Factors Affecting Mental Health of Old People Living in Newly Developed Residential Area

Sense of Community and Living Environment

Abstract

　　This study was carried out to clarify the effects of the sense of community and living environment on elderly citizens’ mental health. We conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey targeting 820 men and women aged 65 and over, who were a member of “A” seniors’ club or participant of a daily service event organized by “A” Council of Social Welfare. Valid responses came from 577 people, who were enrolled in this study. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that elderly citizens’ life satisfaction was positively correlated with “subjective sense of well-being”, “hypertension”, “junior high school district”, “love for the region”, “social supports&rdqul;, and “no medical problems”, and negatively correlated with “neuroticism” and &ldqip:stress”. In addition, risk factors for depression were “single life”, “neuroticism”, and “stress”, whereas improvement factors were “subjective sense of well-being”, “hobby”, “fine views”, and “sociability”. Our findings showed that elderly adults’ mental health status was associated with various factors such as their “love for the region” “living environment with fine views”, “subjective sense of well-being”, and “personality”. These results suggested that community networks could favorably affect elderly people’s mental health.