Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of neighborhood cohesion and stressors with depressive symptoms in the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Sandra E. Echeverría, Associate Professor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: Purpose: This study examined associations of neighborhood social cohesion, violence, and aesthetic quality with depressive symptoms among 2,619 healthy adults aged 45–84 years enrolled in the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Methods: Neighborhood characteristics were estimated by surveying a separate sample of area residents. Measures of aesthetic environment, social cohesion, and violence were combined into a summary score with increasing scores indicating more favorable environments. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. Marginal maximum likelihood estimation was used to assess associations of neighborhood characteristics with CES-D score at baseline and with the odds of developing incident depression (CES-D score =16 or use of antidepressants) over a 4–5 year follow-up among persons with CES-D less than 16 at baseline. Models were adjusted for age, income, education, and race/ethnicity. Results: Lower levels of social cohesion and aesthetic quality and higher levels of violence were associated with higher mean CES-D scores in men and women (P for trend <0.01, adjusted mean difference in CES-D per 1 SD increase in summary score -1.01 [95% confidence interval = -1.85, -0.17] and -1.08 [95% confidence interval = -1.88, -0.28] in men and women, respectively). Associations of neighborhood characteristics with incident depression were in the expected direction for women but confidence intervals were wide (odds ratio of incident depression = 0.89 [0.63, 1.26]). No association was seen for men (odds ratio = 0.96 [0.74, 1.25]). Conclusion: Neighborhood social cohesion, aesthetic quality, and violence are associated with the presence of depressive symptoms in residents.

Additional Information

Publication
Annals of Epidemiology 2009; 19(1): 49-57.
Language: English
Date: 2008
Keywords
Mental Health, Depression, Residence Characteristics, Epidemiology, Social Environment

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