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Li H, Liu H, Zhao L. Unlocking the night: Exploring the health impacts of night-time walking environments on health outcomes of older adults. Soc Sci Med 2024; 361:117359. [PMID: 39366150 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 09/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/20/2024] [Indexed: 10/06/2024]
Abstract
Walking remains the primary form of physical activity for many older adults in China, and the quality of the walking environment at night may determine the frequency and duration of evening outings. This study reveals how night-time environmental features influence the health outcomes of older adults. Using the medical check-up records of 87,578 older adults from a public health service in the Beilin district of Xi'an city, China, the role of the night-time walking environment in managing chronic conditions was examined. A favorable night-time walking environment reduced the prevalence of chronic conditions and comorbidities among older adults. However, the health effects stemming from the night-time walking environment exhibited heterogeneity, with significant impacts only on metabolic conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes, while the effects on other conditions were not significant. Our findings supplement the theory of healthy aging by highlighting the potential value of the environment in managing chronic conditions, which may serve as a cost-effective health intervention for aging societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Li
- School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Huijun Liu
- School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
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Kershaw KN, Magnani JW, Diez Roux AV, Camacho-Rivera M, Jackson EA, Johnson AE, Magwood GS, Morgenstern LB, Salinas JJ, Sims M, Mujahid MS. Neighborhoods and Cardiovascular Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2024; 17:e000124. [PMID: 38073532 DOI: 10.1161/hcq.0000000000000124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The neighborhoods where individuals reside shape environmental exposures, access to resources, and opportunities. The inequitable distribution of resources and opportunities across neighborhoods perpetuates and exacerbates cardiovascular health inequities. Thus, interventions that address the neighborhood environment could reduce the inequitable burden of cardiovascular disease in disenfranchised populations. The objective of this scientific statement is to provide a roadmap illustrating how current knowledge regarding the effects of neighborhoods on cardiovascular disease can be used to develop and implement effective interventions to improve cardiovascular health at the population, health system, community, and individual levels. PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane Library reviews, and ClinicalTrials.gov were used to identify observational studies and interventions examining or targeting neighborhood conditions in relation to cardiovascular health. The scientific statement summarizes how neighborhoods have been incorporated into the actions of health care systems, interventions in community settings, and policies and interventions that involve modifying the neighborhood environment. This scientific statement presents promising findings that can be expanded and implemented more broadly and identifies methodological challenges in designing studies to evaluate important neighborhood-related policies and interventions. Last, this scientific statement offers recommendations for areas that merit further research to promote a deeper understanding of the contributions of neighborhoods to cardiovascular health and health inequities and to stimulate the development of more effective interventions.
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Finlay J, Westrick AC, Guzman V, Meltzer G. Neighborhood Built Environments and Health in Later Life: A Literature Review. J Aging Health 2023:8982643231217776. [PMID: 37994863 PMCID: PMC11111591 DOI: 10.1177/08982643231217776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Objectives: This literature review aims to assess the current state of the field linking neighborhood environments to later-life health and wellbeing. Methods: We used electronic databases (e.g., PubMed, Google Scholar, and ProQuest) to search for studies published between 2010 and 2022 examining associations between neighborhood built environmental variables and later-life physical, cognitive, mental, and social health outcomes. Results: Among 168 studies reviewed, the majority were quantitative (n = 144) and cross-sectional (n = 122). Neighborhood environmental variables significantly associated with later-life health outcomes included population density/rurality, walkability/street connectivity, access to services and amenities, neighborhood quality and disorder, and parks/green/blue/open space. Neighborhoods operated through behavioral and biological pathways including hazardous exposures, affective states (e.g., stress and restoration), and lifestyle (e.g., exercise, socialization, and diet). Discussion: Neighborhoods and healthy aging research is a burgeoning interdisciplinary and international area of scholarship. Findings can inform upstream community interventions and strengthen clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Finlay
- Department of Geography, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Social Environment and Health Program, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ashly C. Westrick
- Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Viveka Guzman
- Department of Health Psychology, School of Population Health, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gabriella Meltzer
- Departments of Environmental Health and Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
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Jung W, Yoon JM, Han K, Kim B, Hwang S, Lim DH, Shin DW. Association between Age-Related Macular Degeneration and the Risk of Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide Cohort Study. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10102435. [PMID: 36289698 PMCID: PMC9599121 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10102435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative and progressive disease of the macula, the part of the retina that is responsible for central vision. AMD shares some risk factors with diabetes mellitus (DM), but little is known about the risk of DM in individuals with AMD. With the goal of establishing novel perspectives, this study aimed to investigate the association between AMD and the risk of DM using the Korean Nationwide Health Insurance Database. Individuals aged ≥ 50 years who underwent a national health screening program in 2009 were enrolled. Participants were categorized by the presence of AMD and visual disability (VD). The Cox hazard regression model was used to examine hazard ratios (HRs) of DM with adjustment for potential confounders. Stratified analyses by age, sex, and comorbidities (hypertension or dyslipidemia) were also performed. During a mean follow-up of 8.61 years, there were 403,367 (11.76%) DM incidences among the final 3,430,532 participants. The crude HR (95% confidence interval (CI)) was 1.16 (1.13–1.20) for AMD. After adjusting for potential confounders, AMD was associated with a 3% decreased risk of DM (aHR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95–1.00), but no significant association with the risk of DM was found in AMD with VD (aHR 1.03, 95% CI 0.93–1.14). In summary, we did not find an increased risk of DM in individuals with AMD. A 3% decreased risk of DM in patients with AMD is not clinically meaningful. Our study suggests that the association between AMD and the risk of DM is weak, considering the potential confounders. Further studies examining this association are needed to extend our knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonyoung Jung
- Department of Family Medicine and Supportive Care Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea
- Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea
| | - Je Moon Yoon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea
- Correspondence: (J.M.Y.); (D.W.S.); Tel.: +82-2-3410-3563 (J.M.Y.); +82-2-3410-5252 (D.W.S.); Fax: +82-2-3410-0074 (J.M.Y.); +82-2-3410-0388 (D.W.S.)
| | - Kyungdo Han
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Soongsil University, Seoul 06978, Korea
| | - Bongseong Kim
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Soongsil University, Seoul 06978, Korea
| | - Sungsoon Hwang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea
- Department of Clinical Research Design & Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Science & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06355, Korea
| | - Dong Hui Lim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea
- Department of Clinical Research Design & Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Science & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06355, Korea
| | - Dong Wook Shin
- Department of Family Medicine and Supportive Care Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea
- Department of Clinical Research Design & Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Science & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06355, Korea
- Correspondence: (J.M.Y.); (D.W.S.); Tel.: +82-2-3410-3563 (J.M.Y.); +82-2-3410-5252 (D.W.S.); Fax: +82-2-3410-0074 (J.M.Y.); +82-2-3410-0388 (D.W.S.)
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