Perceptions of neighborhood disorder and gun carrying during adolescence: The indirect effect of exposure to violence.

OBJECTIVE: As society strives to curb gun violence among adolescents, understanding the risk factors associated with gun carrying is of critical importance. The current study seeks to examine the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and adolescents' susceptibility to carrying a gun to school. More specifically, the aim of the current study was threefold: (1) to examine the direct relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and exposure to violence, (2) to investigate the association between perceived neighborhood disorder and gun carrying, and (3) to test the mediating effect of exposure to violence on the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and gun carrying. METHODS: Data from waves I and II (1994-1996) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health was analyzed (N = 11,887). Due to the binary nature of the mediating and dependent variables (i.e., exposure to violence and gun carrying) a series of logistic regression models were estimated. RESULTS: Our analyses revealed that perceived neighborhood disorder is positive and significantly associated with, both, exposure to violence and gun carrying. The relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and gun carrying was fully mediated by exposure to violence. CONCLUSIONS: While neighborhood disorder is a risk factor for gun carrying among youth, exposure to violence explains the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and carrying a gun to school. To reduce the prevalence of gun carrying and gun violence among the adolescent population, mental health resources should be provided to those who reside in communities with high levels of disorder and violence.

Neighborhood Factors as Correlates of Alcohol Use in the N2 Cohort Study of Black Sexual Minority Men and Transgender Women.

Sexually minoritized men (SMM), transgender women (TW), and particularly Black SMM and Black TW may be disproportionately impacted by alcohol-related problems. Few studies have empirically examined neighborhood factors that may contribute to alcohol use, specifically among these populations. Using data from the N2 longitudinal cohort study in Chicago, IL, survey data from the second wave of longitudinal assessment (n = 126), and GPS mobility data collected during study enrollment were used to evaluate neighborhood alcohol outlet availability, neighborhood disorder, and neighborhood poverty as correlates for individual alcohol use. Neighborhood exposures were measured using 200-m derived activity space areas, created from GPS data, and with publicly accessible geospatial contextual data. Separate multi-variable quasi-poison regression models tested for association between neighborhood alcohol outlet density (AOD), measured separately for on-premise (e.g. bars) and off-premise consumption outlets (e.g. liquor stores), neighborhood poverty (defined as the percentage of neighborhood areas at 150% or greater of the U.S. poverty line), exposure to vacant buildings, and neighborhood violent crime density. Separate analytical models found no significant effect between alcohol use and on-premise neighborhood AOD (IRR = 0.99, p = 0.35), off-premise consumption AOD (IRR = 0.92, p = 0.33), or neighborhood violent crime (IRR = 1.00, p = 0.65). Vacant buildings (IRR = 1.03, p = 0.05) and levels of neighborhood poverty (1.05, p = 0.01) were found to be significantly associated with increased alcohol use. Among this population, opposed to geospatial access, neighborhood measurements indicative of disorder and poverty may have greater influence on shaping alcohol use.

Neighborhood disorder as a predictor of perceptions of firearm access: Examining peers effects.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to examine the relationship between neighborhood disorder and perceptions of gun access. Further, this study focused on determining whether or not antisocial peer affiliation mediates this relationship. METHODS: The Pathways to Desistance data were analyzed. This is an 11-wave longitudinal study following 1,354 justice-involved youth across seven years post-adjudication. Generalized structural equation modeling was used to assess direct and indirect relationships of interest. RESULTS: Greater levels of neighborhood disorder were associated with increased perceptions of access to guns in the community. Affiliation with antisocial peers significantly mediated this relationship, accounting for about 15 % of this relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Affiliation with antisocial peers may be greater in disordered neighborhoods and they may facilitate access to guns for adolescents living in such communities. Mentoring programs for adolescents living in disordered communities may have some capacity for attenuating this relationship.

Impact of Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Rodent Sightings on Mental Health among Residents of New York City During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety are prevalent globally, and rates are especially high in New York City (NYC) since the COVID-19 pandemic. Neighborhood social and physical environments have been found to influence mental health. We investigated the impact of neighborhood social cohesion and neighborhood rodent sightings (as an indicator of neighborhood cleanliness) on nonspecific serious psychological distress (NSPD) status using 2020 NYC Community Health Survey data from 8781 NYC residents. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationships among social cohesion, rodent sightings, and NSPD adjusted for confounders and complex sampling and weighted to the NYC population. Effect measure modification of rodent sightings on the effect of social cohesion on NSPD was evaluated on the multiplicative scale by adding the interaction term to the multivariable model and, if significant, stratifying on the effect modifier, and on the additive scale using the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). Social cohesion was found to decrease the odds of NSPD, and rodent sightings were found to increase the odds of NSPD. We found significant evidence of effect measure modification on the multiplicative scale. In the stratified models, there was a protective effect of social cohesion against NSPD among those not reporting rodent sightings, but no effect among those reporting rodent sightings. Our findings suggest that both neighborhood social cohesion and rodent sightings impact the mental health of New Yorkers and that rodent infestations may diminish the benefit of neighborhood social cohesion.

Where I'm Livin' and How I'm Feelin': Associations among community stress, gender, and mental-emotional health among Black Americans.

RATIONALE: Structural racism is a primary avenue for the perpetuation of racial health disparities. For Black Americans, both historically and contemporarily, the neighborhood context serves as one of the most striking examples of structural racism, with stressful neighborhood contexts contributing to the well-documented inequalities in psychological functioning among this population. OBJECTIVE: Thus, in this study, we adapted an intersectional-ecological framework to investigate the links between community stress and multiple dimensions of mental-emotional health for Black men and women. METHODS: Drawing on cross-sectional data from 842 Black Americans from the Milwaukee area, we tested both objective (Area Deprivation Index; ADI) and subjective (perceived neighborhood disadvantage; PND) indicators of community stress as simultaneous predictors of negative and positive affect and the odds of psychological disorder (depression, anxiety) in multilevel models, examining gender differences in these linkages. RESULTS: Results showed greater objective community stress was related to lower levels of negative affect for both men and women and lower odds of psychological disorder for women specifically. Greater subjective community stress was related to higher levels of negative affect and lower levels of positive affect for both men and women and to higher odds of psychological disorder for women specifically. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the complex intersectional nature of the links between community stress and Black Americans' mental-emotional health. Specifically, findings demonstrate the pernicious psychological effects of perceived community stress and allude to Black Americans', particularly women's, active resistance and resilience to objective disadvantage, potentially through investing in social relationships in their neighborhoods.

Perceived Neighbourhood Disorder, Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol-Related Problems in Chile.

Background: Alcohol misuse is one of the most important preventable public health risk factors. Empirical research shows that alcohol misuse is related to social and economic losses. Both theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that neighborhood disorder impacts alcohol-related behavior. However, there is limited literature in the context of developing countries. Objectives: The aim of this research is to estimate the association between perceived neighborhood disorder and (1) alcohol-related behavior and (2) alcohol-related problems in the context of the Chilean population. Our contribution focuses on the examination of the perception of disorder in urban neighborhoods and alcohol use patterns in a wide age range and sample of Chilean cities. Results: High levels of neighbor disorder perception are associated with higher levels of drinking and hazardous alcohol use. In addition, perceived neighborhood disorder is directly associated with probability of alcohol-related problems (ranging from 2% to 11%). Conclusions/Importance: The results are consistent with empirical and theoretical frameworks. This research could be used to better guide place-based policies in emerging countries with high levels of alcohol consumption to prevent alcohol risk behaviors and alcohol-related problems.

Perceived neighborhood disorder and type 2 diabetes disparities in Hispanic, Black, and White Americans.

Introduction: Approximately 32 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, and that number continues to grow. Higher prevalence rates are observed among certain subgroups, including members of marginalized racial/ethnic groups as well as residents of disordered neighborhoods (i.e., those with more trash and vandalism). Institutionalized discriminatory practices have resulted in disproportionate representation of marginalized racial/ethnic groups in disordered neighborhoods compared to non-Hispanic Whites. These neighborhood disparities may partially contribute to health disparities, given that signs of neighborhood disorder often relate to a general withdrawal from the neighborhood, minimizing opportunities for both physical and social engagement. Yet, research suggests variability across racial/ethnic groups both in reporting rates of neighborhood disorder and in the extent to which neighborhood disorder is interpreted as posing a threat to health and well-being. Methods: Using 2016-2018 Health and Retirement Study data (n = 10,419, mean age = 67 years), a representative sample of older US adults, this study examined the possibility of racial/ethnic differences in associations between perceived neighborhood disorder and type 2 diabetes risk. Participants reported their perceptions of neighborhood disorder and type 2 diabetes status. Weighted logistic regression models predicted type 2 diabetes risk by perceived neighborhood disorder, race/ethnicity, and their interaction. Results: Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics had higher type 2 diabetes risk; these two groups also reported more disorder in their neighborhoods compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Perceiving more neighborhood disorder was associated with increased type 2 diabetes risk, but the interaction between race/ethnicity and disorder was not significant. Discussion: Findings from the current study suggest that the negative effects of perceiving neighborhood disorder, a neighborhood-level stressor, extend to increased type 2 diabetes risk.

Do Peers, Neighborhood Disorder, Religiosity, Spirituality, and Family Support Influence Polysubstance Use Among Older Youth Transitioning from Foster Care?

PURPOSE: Few studies have explored polysubstance use among youths aging out of foster care, despite higher rates of substance misuse for youths exiting foster care than those in the general population. Polysubstance use has been linked to substance use disorders, health problems, cognitive impairment, suicide, and overdose. METHOD: This study investigates understudied risk and protective factors associated with polysubstance use with data from 384 youth who turned 17 years old between December 1, 2001, and June 30, 2003, and were transitioning out of foster care from the Missouri Children's Division. We conducted bivariate analyses with chi-square tests for categorical variables and Analysis of Variance with continuous independent variables. Then we conducted a multinomial logistic regression to explore differences between individuals who used 1 or no substances, individuals who used only alcohol and marijuana, and individuals who used 2 or more substances. RESULTS: Bivariate analyses found that being white, having deviant peers, and living in a more disordered neighborhood were risk factors for polysubstance use. Multinomial logistic regression results found that being white (RR = 6.89, p < .001), having deviant peers (RR = 1.15, p < .001), and living in a more disordered neighborhood (RR = 1.13, p < .05), increased the risk engaging in polysubstance use. DISCUSSION: Similar to findings in other studies, we found that deviant peers and neighborhood disorder increase the risk of polysubstance use, but family support, church attendance, and spirituality were not protective against polysubstance use. CONCLUSION: Interventions should work to reduce deviant peer relationships among foster youth.

Do Religious Struggles Mediate the Association Between Neighborhood Disorder and Health in the United States?

Over the past two decades, numerous studies have linked the subjective experience of neighborhood disorder (perceptions of crime, dilapidation and ambient strains) with poorer health. We test whether religious struggles (religious doubts and feeling abandoned or punished by God) mediate this association. Our counterfactual mediation analyses of data from the 2021 Crime, Health, and Politics Survey (CHAPS) (n = 1741) revealed consistent indirect effects of neighborhood disorder through religious struggles for anger, psychological distress, sleep disturbance, poorer self-rated health, and shorter subjective life expectancy. This study contributes to previous work by integrating the study of neighborhood context and religion.

Residential Segregation, Perceived Neighborhood Environment, and All-Cause Mortality Among Community-Dwelling Older Chinese Americans.

OBJECTIVES: Residential segregation profoundly affects mental and physical health. However, impacts of residential segregation and other neighborhood characteristics on health among older Asian Americans are not fully understood. This study aimed to close this gap by examining effects of residential segregation, perceived neighborhood cohesion, and neighborhood disorder on all-cause mortality among older Chinese immigrants, as well as testing whether the association between residential segregation and mortality would be mediated by perceived neighborhood cohesion and neighborhood disorder. METHODS: Data were drawn from a subsample of 3,094 older Chinese Americans aged 60 and older (mean age = 72.8 years) from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago. Residential segregation was derived using 2010-2014 American Community Survey data. Participants completed surveys on perceived neighborhood cohesion and neighborhood disorder between 2011 and 2013. All-cause mortality was tracked until December 2021. RESULTS: Residential segregation was associated with elevated all-cause mortality risk; this association, however, was no longer statistically significant after controlling for sociodemographic, behavioral, and health covariates. Perceived neighborhood cohesion, but not neighborhood disorder, was significantly associated with decreased mortality risks. There were no indirect effects of residential segregation on all-cause mortality through perceived neighborhood cohesion or neighborhood disorder. These effects were consistent across male and female participants. DISCUSSION: These results suggest the importance of neighborhood social environment, specifically perceptions of neighborhood cohesion, in influencing mortality risk among older Chinese immigrants. The findings also indicate the need to conduct further research to examine the health impact of residential segregation among this population.

An examination of the relationships between the neighborhood social environment, adiposity, and cardiometabolic disease risk in adolescence: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Disadvantaged neighborhood environments are a source of chronic stress which undermines optimal adolescent health. This study investigated relationships between the neighborhood social environment, specifically, chronic stress exposures, adiposity, and cardiometabolic disease risk factors among 288 Louisiana adolescents aged 10 to 16 years. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized baseline data from the Translational Investigation of Growth and Everyday Routines in Kids (TIGER Kids) study. Adolescent data were obtained using self-reported questionnaires (demographics and perceived neighborhood disorder), anthropometry, body imaging, and a blood draw while objective neighborhood data for the concentrated disadvantage index were acquired from the 2016 American Community Survey five-year block group estimates, 2012-2016. Multilevel linear regression models were used to examine whether neighborhood concentrated disadvantage index and perceived neighborhood disorder were associated with body mass index, waist circumference, body fat, adipose tissue, blood pressure, and lipids. We performed multilevel logistic regression to determine the odds of elevated adiposity and cardiometabolic disease risk for adolescents living in neighborhoods with varying levels of neighborhood concentrated disadvantage and disorder. RESULTS: Adolescents living in neighborhoods with higher disadvantage or disorder had greater waist circumference and total percent body fat compared to those in less disadvantaged and disordered neighborhoods (p for trend < 0.05). Neighborhood disadvantage was also positively associated with percentage of the 95th Body Mass Index percentile and visceral abdominal adipose tissue mass while greater perceived neighborhood disorder was related to higher trunk fat mass and diastolic blood pressure (p for trend < 0.05). Living in the most disadvantaged was associated with greater odds of obesity (OR: 2.9, 95% CI:1.3, 6.5) and being in the top tertile of body fat mass (OR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.4, 6.6). Similar results were found with neighborhood disorder for odds of obesity (OR: 2.1, 95% CI:1.1, 4.2) and top tertile of body fat mass (OR: 2.1, 95% CI:1.04, 4.1). CONCLUSIONS: Neighborhood social environment measures of chronic stress exposure were associated with excess adiposity during adolescence, and relationships were most consistently identified among adolescents living in the most disadvantaged and disordered neighborhoods. Future studies should account for the influences of the neighborhood environment to stimulate equitable improvements in adolescent health. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: # NCT02784509.

Perceived neighborhood disorder as a moderator of the relationship between marijuana use and disinhibition in a sample of emerging adult African American females.

Disinhibition is associated with myriad risk-taking behaviors and adverse outcomes. Both marijuana use and poor neighborhood conditions have been associated with disinhibition. However, the extent to which neighborhood disorder interacts with marijuana use to influence disinhibition has not been studied, extensively. A better understanding of these relationships has implications for designing more effective tailored place-based interventions that aim to reduce risk taking behaviors and related adverse social and health outcomes associated with marijuana use. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the interactive effects of perceived neighborhood disorder and marijuana use on disinhibition. The sample included 120 African American female residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods (Mage = 23.6 ± 3.46). We employed hierarchical linear regression analysis to examine the interactive effects of marijuana use and perceived neighborhood disorder on disinhibition, while controlling for age and education. The interaction term was marginally significant (b = 5.66; t(109) = 1.72, p = .08). Next, the conditional effects were explored. Results indicated the association of marijuana use with disinhibition was stronger for females in the higher neighborhood disorder group, compared to those in the lower neighborhood disorder group (10.40 and 4.51, respectively). Our findings support the need for more research on the potential of neighborhood disorder to amplify the effects of marijuana use on disinhibition and related neurobehavioral traits. The identification of contextual moderators and high-risk sub-groups will aid in the design of more tailored place-based interventions that aim to reduce risk-taking behavior among those most vulnerable.

The Effects of Neighborhood Disorder on Polydrug Use: Examining Depressive Symptoms and Deviant Peer Association as Mediating Mechanisms.

Neighborhood disorder is a risk factor for substance use, but research is limited with regard to the effect of such disorder on polydrug use. Further, research on potential mechanisms underlying this relationship is similarly limited. The current study examined the direct effect of neighborhood disorder on drug use variety and examined deviant peer association and depressive symptoms as mediators among a sample of justice-involved youth. The first three waves of the Pathways to Desistance study were analyzed. Generalized structural equation modeling was used to test for direct and indirect effects of interest. A bootstrap resampling process was used to compute standard errors and significance of hypothesized mediation effects. Findings indicated that greater levels of neighborhood disorder were associated with increased drug use variety. This effect was attenuated by 15% when mediating pathways were included in the model. Only deviant peer association significantly mediated this relationship and accounted for the majority of the total mediating effect. These results indicated that justice-involved youth exposed to neighborhood disorder are at elevated risk for polydrug use and that increased deviant peer association helps to explain this relationship.

Perceived Neighborhood Disorder, Self-Esteem, and the Moderating Role of Religion.

A growing body of work links neighborhood conditions -and particularly perceived neighborhood disorder-with diverse aspects of psychosocial functioning, including self-esteem or the global moral self-worth of the individual. Our work augments this literature by investigating the possible roles of (a) organizational religiosity (i.e., religious attendance, religious support), (b) non-organizational religiosity (i.e., prayer and religious coping practices), and (c) the sense of divine control as potential stress in mitigating the deleterious effects of neighborhood disorder on self-esteem. Data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study (NSAHS, 2011-2014) are used to test a series of hypotheses regarding the possible stress-buffering effects of multiple religious domains. Findings from multivariable regression models indicate that: (a) perceived neighborhood disorder is inversely associated with self-esteem; (b) non-organizational religiosity and the sense of divine control each mitigate this pattern; and, interestingly, (c) organizational religiosity does not buffer the association between neighborhood disorder and self-esteem. Several study limitations, as well as a number of promising directions for future research, are identified.

Influence of Parent-Child Conflict on Psychological Distress among Chinese Adolescents: Moderating Effects of School Connectedness and Neighborhood Disorder.

Previous empirical studies have found that not all adolescents showed a high level of psychological distress when facing parent-child conflict, which implies that there could be some additional moderating variables in this pair association. School connectedness and neighborhood disorder have been regarded as possible moderators of this relationship, but empirical evidence is lacking. The participants in this study included 971 students from two middle schools (grades 7-9) and two high schools (grades 10-12) and their parents in the City of Y, Shanxi Province, in mainland China. The PROCESS macro was used to conduct the moderation analysis. The results revealed that both school connectedness and neighborhood disorder significantly moderated the association of parent-child conflict with adolescent psychological distress. These findings highlighted the significance of increasing school connectedness and decreasing neighborhood disorder to alleviate adolescent psychological distress, thereby contributing to related policies and interventions.

Mediating role of psychological distress in the associations between neighborhood social environments and sleep health.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The characteristics of neighborhood social environments, such as safety and social cohesion, have been examined as determinants of poor sleep. The current study investigates associations between neighborhood social characteristics and sleep health, as well as the mediating role of psychological distress on these possible associations. METHODS: Three waves of PHRESH Zzz (n = 2699), a longitudinal study conducted in two low-income, predominately Black neighborhoods, were utilized for this analysis. The characteristics of neighborhood social environments were measured using crime rates, a neighborhood social disorder index, and self-reported social cohesion. Sleep health was measured via 7 days of wrist-worn actigraphy as insufficient sleep, sleep duration, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep efficiency. G-estimations based on structural nested mean models and mediation analyses were performed to estimate the effects of neighborhood social environments on sleep as well as direct/indirect effects through psychological distress. RESULTS: Crime rate around residential addresses was associated with increased risk of insufficient sleep (risk ratio: 1.05 [1.02, 1.12]), increased WASO (ß: 3.73 [0.26, 6.04]), and decreased sleep efficiency (ß: -0.54 [-0.91, -0.09]). Perceived social cohesion was associated with decreased risk of insufficient sleep (OR: 0.93 [0.88, 0.97]). Psychological distress mediated part of the associations of crime and social cohesion with insufficient sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Neighborhood social environments may contribute to poor sleep health in low-income, predominantly Black neighborhoods, and psychological distress can be a salient pathway linking these neighborhood characteristics and sleep health.

Does Where You Live Predict What You Say? Associations between Neighborhood Factors, Child Sleep, and Language Development.

Language ability is strongly related to important child developmental outcomes. Family-level socioeconomic status influences child language ability; it is unclear if, and through which mechanisms, neighborhood-level factors impact child language. The current study investigated the association between neighborhood factors (deprivation and disorder) assessed before birth and child language outcomes at age 5, with sleep duration as a potential underlying pathway. Secondary analysis was conducted on data collected between 2008 and 2018 on a subsample of 2444 participants from the All Our Families cohort study (Calgary, Canada) for whom neighborhood information from pregnancy could be geocoded. Neighborhood deprivation was determined using the Vancouver Area Neighborhood Deprivation Index (VANDIX), and disorder was assessed using crime reports. Mothers reported on their children's sleep duration and language ability. Multilevel modeling indicated that greater neighborhood deprivation and disorder during pregnancy were predictive of lower scores on the Child Communication Checklist-2 (CCC-2) at 5 years. Path analyses revealed an indirect effect of neighborhood disorder on language through child sleep duration at 12 months. These results add to growing evidence that child development should be considered within the context of multiple systems. Sleep duration as an underlying link between environmental factors and child language ability warrants further study as a potential target for intervention.

Perceived neighborhood disorder and frequency of marijuana use among emerging adult African American females.

Emerging adult African American females are at increased risk for cannabis use disorders. Ecological models suggest that African Americans' increased risk for substance use disorders and associated adverse outcomes may result from chronic exposure to contextual disadvantages, such as living in economically deprived and disorganized communities. However levels of vulnerability for developing cannabis use disorders vary, even among residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods. Therefore, studies focused on within group differences are necessary. This study examined the relationship between frequency of marijuana use and perceived neighborhood disorder. The sample included 117 African American emerging adult females (Mage = 23.6 ± 3.4). After providing informed consent, participants completed a semi-structured interview that included the Neighborhood Environment Scale and a self-report measure of marijuana use. Additionally, participants provided a urine sample that was tested for the presence of psychoactive drugs. 46% tested positive for marijuana and 45% reported using marijuana in the past 30 days. 27% reported frequent/heavy use. Results from multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated a significant relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and heavy marijuana use (AOR = 3.3; 95% CI = 1.06 - 10.29). Findings suggest African American emerging adult female residents of economically disadvantaged neighborhoods who appraise their environments as disorganized may be at heighten risk for problematic marijuana use and should be targeted for intervention. Moreover, the findings support the need for multi-systems interventions. As policy makers consider the legalization of marijuana, it is important that differences in marijuana use behaviors and negative outcomes across groups and contexts are taken into consideration.

Relationships Between Perceived Neighborhood Disorder and Depressive Symptomatology: The Stress Buffering Effects of Social Support Among Older Adults.

Existing research indicates neighborhood is an important determinant of depressive symptoms. However, this research has several limitations. These include a lack of investigation of older adults' experiences and of social support as a possible moderator. The current study aims to fill these gaps by increasing knowledge about the relationships between perceived neighborhood disorder and depressive symptoms among older adults. Applying stress process theory, this study investigated the relationships between two subjective indicators of neighborhood stressors - physical and social perceived neighborhood disorder and depressive symptoms. This study also tested whether social support moderated the effects of the neighborhood stressors on depressive symptoms. This study was based on secondary data analysis from the Health and Retirement Study 2016 (N = 3,684; age 50+). This study applied a negative binomial regression in that the outcome was a count variable. The results showed the stress buffering effects of social support were not significant for both perceived neighborhood social disorder and physical disorder. Not as a moderator but as the main effect, lower social support was significantly related to higher depressive symptoms. Having a depression history, lower self-rated health, female, and lower education were also related to higher depressive symptoms. This study contributes to social work practice by addressing older adults' depressive symptomatology. Findings identified vulnerable older adults to target for interventions based on individual characteristics. Focusing on social support should be a vital component of interventions. Social workers can help older adults maintain and strengthen their social support, with beneficial effects on their depressive symptomatology.

Pathways between objective and perceived neighborhood factors among Black breast cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: Mounting evidence supports associations between objective neighborhood disorder, perceived neighborhood disorder, and health, yet alternative explanations involving socioeconomic and neighborhood social cohesion have been understudied. We tested pathways between objective and perceived neighborhood disorder, perceived neighborhood social cohesion, and socioeconomic factors within a longitudinal cohort. METHODS: Demographic and socioeconomic information before diagnosis was obtained at interviews conducted approximately 10 months post-diagnosis from participants in the Women's Circle of Health Follow-up Study - a cohort of breast cancer survivors self-identifying as African American or Black women (n = 310). Neighborhood perceptions were obtained during follow-up interviews conducted approximately 24 months after diagnosis. Objective neighborhood disorder was from 9 items audited across 23,276 locations using Google Street View and scored to estimate disorder values at each participant's residential address at diagnosis. Census tract socioeconomic and demographic composition covariates were from the 2010 U.S. Census and American Community Survey. Pathways to perceived neighborhood disorder were built using structural equation modelling. Model fit was assessed from the comparative fit index and root mean square error approximation and associations were reported as standardized coefficients and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Higher perceived neighborhood disorder was associated with higher objective neighborhood disorder (ß = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.33), lower neighborhood social cohesion, and lower individual-level socioeconomic factors (final model root mean square error approximation 0.043 (90% CI: 0.013, 0.068)). Perceived neighborhood social cohesion was associated with individual-level socioeconomic factors and objective neighborhood disorder (ß = - 0.11, 95% CI: - 0.24, 0.02). CONCLUSION: Objective neighborhood disorder might be related to perceived disorder directly and indirectly through perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion.