Elsevier

Health & Place

Volume 67, January 2021, 102470
Health & Place

Area deprivation, perceived neighbourhood cohesion and mental health at older ages: A cross lagged analysis of UK longitudinal data

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102470Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Large UK longitudinal dataset and multidimensional indicator of neighbourhood deprivation.

  • Reciprocal influences between mental health and perceived neighbourhood social cohesion analysed using cross-lagged models.

  • Neighbourhood deprivation influences mental health and perceived social cohesion, and change in these.

  • Reciprocal influences of perceived neighbourhood social cohesion and mental health on each other.

Abstract

Previous research on neighbourhood influences on older adults’ mental health shows inconsistent evidence for effects of neighbourhood deprivation but stronger evidence for effects of perceived neighbourhood social cohesion, often proposed as a mediator of the link between neighbourhood deprivation and mental well-being. However, it is possible that mental health influences perceptions of neighbourhoods; this has rarely been considered. We use data from a large UK longitudinal study to investigate these associations. Results from cross-lagged models indicate that greater neighbourhood deprivation is associated with worse perceived social cohesion and worse mental health. Associations between change in perceived social cohesion and in mental health were reciprocal-lower perceived cohesion predicted poorer mental health and vice versa. Further research including three waves of data is needed to further unravel underlying directions of association.

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