among older adults. The third paper will present qualitative findings on the effect of physical distancing on older adults' social connectedness using a mixed-method study. The final paper discusses the challenges faced by older adults in their use of digital media for social connection in the present pandemic and highlights some of the population's untapped strengths, which can be leveraged to help them live prosperous online lives. All papers will address practical tips and recommendations for actions, which key stakeholders can take to support older adults during the pandemic. The discussant, Dr. Kahana, will integrate the four papers and highlight the potential and limits of the current effort to address these issues and consider future inquiry routes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 306-307
Author(s):  
Hallie Nuzum ◽  
Katherine Dorociak ◽  
Shirit Kamil-Rosenberg ◽  
Peter Louras ◽  
Mandana Mostofi ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective and subjective cognitive function have been associated with decreased quality of life and increased psychological distress in older adults. The present study examined relations of objective and subjective cognition with quality-of-life and mental-health outcomes in individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). The sample included 98 older adults with aMCI (92.5% male, age = 70.9±9.2 years). Measures included objective cognition (i.e., attention, memory, language, visuospatial abilities, processing speed, executive function, and overall), subjective memory (Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire [MMQ]), quality of life (Dementia Quality of Life [DQoL]), and mental health (Geriatric Depression Scale, Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, and Penn State Worry Questionnaire). Objective and subjective cognition were weakly correlated (range |r| = .00–.23). Objective cognitive measures were largely uncorrelated with quality of life or mental health, with only two significant (p < .05) correlations between Processing Speed and Worry (r = -.24), and Overall Cognition and DQoL Aesthetics (r = .20). Subjective cognition was more strongly correlated with quality of life, including significant (p < .01) correlations between MMQ Abilities and DQoL Negative Affect (r = -.38), and MMQ Contentment and DQoL Positive Affect (r = .28). Additionally, MMQ Contentment and Abilities were significantly (p < .01) negatively correlated with all three mental-health outcomes (range |r| = .28–.43). This study demonstrated that subjective memory, particularly affect and self-appraisal regarding one’s memory capabilities, is more closely related to quality-of-life and mental-health outcomes than objective cognitive performance in an aMCI sample, and, therefore, may represent important targets for intervention.


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