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Perceived Neighborhood Cohesion Across the Life Course and Late-Life Friendship: Evidence From the U.S. Health and
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Research on Aging
|May 6, 2026
Summary
Neighborhood cohesion throughout life, especially in mid and late adulthood, significantly boosts late-life friendships and social support. Early life cohesion also plays a role, influencing later connections.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sociology
- Social Epidemiology
Background:
- Friendship is crucial for well-being in older adulthood.
- Neighborhood cohesion's impact across the life course on friendship is not fully understood.
- Understanding these dynamics can inform interventions for social integration in aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how neighborhood cohesion in childhood, midlife, and late life affects friendship dimensions in older adults.
- To examine both independent and cumulative effects of neighborhood cohesion across different life stages.
- To explore the role of place and time in social integration theories for aging.
Main Methods:
- Utilized longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study.
- Employed marginal structural generalized estimating equations models.
- Analyzed structural, behavioral, and affective friendship dimensions.
Main Results:
- Neighborhood cohesion at all life stages independently predicted more close friends and perceived support.
- Childhood cohesion indirectly influenced contact frequency via midlife and late-life cohesion.
- Midlife and late-life cohesion showed significant links to late-life friendship outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Neighborhood cohesion across the life course is vital for maintaining late-life friendships.
- Midlife and late-life neighborhood contexts appear particularly influential.
- Findings support cumulative (dis)advantage theories and emphasize integrating place and time in aging research.
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