Neighborhood perception and self-rated health among Mexican American older adults

Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between neighborhood perception and poor self-rated health among older Mexican Americans, adjusting for important background characteristics, such as neighborhood ethnic composition and other health conditions. Methods: Drawing on the 2004–2005 Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly data (n = 1780), the present study used logistic regression to examine the effects of neighborhood perception on poor self-rated health of older Mexican Americans. Results: The results show that participants with a greater positive perception of their neighborhood were less likely to report poor self-rated health, controlling for both socioeconomic status and health status covariates. Conclusions: The findings suggest that positive neighborhood perception serves as an important protective factor in overall health. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2559–2564.