Neighborhood disadvantage, individual-level socioeconomic position and physical function: A cross-sectional multilevel analysis

Venurs H Y Loh; Jerome N Rachele; Wendy J Brown; Simon Washington; Gavin Turrell

doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.05.007

Neighborhood disadvantage, individual-level socioeconomic position and physical function: A cross-sectional multilevel analysis

Prev Med. 2016 Aug:89:112-120. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.05.007. Epub 2016 May 16.

Authors

Venurs H Y Loh¹, Jerome N Rachele², Wendy J Brown³, Simon Washington⁴, Gavin Turrell⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Social Work and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: venurshuiyee.loh@myacu.edu.au.
² Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Social Work and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: jerome.rachele@acu.edu.au.
³ Centre for Research on Exercise, Physical Activity and Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; School of Human Movement and Nutrition Studies, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: wbrown@uq.edu.au.
⁴ School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment and Science and Engineering Faculty, Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: simon.washington@qut.edu.au.
⁵ Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Social Work and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: gavin.turrell@acu.edu.au.

PMID: 27196142
DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.05.007

Abstract

Introduction: Understanding associations between physical function and neighborhood disadvantage may provide insights into which interventions might best contribute to reducing socioeconomic inequalities in health. This study examines associations between neighborhood-disadvantage, individual-level socioeconomic position (SEP) and physical function from a multilevel perspective.

Methods: Data were obtained from the HABITAT multilevel longitudinal (2007-13) study of middle-aged adults, using data from the fourth wave (2013). This investigation included 6004 residents (age 46-71years) of 535 neighborhoods in Brisbane, Australia. Physical function was measured using the PF-10 (0-100), with higher scores indicating better function. The data were analyzed using multilevel linear regression and were extended to test for cross-level interactions by including interaction terms for different combinations of SEP (education, occupation, household income) and neighborhood disadvantage on physical function.

Results: Residents of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods reported significantly lower physical function (men: β -11.36 95% CI -13.74, -8.99; women: β -11.41 95% CI -13.60, -9.22). These associations remained after adjustment for individual-level SEP. Individuals with no post-school education, those permanently unable to work, and members of the lowest household income had significantly poorer physical function. Cross-level interactions suggested that the relationship between household income and physical function is different across levels of neighborhood disadvantage for men; and for education and occupation for women.

Conclusion: Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood was negatively associated with physical function after adjustment for individual-level SEP. These results may assist in the development of policy-relevant targeted interventions to delay the rate of physical function decline at a community-level.

Keywords: Multilevel modeling; Neighborhood; Physical function; Socioeconomic position.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Australia
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Health Status*
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Multilevel Analysis
Residence Characteristics*
Socioeconomic Factors*