Can Neighborhood Social Infrastructure Modify Cognitive Function? A Mixed-Methods Study of Urban-Dwelling Aging Americans

Jessica Finlay; Michael Esposito; Mao Li; Lindsay C. Kobayashi; Anam M. Khan; Iris Gomez-Lopez; Robert Melendez; Natalie Colabianchi; Suzanne Judd; Philippa J. Clarke

doi:10.1177/08982643211008673

Can Neighborhood Social Infrastructure Modify Cognitive Function? A Mixed-Methods Study of Urban-Dwelling Aging Americans

Jessica Finlay, Michael Esposito, Mao Li, Lindsay C. Kobayashi, Anam M. Khan, Iris Gomez-Lopez, Robert Melendez, Natalie Colabianchi, Suzanne Judd, Philippa J. Clarke

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives: Socialization predicts cognitive aging outcomes. Neighborhoods may facilitate socially engaged aging and thus shape cognition. We investigated places where older adults socialized and whether availability of these sites was associated with cognitive outcomes. Methods: Qualitative analysis of interviews and ethnography with 125 older adults (mean age 71 years) in Minneapolis identified where participants socialized outside of home. This informed quantitative analysis of a national sample of 21,151 older Americans (mean age at baseline 67 years) from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study. Multilevel generalized additive models described associations between access to key social places and cognitive function and decline. Results: Qualitative analysis identified eateries, senior centers, and civic groups as key places to socialize. We identified significant positive associations between kernel density of senior centers, civic/social organizations, and cognitive function. Discussion: Specific neighborhood social infrastructures may support cognitive health among older adults aging in place.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	772-785
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of aging and health
Volume	33
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/08982643211008673
State	Published - Oct 2021
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research project is supported by cooperative agreement U01 NS041588 co-funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Service. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NINDS or the NIA. The authors thank the other investigators, the staff, and the participants of the REGARDS study for their valuable contributions. A full list of participating REGARDS investigators and institutions can be found at: https://www.uab.edu/soph/regardsstudy/

Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Funding for this project was provided by NIH/NIA grant 1RF1AG057540-01 (Clarke), the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research Postdoctoral Translational Scholar Program UL1 TR002240-02 (Finlay), and NIH/NIA Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship F32 AG064815-01 (Finlay).

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.

Keywords

cognitive function
environment
neighborhoods
social support
well-being

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1177/08982643211008673

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title = "Can Neighborhood Social Infrastructure Modify Cognitive Function? A Mixed-Methods Study of Urban-Dwelling Aging Americans",

abstract = "Objectives: Socialization predicts cognitive aging outcomes. Neighborhoods may facilitate socially engaged aging and thus shape cognition. We investigated places where older adults socialized and whether availability of these sites was associated with cognitive outcomes. Methods: Qualitative analysis of interviews and ethnography with 125 older adults (mean age 71 years) in Minneapolis identified where participants socialized outside of home. This informed quantitative analysis of a national sample of 21,151 older Americans (mean age at baseline 67 years) from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study. Multilevel generalized additive models described associations between access to key social places and cognitive function and decline. Results: Qualitative analysis identified eateries, senior centers, and civic groups as key places to socialize. We identified significant positive associations between kernel density of senior centers, civic/social organizations, and cognitive function. Discussion: Specific neighborhood social infrastructures may support cognitive health among older adults aging in place.",

keywords = "cognitive function, environment, neighborhoods, social support, well-being",

author = "Jessica Finlay and Michael Esposito and Mao Li and Kobayashi, {Lindsay C.} and Khan, {Anam M.} and Iris Gomez-Lopez and Robert Melendez and Natalie Colabianchi and Suzanne Judd and Clarke, {Philippa J.}",

note = "Funding Information: This research project is supported by cooperative agreement U01 NS041588 co-funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Service. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NINDS or the NIA. The authors thank the other investigators, the staff, and the participants of the REGARDS study for their valuable contributions. A full list of participating REGARDS investigators and institutions can be found at: https://www.uab.edu/soph/regardsstudy/ Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Funding for this project was provided by NIH/NIA grant 1RF1AG057540-01 (Clarke), the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research Postdoctoral Translational Scholar Program UL1 TR002240-02 (Finlay), and NIH/NIA Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship F32 AG064815-01 (Finlay). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2021.",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1177/08982643211008673",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "33",

pages = "772--785",

journal = "Journal of aging and health",

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AU - Finlay, Jessica

AU - Esposito, Michael

AU - Li, Mao

AU - Kobayashi, Lindsay C.

AU - Khan, Anam M.

AU - Gomez-Lopez, Iris

AU - Melendez, Robert

AU - Colabianchi, Natalie

AU - Judd, Suzanne

AU - Clarke, Philippa J.

N1 - Funding Information: This research project is supported by cooperative agreement U01 NS041588 co-funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Service. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NINDS or the NIA. The authors thank the other investigators, the staff, and the participants of the REGARDS study for their valuable contributions. A full list of participating REGARDS investigators and institutions can be found at: https://www.uab.edu/soph/regardsstudy/ Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Funding for this project was provided by NIH/NIA grant 1RF1AG057540-01 (Clarke), the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research Postdoctoral Translational Scholar Program UL1 TR002240-02 (Finlay), and NIH/NIA Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship F32 AG064815-01 (Finlay). Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2021.

PY - 2021/10

Y1 - 2021/10

N2 - Objectives: Socialization predicts cognitive aging outcomes. Neighborhoods may facilitate socially engaged aging and thus shape cognition. We investigated places where older adults socialized and whether availability of these sites was associated with cognitive outcomes. Methods: Qualitative analysis of interviews and ethnography with 125 older adults (mean age 71 years) in Minneapolis identified where participants socialized outside of home. This informed quantitative analysis of a national sample of 21,151 older Americans (mean age at baseline 67 years) from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study. Multilevel generalized additive models described associations between access to key social places and cognitive function and decline. Results: Qualitative analysis identified eateries, senior centers, and civic groups as key places to socialize. We identified significant positive associations between kernel density of senior centers, civic/social organizations, and cognitive function. Discussion: Specific neighborhood social infrastructures may support cognitive health among older adults aging in place.

AB - Objectives: Socialization predicts cognitive aging outcomes. Neighborhoods may facilitate socially engaged aging and thus shape cognition. We investigated places where older adults socialized and whether availability of these sites was associated with cognitive outcomes. Methods: Qualitative analysis of interviews and ethnography with 125 older adults (mean age 71 years) in Minneapolis identified where participants socialized outside of home. This informed quantitative analysis of a national sample of 21,151 older Americans (mean age at baseline 67 years) from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study. Multilevel generalized additive models described associations between access to key social places and cognitive function and decline. Results: Qualitative analysis identified eateries, senior centers, and civic groups as key places to socialize. We identified significant positive associations between kernel density of senior centers, civic/social organizations, and cognitive function. Discussion: Specific neighborhood social infrastructures may support cognitive health among older adults aging in place.

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KW - environment

KW - neighborhoods

KW - social support

KW - well-being

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ER -

Can Neighborhood Social Infrastructure Modify Cognitive Function? A Mixed-Methods Study of Urban-Dwelling Aging Americans

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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