Conceptualizing age-friendly community characteristics in a sample of urban elders: an exploratory factor analysis.
Accurate conceptualization and measurement of age-friendly community characteristics would help to reduce barriers to documenting the effects on elders of interventions to create such communities. This article contributes to the measurement of age-friendly communities through an exploratory factor analysis of items reflecting an existing US Environmental Protection Agency policy framework. From a sample of urban elders (n = 1,376), we identified 6 factors associated with demographic and health characteristics: access to business and leisure, social interaction, access to health care, neighborhood problems, social support, and community engagement. Future research should explore the effects of these factors across contexts and populations.
School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. smithrichardj@wayne.edu
Richard J
RJ
Smith
Amanda J
AJ
Lehning
Ruth E
RE
Dunkle
D000368:Aged; D001107:Architectural Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support; D014186:Transportation / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population