Neighborhood Qualities Are Related to Better Mental Health, Quality of Life, and Loneliness Over 6 Years: Pathways Through Social Engagement and Social Support to Aging Well

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dc.citation.issue6
dc.citation.volume65
dc.contributor.authorStephens C
dc.contributor.authorBakhshandeh Bavarsad M
dc.contributor.editorCastle NG
dc.coverage.spatialUnited States
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-26T02:46:26Z
dc.date.available2025-05-26T02:46:26Z
dc.date.issued2025-06
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Growing research evidence supports the importance of neighbourhoods for the wellbeing of older people. The aim of this study was to investigate key pathways (social engagement and social support) through which neighbourhood qualities (accessibility, safety, and social cohesion) may affect older people's mental wellbeing (mental health, quality of life, and loneliness) over 6 years. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A structural equation model was used to test the model while controlling for individual limitations such as physical health and SES. The population sample included 2750 New Zealanders over the age of 55 (M = 65.64 ± 6.30) years who responded to Health, Work and Retirement (HWR) longitudinal surveys in 2016 and 2022. RESULTS: The results showed that greater neighbourhood accessibility to important facilities in 2016 predicted better mental health and quality of life and less loneliness in 2022 through provision of social support. Neighbourhood social cohesion predicted social engagement, which was related to higher social support predicting better mental health and quality of life and less loneliness in 2022. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings confirm a body of research highlighting the importance of neighbourhood qualities and show the socially oriented pathways through which neighbourhoods support ageing well. These findings have direct implications for the development of social policy that focuses on the development of housing situations to support healthy ageing.
dc.description.confidentialfalse
dc.edition.editionJune 2025
dc.format.paginationgnaf095-
dc.identifier.author-urlhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40045182
dc.identifier.citationStephens C, Bakhshandeh Bavarsad M. (2025). Neighbourhood qualities are related to better mental health, quality of life and loneliness over 6 years: Pathways through social engagement and social support to ageing well.. Gerontologist. 65. 6. (pp. gnaf095-).
dc.identifier.doi10.1093/geront/gnaf095
dc.identifier.eissn1758-5341
dc.identifier.elements-typejournal-article
dc.identifier.issn0016-9013
dc.identifier.numbergnaf095
dc.identifier.pii8056034
dc.identifier.urihttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/72945
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherOxford University Press on behalf of the Gerontological Society of America
dc.publisher.urihttps://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/advance-article/doi/10.1093/geront/gnaf095/8056034
dc.relation.isPartOfGerontologist
dc.rights(c) 2025 The Author/s
dc.rightsCC BY 4.0
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectloneliness
dc.subjectmental health
dc.subjectneighbourhood qualities
dc.subjectsocial engagement
dc.subjectsocial support
dc.titleNeighborhood Qualities Are Related to Better Mental Health, Quality of Life, and Loneliness Over 6 Years: Pathways Through Social Engagement and Social Support to Aging Well
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.elements-id499930
pubs.organisational-groupOther
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