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Community access and satisfaction: racial differences in later life.
International Journal of Aging & Human Development
|January 1, 1983
Summary
Community access significantly impacts life satisfaction for older adults. However, this effect is more direct for older whites than older blacks, for whom social interaction is key.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Aging populations face restricted social life spaces.
- Community access is crucial for life satisfaction in older adults.
- Lifelong "ghettoization" may alter community access importance for older Black adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of community access on life satisfaction among the aged.
- To examine differential effects based on race (White vs. Black).
- To test hypotheses regarding community mobility and social interaction.
Main Methods:
- Utilized national survey data for analysis.
- Employed statistical methods to assess associations.
- Compared the impact of community mobility and social interaction.
Main Results:
- Community mobility directly correlates with life satisfaction for older Whites.
- For older Blacks, community mobility indirectly influences life satisfaction via social interaction.
- Social interaction plays a critical mediating role for older Black adults.
Conclusions:
- Community access's impact on life satisfaction differs by race in older adults.
- Racial disparities in lifelong experiences shape the relationship between community and well-being.
- Future research should explore these nuanced relationships further.