Search Results (58)

Evaluating the walkability of embedded community service facilities is crucial for fostering age-friendly neighborhoods. Existing studies predominantly focus on qualitative analyses of single age groups, lacking a quantitative framework that integrates multigenerational demands and dynamically combines accessibility with facility usability. This study proposes a novel age-differentiated walkability evaluation framework through a case study of the Maple Community in Chengdu, China. The framework innovatively integrates facility classification weighting systems, population-specific distance decay functions, and multisource spatial data analysis to reveal intergenerational disparities in facility demand and spatial suitability. Key contributions include the following: (1) developing mobility-attenuated accessibility models tailored to distinct age groups, overcoming the limitations of traditional single-function approaches; (2) establishing a multidimensional evaluation system that bridges accessibility theory and usability metrics; (3) empirically demonstrating the spatial equity improvements through embedded facility optimization. The results highlight that elderly residents prioritize healthcare facilities (weight = 0.22), while adolescents rely heavily on cultural–recreational amenities (weight = 0.32). Post-renewal walkability scores in core areas increased by 52.3%, yet persistent peripheral disparities underscore intergenerational accessibility gaps. The framework provides theoretical and methodological advancements for age-friendly community planning, offering actionable insights for data-driven urban renewal policies. Full article

Neighborhoods with high-quality built environments and social environments are associated with older adults’ well-being. However, research on the complex interplay of neighborhood types and health outcomes is limited, as is the role of functional limitations. This study aims to: (1) identify neighborhood types, (2) explore the association of neighborhood type and older adults’ health, and (3) assess whether functional status affects this association. We merged data from the 2017 AARP Age-Friendly Communities Surveys and the Livability Index. Our sample included 3211 adults aged 65 and older; the majority (59%) were female. Participants identified as non-Hispanic White (81%), Hispanic (8%), Black (6%), and a member of another racial/ethnic group (2%). Employing latent class analysis, we identified a four-class model of neighborhood types: “Connected yet Limited Services”, “Service Integrated”, “Healthy Environment Zones”, and “Supportive Social Engagement”. Older adults in “connected yet limited services” and “service-integrated” neighborhoods had worse self-rated health than those in “supportive social engagement” neighborhoods, especially among those who reported functional limitations. Our findings indicate that older adults with functional limitations particularly benefit from neighborhoods with robust health support and social engagement opportunities, highlighting the importance of designing inclusive and adaptable age-friendly environments to address diverse and changing needs. Full article

One potential strategy to promote physical activity (PA) involves changing the neighborhood environment. The PA-friendliness of neighborhood environments is often calculated using geospatial data. However, the association with perceived PA-friendliness seems to be low. Therefore, we examined the relationship between two Dutch geospatial measures and residents’ perceptions regarding the PA-friendliness of their neighborhoods. Data from 3438 respondents aged 40–80 years from the Doetinchem Cohort Study were linked to individual geospatial data. In addition to respondents’ self-reports, we used the following two geospatial measures: the Dutch walkability index and the Dutch indicator for PA-friendly environments (KBO-indicator). We performed logistic regression analyses to assess associations between perceived PA-friendliness and two objective geospatial measures, including interactions for age, sex, education, work status, and physical functioning. The majority of respondents (83%) evaluated their neighborhood as PA-friendly. The logistic analyses revealed no associations between the geospatial measures of walkability and PA-friendliness and the individuals’ perception measures. Similarly, a comparison of residents from high versus low walkable or PA-friendly neighborhoods demonstrated no significant differences in their perception of PA-friendliness. Additionally, no significant interaction effects were observed with sex, age, education, employment status, or physical functioning, indicating that even among subgroups there was no correspondence between objective and subjective measures. The lack of correspondence between both objective and subjective measures for PA-friendliness in the neighborhood suggests that these are distinct constructs. Future research should focus on qualitative methods to bridge the gap between objective and subjective measures and test whether the perceived PA-friendliness is similar to the objective measures. Full article

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) can be impacted by various environmental factors: lifestyle habits, food insecurity, social–economic status, and dietary patterns. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has been associated with a healthier lifestyle and better health outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine whether greater adherence to the MedDiet was associated with better HRQoL in communities with low social and economic statuses living in two social neighborhoods, “Bairro da Rosa” and “Ingote”, in Portugal. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed on 102 citizens currently receiving government social support and attending the “Health Kiosk”, a community center created within the Europe Enabling Smart Healthy Age-Friendly Environments (EU_SHAFE) project enhancing educative sessions and screening by health professionals. The participants answered a 36-item questionnaire about their HRQoL (SF-36) and a 14-item questionnaire about their adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MEDAS). Spearman correlation analysis between variables and multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the effect of the baseline characteristics and MedDiet adherence on HRQoL scores (SF-36). Results: No statistically significant correlation was found between MedDiet adherence and total HRQoL scores across the eight health concepts. However, age was shown to negatively influence HRQoL, whereas daily physical activity had a positive impact on health. SF-36 physical health concepts exhibited a linear trend with respect to MedDiet adherence, while emotional health concepts showed inconsistent patterns across adherence groups. Education and waist circumference influence HRQoL, with higher levels of education correlating with better quality of life and greater waist circumference being negatively associated with aspects such as energy and vitality. These findings suggest that factors beyond dietary patterns, such as physical activity, education, and body composition, play pivotal roles in shaping HRQoL in disadvantaged communities, emphasizing the need for multifaceted public health interventions. Full article

A comfortable outdoor environment, like its indoor counterpart, can significantly enhance the quality of life and improve the physical and mental health of elderly populations. Urban spatial morphology is one of the key factors influencing outdoor environmental performance. To explore the interactions between urban spatial morphology and the outdoor environment for the elderly, this study utilized parametric tools to establish a performance-driven workflow based on a “morphology generation–performance evaluation–morphology optimization” framework. Using survey data from 340 elderly neighborhoods in Beijing, a parametric urban morphology generation model was constructed. The following three optimization objectives were set: maximizing the winter pedestrian Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), minimizing the summer pedestrian UTCI, and maximizing sunlight hours. Multi-objective optimization was conducted using a genetic algorithm, generating a “morphology–performance” dataset. Subsequently, the XGBoost (eXtreme Gradient Boosting) and SHAP (Shapley Additive Explanations) explainable machine learning algorithms were applied to uncover the nonlinear relationships among variables. The results indicate that optimizing spatial morphology significantly enhances environmental performance. For the summer elderly UTCI, the contributing morphological indicators include the Shape Coefficient (SC), Standard Deviation of Building Area (SA), and Deviation of Building Volume (SV), while the inhibitory indicators include the average building height (AH), Average Building Volume (AV), Mean Building Area (MA), and floor–area ratio (FAR). For the winter elderly UTCI, the contributing indicators include the AH, Volume–Area Ratio (VAR), and FAR, while the inhibitory indicators include the SC and porosity (PO). The morphological indicators contributing to sunlight hours are not clearly identified in the model, but the inhibitory indicators for sunlight hours include the AH, MA, and FAR. This study identifies the morphological indicators influencing environmental performance and provides early-stage design strategies for age-friendly neighborhood layouts, reducing the cost of later-stage environmental performance optimization. Full article

Population aging and urbanization are two of the most significant social transformations of the 21st century. Against the backdrop of rapid aging in China, developing age-friendly community environments, particularly through the renovation of legacy residential communities, not only supports active and healthy aging but also promotes equity and sustainable development. This study focuses on residential communities built in the 1980s in Hangzhou, exploring strategies for the age-friendly renovation of outdoor public spaces. The residential communities that flourished during the construction boom of the 1980s are now confronting a dual challenge: aging populations and deteriorating facilities. However, existing renovation efforts often pay insufficient attention to the comprehensive age-friendly transformation of outdoor public spaces within these neighborhoods. Following a structured research framework encompassing investigation, evaluation, design, and discussion, this study first analyzes linear grid layouts and usage patterns of these communities. Then, the research team uses post-occupancy evaluation (POE) to assess the age-friendliness of outdoor public spaces. Semi-structured interviews with elderly residents identify key concerns and establish a preliminary evaluation framework, while a Likert-scale questionnaire quantifies the satisfaction with age-friendly features across four communities. The assessment reveals that key age-friendliness issues, including poor traffic safety, dispersed activity spaces, and insufficiently adapted facilities, are closely linked to the linear usage patterns within the spatial framework of the grid layouts. Based on the findings, the study develops tiered renovation goals, renovation principles and implemented an age-friendly design in the Hemu Community. The strengths, weaknesses, and feasibility of the renovation plan are discussed, while three recommendations are made to ensure successful implementation. The study is intended to provide a valuable reference for advancing age-friendly residential renewal efforts in Hangzhou and contributing to the broader objective of sustainable, inclusive city development. Full article

In modern medicine, studies devoted to the assessment of the parameters of residential infrastructure and the population’s attitude towards them have become quite large-scale. Objectives: The aim of the study was to establish associations between individually perceived parameters of residential infrastructure and the main modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, obesity, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorders) in one of the subjects of the Russian Federation. Methods: The epidemiological study “Study of the influence of social factors on chronic non-communicable diseases” started in 2015 and ended in 2023. The sample was formed by using the stratification method based on the assignment to a medical organization. The study included 1598 respondents aged 35 to 70 years (491 rural residents). The study of infrastructure parameters was conducted based on the subjective opinions of respondents using the neighborhood environment walkability scale (NEWS) questionnaire, divided into eight scales. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify associations between infrastructure parameters and cardiovascular risk factors; the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval were evaluated. Results: Individually perceived infrastructure parameters of the scale B, reflecting the accessibility of infrastructure facilities, were associated with hypertension [OR = 1.33], obesity [OR = 1.40], and abdominal obesity [OR = 1.59]. Elements of the social infrastructure of the scale C, describing the streets in the residential area, increased the likelihood of developing obesity [OR = 1.42] and visceral obesity [OR = 1.43]. The characteristics of the residential area, represented by the scale D that evaluates pedestrian infrastructure, were associated with all major cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension [OR = 1.65], obesity [OR = 1.62] and abdominal obesity [OR = 1.82], and disorders of lipid [OR = 1.41] and carbohydrate metabolism [OR = 1.44]). Conclusion: Social factors represented by various aspects of infrastructure have become important criteria for determining cardiovascular health. Environmental conditions affect cardiovascular risk factors through behavioral patterns that shape the respondent’s lifestyle. Interventions in urban planning—increasing accessibility to infrastructure facilities for the population, developing a pedestrian-friendly urban environment, improving physical activity resources in areas, planning recreation areas, and landscaping—can become the most important concept for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Full article

China has the world’s largest and fastest-growing elderly population, primarily living in outdated urban residential communities. These aging populations face challenges in outdoor activities (OA) and quality of life (QoL) due to deteriorating neighborhood-built environments (NBE). While upgrading these environments is essential for urban renewal, the specific NBE factors affecting OA and QoL for the elderly are not well understood, creating a gap in existing research. This study addresses this gap by investigating how NBE elements influence the OA and QoL of elderly residents in these communities. This study investigates these interactions by conducting a comprehensive literature review, followed by a questionnaire survey, with data analyzed using factor analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The results reveal that supermarkets and subways significantly impact the physical health of older adults. Psychological health is primarily shaped by daily activities, social relationships, and self-care ability, with roads, hospitals, and bus stops further affecting daily activities. Social relationships are largely influenced by social activities, which are impacted by grocery markets, subways, and parks. Additionally, self-care ability is affected by leisure and daily activities, as well as the accessibility of supermarkets, grocery markets, subways, and buses. These findings offer valuable insights for government-led initiatives aimed at implementing age-friendly retrofitting of NBEs, ultimately enhancing the OA and QoL of the elderly population. Full article

As street space is the most accessible outdoor area for kids, safeguarding their rights and interests on the streets is paramount for fostering kid-friendly communities. However, due to the absence of public space and inadequate security, the streets in historic neighborhoods are unsuitable for kids’ activities. To uncover the crucial influence of the street environment on children’s physical activity and Body Mass Index (BMI) health, we conducted a questionnaire survey for children aged 6–12 residing in the Xi’an Ming Dynasty City Wall Historical and Cultural Neighborhood (XMDN) and collected 343 valid responses. The analysis delved into children’s BMI statuses, their willingness to engage in street activities (WAS), the frequency (AF), duration (AD), and types (AT) of these activities, as well as their satisfaction with the street environment (SE). Using binary logit and linear regression models, we specifically examined the relationships between children’s BMI health, WAS, AT, AF, AD, and SE satisfaction. The key findings emphasize children’s inherent desire to be active on the streets. Based on the research findings, we suggest reducing traffic speed and widening sidewalks to make children’s street activities safer, optimizing street greening to improve the comfort of children’s activities, and enriching commercial activities on the street to create a fun atmosphere. These measures will collectively increase the duration and frequency of their outdoor activities and contribute to the overall improvement of children’s health and well-being. Full article

With the rapid aging of the global population, China’s old urban areas, especially historical urban areas, are facing a more severe aging situation. In the context of heritage protection, the development and regeneration of historical urban areas are restricted. They usually face the aging and decay of housing, infrastructure, and public service facilities, which are harmful neighborhood environmental factors to the health development of older adults. Since the World Health Organization adopted “healthy aging” as a development strategy to deal with population aging, the mental health of older adults has become an increasingly important public health issue. A growing body of research demonstrates the positive impact of blue spaces (including oceans, rivers, lakes, wetlands, ponds, etc.) on older adults’ mental health, yet evidence on the potential of blue spaces in a historical environment to promote mental health among older adults remains limited. Therefore, exploring the neighborhood impact of blue space on the mental health of older adults has become a new entry point to provide an age-friendly environment for older adults in the ancient city. This study uses multi-source data such as community questionnaire data, remote sensing images, urban street view images, and environmental climate data of the ancient city of Suzhou, to extract a variety of blue space quantitative indicators, and uses the hierarchical linear model and mediation effect model to explore the neighborhood impact of blue space exposure in the historical environment on older adults, to try to explore the impact path and formation mechanism behind it. The result is that exposure to neighborhood blue space in Suzhou’s historic urban area is significantly related to the mental health of older adults. Additionally, neighborhood blue space exposure improves the mental health of older adults by relieving stress and promoting physical activities and social interaction. The health effects of neighborhood blue space exposure vary among elderly groups with different age and income stratifications, and have a greater impact on the healthy lifestyle and mental health of older adults in younger and lower-income aging groups. Based on a multidisciplinary theoretical perspective, this study enriches the empirical literature on the impact of blue space on the mental health of older adults in historical environments and provides a scientific basis for the regeneration planning of “healthy neighborhoods” and “healthy aging” in historical urban areas. Full article

Background: Based on findings from a recent systematic review of the methodological aspects related to data collection for the walk-along interview (WAI) method applied to healthy older adults, complementary questions emerged, among them, what are the main outcomes of studies that have used the WAI? Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to identify the outcomes of published studies that have used the WAI method to identify correlates of the perceived neighborhood environment on walking activity in healthy older adults. Methods: In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, a date-unrestricted search spanning four databases was performed. Of the 164 articles identified in the initial search, 31 articles published between 2012 and 2022 met the inclusion criteria. Results: The extracted outcomes were classified into two categories: (1) the relationship between the physical characteristics of the environment and walking among healthy older adults (e.g., pedestrian infrastructure, safety, access to facilities, aesthetics and environmental conditions) and (2) the facilitators and barriers to walking, based on the dimensions of the socioecological model. Conclusions: This review provides a valuable resource for researchers, students and professionals who wish to work with the WAI method, working on aging and age-friendly cities policies. Full article

Coastal communities face escalating risks from rising sea levels and the increasing growth of vulnerable, aging populations in high-risk zones. These threats are expected to intensify as population growth and aging trends continue. In response to these challenges, this study represents a novel investigation into the synergistic impacts of demographic shifts and climate change in shaping the vulnerability of coastal communities, particularly focusing on elderly populations. This study’s primary objectives are to assess the potential impacts of these threats on vulnerable older adults and to explore effective adaptation strategies. To achieve these objectives, we used census tract data from Hawaii and the Hamilton–Perry cohort-component method to project the elderly population trends in each census tract for Honolulu in 2050. The vulnerabilities of older adults were estimated under different sea level rise level conditions and mapped according to three planning scenarios: (1) maintaining the status quo; (2) relocating or redeveloping vulnerable elderly residents to safer, low-density neighborhoods; (3) relocating or redeveloping vulnerable elderly residents to secure, high-density areas with amenities for older adults. We further evaluated transportation accessibility to emergency services in these scenarios. The findings reveal that with a projected sea level rise of 1.1 feet, the number of elderly individuals without timely access (within 8 min) to emergency and healthcare services would double by 2050. This is primarily attributed to reduced transportation access and increased aging in high-risk areas. Compared to the status quo, both relocation (or redevelopment) strategies significantly improve the vulnerable elderly population’s access to emergency and healthcare services, even without enhancements in transportation and infrastructure. Given that many developments and aging trends are yet to fully unfold, we propose that existing adaptation strategies should prioritize land use development, along with housing and transportation solutions that align with development scenarios 2 and 3, to support age-friendly activities and lifestyles. By directing population growth towards less vulnerable zones in the coming decades, we can achieve protective effects equivalent to those of future relocation efforts, but without incurring substantial protection or relocation costs. Full article

Community public service facilities have a primary supportive role in the health of the elderly. Under the background of global aging, it has become vital to evaluate the elderly-adaptability of their layouts. Based on the supply and demand interaction perspective, this study used the questionnaire-AHP-2SFCA method for this purpose. Firstly, taking the six main districts of Hangzhou as an example, we analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of the elderly population, and a weight index table of the health importance of public service facilities was constructed using a questionnaire survey and the AHP method. Secondly, the improved 2SFCA was used to analyze the accessibility of public service facilities in Hangzhou, and combined with the weight index table, the elderly-adaptability of public service facilities in the community life circle was comprehensively evaluated. Finally, the demands of the elderly and the supply of public service facilities in the same region were superimposed to study the differential pattern of supply and demand. The results showed the following: (1) The communities with the largest elderly population are mainly concentrated in Shangcheng District, Xiacheng District, the north of Gongshu District, the west of Jianggan District, and the north of Binjiang District. (2) Green space facilities in parks are most important to the health of the elderly, with a weight of 0.46. (3) The overall evaluation results of the community life circle in the study area were good, and the proportion of areas above the medium level was more than 50%. This showed that the concepts of “neighborhood center” and “big community elderly care” in Hangzhou have achieved initial positive results. (4) Based on the interaction between supply and demand, the research area can be divided into four patterns: supply and demand balance, supply shortage, demand gap, and low supply and demand. The results of this study will help to improve the layout and aging-friendly status of community life circle facilities in Hangzhou, and provide information for other aging cities. Full article

Lack of physical activity is a growing concern among public health advocates and urban planners. Our socio-ecological model incorporates urban planning and World Health Organization actions on physical activity to identify key factors related to leisure-time physical activity at the community level. Our 2019 nationwide US survey of 1312 communities enables examination of the influence of individual, community, and policy levels on physical activity. Individual factors—poverty, aging, minority population, and longer commuting time—result in lower physical activity. Community-level factors have both positive and negative effects. Physical activity is lower in rural and suburban communities, but higher in communities with more transportation services, recreation and social activities, and safety. Communities with mixed-use neighborhoods and complete streets also show higher levels of physical activity. At the policy level, zoning and cross-agency collaboration have an indirect effect on physical activity by increasing these community-level factors. This suggests an alternative approach to promoting physical activity. Local governments can promote transportation, recreation and safety, especially in rural and minority communities lacking active-friendly built environments and facing challenges from aging population, poverty, and longer commuting time. This socio-ecological approach can assess multilevel factors related to physical activity in other countries. Full article

Objective: This study aimed to explore the housing and residential environment conditions associated with functional autonomy in older persons. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted, including 175 individuals over the age of 60. Participants were non-institutionalized urban residents of Medellín, Colombia, selected by random two-stage sampling (neighborhoods and blocks). Analysis was done according to functional autonomy of action (dependent variable); and demographic conditions, housing, and the physical and social environment suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the strategy of age-friendly cities (independent variables). Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed with these variables, where the odds ratio (OR), association hypothesis test, and confidence intervals were estimated, using logistic regression models. Results: 89.7% of older persons had moderate physical performance. The performance of intergenerational activities (OR = 5.28) and community actions (OR = 11.28) were part of social environments. The adaptations in public transport (OR = 90.33), sanitary services (OR = 4.1), and lighting in parks (OR = 19.9) of the physical environment were the associations found with functional autonomy. Conclusions: Exploring how the physical and social environments surrounding housing are associated with the functional performance of older persons can generate useful information to support public health and city infrastructure strategies that improve their physical performance and maintain autonomy. Full article