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The Association between Residential Environment and Self-Rated Mental Health among Older Canadians: The Moderating Effects of Education and Gender

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2024

Ethan Siu Leung Cheung Open the ORCID record for Ethan Siu Leung Cheung [Opens in a new window]
Ethan Siu Leung Cheung*
Affiliation:
Department of Family and Consumer Studies, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
*
Corresponding author: Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to: Ethan Siu Leung Cheung, Department of Family and Consumer Studies, The University of Utah. 225 S. 1400 E. Alfred Emery Building, 228, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA (u6051622@utah.edu)
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Abstract

This study examined the associations between residential environment and self-rated mental health (SRMH) among Canadians aged 65 or older (n = 16,304) and whether education and gender moderated the associations. Data came from the 2018 Canadian Housing Survey. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to test the associations. Analyses revealed that increased dwelling size was associated with better SRMH among older women with high school education. Older adults with higher satisfaction with their dwelling design were more likely to report better SRMH, except for women with some college education. Feeling safer in the community was uniquely associated with better SRMH for men with high school education and women with a university degree. Results confirmed significant associations between specific home and residential environment features and SRMH for each gender-by-education group. Environmental programs designed to improve SRMH for older adult populations should consider within- and between-group diversity.

Resume

Resume

Cette étude a examiné les liens entre l’environnement résidentiel et la santé mentale autodéclarée (SMAD) chez les Canadiens âgés de 65 ans ou plus (n = 16 304), et ce en cherchant à déterminer si le niveau d’études et le genre modéraient ces liens. Les données provenaient de l’Enquête canadienne sur le logement de 2018. Des régressions multiples hiérarchiques ont été réalisées pour tester les liens. Les analyses ont révélé qu’une plus grande taille de logement était associée à une meilleure SMAD chez les femmes âgées ayant un diplôme d’études secondaires. Les personnes âgées plus satisfaites de la conception de leur logement étaient plus susceptibles d’afficher une meilleure SMAD, sauf les femmes ayant fait des études collégiales. Se sentir plus en sécurité dans la communauté était spécifiquement associé à une meilleure SMAD pour les hommes ayant un diplôme d’études secondaires et les femmes ayant un diplôme universitaire. Les résultats ont confirmé des liens significatifs entre des caractéristiques spécifiques du logement et de l’environnement résidentiel et la SMAD pour chaque groupe genre-niveau d’études. Les programmes environnementaux visant à améliorer la SMAD dans des populations de personnes âgées devraient tenir compte de la diversité au sein des groupes et entre les groupes.

Keywords

home environmentcommunity environmentself-rated mental healtheducationgenderenvironnement résidentielenvironnement communautairesanté mentale autodéclaréeniveau d’étudesgenre
Type
Article
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , First View , pp. 1 - 10
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Copyright
© Canadian Association on Gerontology 2024

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