Perceived characteristics of the neighborhood and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults: a cross-section study

ABSTRACT The high prevalence of depressive symptoms in older adults highlights the importance investigating risk factors that may contribute to this condition, especially those are subject effective interventions, such as neighborhood environment. However, association between perceived characteristics environment and presence Brazilian adults, well who attend Primary Health Care (PHC) units is not yet fully established. This study aimed verify perception community-dwelling adults. a cross-sectional, household-based with probabilistic sample. A total 293 (57.3% women; 54.7% aged 60-69 years) registered municipal System Balneário Arroio do Silva/SC were included. Depressive assessed using Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was obtained adapted instrument Neighborhood Environment Walkability (NEWS). Associations tested by multivariate logistic regression. Significant negative associations observed food establishments (OR: 0.52; 95%CI: 0.28-0.98), health clinics community centers 0.28-0.96), outdoor gyms 0.38; 0.20-0.72), fitness and/or clubs 0.42; 0.19-0.89), well-maintained sidewalks 0.37; 0.19-0.71), pedestrian signals 0.39; 0.18-0.84), safety for walking during day 0.35; 0.16-0.76) night 0.40; 0.19-0.83) symptoms. It concluded there inverse better demonstrating promoting strategies improve infrastructure prevent population.