Neighborhood social environments and mental health among youth and adults in public housing

Abstract

Neighborhoods influence health in part through social processes. However, little is known about how multiple neighborhood social processes co-occur, or about within (vs. between) neighborhood variation in social processes and health. This study asked how residents of a large public housing development describe their neighborhood and used latent profile analysis to develop profiles of residents according to their social environment perceptions (N = 527, Mage = 44, 15% Asian, 19% Black, 38% Latino, 19% White, 8% other). We included cross–race interactions as an understudied aspect of the social environment, along with social cohesion, place attachment, sense of safety, and neighborhood problems. Five profiles were identified. The largest (35% of participants) was generally content with their neighborhood. Another 18% had strongly positive perceptions, 18% were well connected but concerned about neighborhood problems, 15% were socially disengaged, and 15% were strongly dissatisfied. Profile membership was systematically related to individual and contextual factors. Anxiety and depression were highest in the strongly dissatisfied profile and the two profiles containing a mix of positive and negative perceptions (connected but concerned and socially disengaged). Findings show how differences within (not just between) neighborhoods relate to health and have implications for social programs targeting the unique needs and strengths of public housing residents.