Perceived Characteristics of the Built Neighborhood Environment and Negative Self-Rated Health in Brazilian Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Research indicates that self-rated health is associated with worse health outcomes in older adults. Thus, it is important to assess the association between built neighborhoods and self-rated health to establish strategies to improve the quality of life in the older adult population. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between the perceived characteristics of the built neighborhood and the negative self-rated health in Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study for finite random samples was performed with older adults who used the municipal public health service. The outcome was negative self-rated health using the question "How do you perceive your health?" The regular, bad, and very bad responses were grouped as negative self-perception. The exposure variables were the perceived characteristics of the built neighborhood, which was evaluated by the adapted version of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale. RESULTS: A total of 308 older adults were analyzed. Living close to food establishments (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.25;0.85), fitness/bodybuilding gyms and/or clubs (OR 0.51; 95% CI 0.28;0.93), and safety to walk during the day (OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.16;0.87) and night (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.26;0.84) were protective against negative self-rated health. CONCLUSION: Therefore, living in neighborhoods with better characteristics was less associated with negative self-rated health, demonstrating the importance of promoting strategies to improve the neighborhood infrastructure and this population's perception of health.