Changes in perceived neighborhood social cohesion and self-assessed health: 17-year follow-up of the Dutch GLOBE study.

Abstract

Prior research has indicated that residents who perceive their neighborhood as more cohesive have better mental and physical health than those with lower perceived neighborhood social cohesion. However, because most studies are based on cross-sectional data, it remains unclear whether improving the perceptions of social cohesion leads to better health over time. This study applied random effects within-between models to examine the within-individual and between-individual associations of perceived neighborhood social cohesion and poor self-assessed health (SAH) in a cohort of Dutch adults with 17-year follow-up. We also tested whether such associations varied by age, educational level, and gender. The results of pooled analyses indicated that higher perceived neighborhood social cohesion was associated with better SAH [odds ratio (OR): 0.72; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65, 0.80], but did not find conclusive evidence that within-individual changes in perceived neighborhood social cohesion were associated with SAH (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.89, 1.04). We also did not observe any moderating effects for age, educational level, or gender. This study provides some evidence that improving social cohesion in neighborhoods may be a beneficial health promotion strategy.