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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2008

Open Access 01-12-2008 | Research article

Rating neighborhoods for older adult health: results from the African American Health study

Authors: Elena M Andresen, Theodore K Malmstrom, Fredric D Wolinsky, Mario Schootman, J Philip Miller, Douglas K Miller

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2008

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Abstract

Background

Social theories suggest that neighborhood quality affects health. Observer ratings of neighborhoods should be subjected to psychometric tests.

Methods

African American Health (AAH) study subjects were selected from two diverse St. Louis metropolitan catchment areas. Interviewers rated streets and block faces for 816 households. Items and a summary scale were compared across catchment areas and to the resident respondents' global neighborhood assessments.

Results

Individual items and the scale were strongly associated with both the catchment area and respondent assessments. Ratings based on both block faces did not improve those based on a single block face. Substantial interviewer effects were observed despite strong discriminant and concurrent validity.

Conclusion

Observer ratings show promise in understanding the effect of neighborhood on health outcomes. The AAH Neighborhood Assessment Scale and other rating systems should be tested further in diverse settings.
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Metadata
Title
Rating neighborhoods for older adult health: results from the African American Health study
Authors
Elena M Andresen
Theodore K Malmstrom
Fredric D Wolinsky
Mario Schootman
J Philip Miller
Douglas K Miller
Publication date
01-12-2008
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2008
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-8-35

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