The Role of the Neighborhood Social Environment on Adulthood Depression: Insights from Midlife in the United States III.

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious public health concern in the United States. Prior research has shown that neighborhood characteristics serve as protective factors against depression in adolescents. Few studies have examined the association between perceived neighborhood characteristics and depression during middle and older adulthood. We examined the association between each perceived neighborhood social environment (i.e., social cohesion and safety) and the presence of MDD among Midlife in the United States III (MIDUS) participants (n = 2,435, mean age = 63.6 years, Female = 54.4%). Moreover, we investigated whether these associations were moderated by sex and income, separately. All models were adjusted for demographic variables. Overall, perceived neighborhood social cohesion and safety were negatively associated with the presence of MDD. The associations varied when analyses were stratified by sex and income. Findings offer support for the perceived neighborhood social environments as protective factors against depression during middle and older adulthood.