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'See something, say something': a qualitative study of neighborhood perceptions and brain health
Sierra Heuer1, Lilah M Besser2, Briana Dominguez1
1School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
Objectives:
Studies have shown the importance of neighborhood factors, such as residential segregation and green space, in associations with older adult brain health. In this qualitative study, we examine older adults' perceptions of their neighborhood, with a particular focus on residential diversity and segregation.
Method:
We recruited participants from the longitudinal cohort at the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Research Center to participate in semi-structured interviews. Participants were interviewed and asked to describe features and perceptions of their neighborhood. Individual interviews lasted twenty-three minutes on average and were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for recurring themes.
Results:
A total of twenty-six participants were interviewed: 61.5% female, 50.0% non-Hispanic White and 50.0% Black/African American, mean age= 81.12, SD = 6.93 years.The most prominent themes were (1) Importance of public stores and similar third spaces; (2) Accessibility to green space, including parks and trees; (3) Staying active in the community, both physically and socially; (4) Neighborhood awareness and cohesion; and (5) Stereotypes, discrimination, and segregation.
Conclusion:
These findings highlight the social and built environment factors that are important to older adults and that may potentially affect brain health. Future research should examine how salient themes might differ depending on older adults' cognition.
