Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the frequency of going outdoors and neighborhood environment factors associated with the social interaction of community-dwelling older adults.
Method: From 2008 to 2011, 23 prefrail older adults and 50 registrants of employment services centers for older adults were recruited for this study; 72, excluding one invalid respondent, were included in the analysis. A self-reported questionnaire was used to obtain information on sex, age, social interaction (Index of Social Interaction: ISI), the frequency of going outdoors, and the neighborhood built environment (Japanese version of the Home and Community Environment instrument). The population per square kilometer of habitable area at the municipal level was added to the data. Multivariate multilevel linear regression models were adopted and analyzed with the total ISI score as the dependent variable, the frequency of going outdoors, the neighborhood built environment, and other variables as the first-level independent variables, and the population per square kilometer of habitable area as the second-level independent variable.
Results: The average age (standard deviation) was 71.7 (5.35) years. The frequency of going outdoors (β=0.75, p=0.016) and the existence of safe parks and walking areas in the neighborhood (b=1.69, p=0.003) were positively associated with a higher ISI score.
Conclusion: The frequency of going outdoors and the existence of safe parks and walking areas in the neighborhood were found to be associated with the degree of social interaction of community-dwelling older adults in Japan.
