The relationship of neighborhood climate to perceived social support and mental health in older Hispanic immigrants in Miami, Florida.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines the relationship of neighborhood climate (i.e., neighborhood social environment) to perceived social support and mental health outcomes in older Hispanic immigrants.


METHODS
A population-based sample of 273 community-dwelling older Hispanic immigrants (aged 70 to 100) in Miami, Florida, completed self-report measures of neighborhood climate, social support, and psychological distress and performance-based measures of cognitive functioning. Structural equation modeling was used to model the relationship of neighborhood climate to elders' perceived social support and mental health outcomes (i.e., cognitive functioning, psychological distress).


RESULTS
Neighborhood climate had a significant direct relationship to cognitive functioning, after controlling for demographics. By contrast, neighborhood climate had a significant indirect relationship to psychological distress, through its relationship to perceived social support. Moreover, social support mediated the relationship between neighborhood climate and psychological distress.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that a more positive neighborhood social environment may be associated with better mental health outcomes in urban, older Hispanic immigrants.
Brown
Scott C
SC
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Center for Family Studies, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1425 NW 10th Ave. Rm. 210-B, Miami, Florida 33136, USA. sbrown@med.miami.edu
Mason
Craig A
CA
Spokane
Arnold R
AR
Cruza-Guet
Maria Cristina
MC
Lopez
Barbara
B
Szapocznik
José
J