Beyond Individual Risk: Neighborhood Effects on Loneliness in Predominately Black Adults in Pittsburgh

TL;DR

This study finds that how safe and satisfying people feel about their neighborhood affects how loneliness is experienced, especially among older Black adults in Pittsburgh.

Contribution

The study reveals that subjective neighborhood perceptions moderate the relationship between age and loneliness in predominantly Black communities.

Findings

Middle-aged and older adults report higher loneliness in unsafe neighborhoods.

Low neighborhood satisfaction is linked to greater loneliness among older and middle-aged adults.

Functional limitations are associated with increased loneliness in neighborhoods with low safety or satisfaction.

Abstract

While individual correlates (age, sex, physical function) of loneliness have been well-documented, less is known about whether neighborhood characteristics modify these associations. Guided by the Ecological Theory of Aging, this study examined whether subjective and objective neighborhood factors moderate the associations between individual correlates and loneliness among adults in two predominantly Black neighborhoods. Data were drawn from the Think PHRESH study (N = 753), an ancillary study to a longitudinal cohort study of the Pittsburgh Hill/Homewood Research on Neighborhood Change and Health (PHRESH). Loneliness was measured using the UCLA 3-item scale. Subjective neighborhood factors included perceived safety and neighborhood satisfaction. Objective factors included socioeconomic deprivation and residential instability. Multivariable linear regressions with interaction terms tested moderation effects. Among those perceiving their neighborhoods as less safe, middle-aged adults (50-65 years) and older adults (≥65 years) reported significantly higher loneliness compared to younger adults (31-49 years). These age-related differences were not observed among those reporting high safety. A similar pattern emerged for neighborhood satisfaction: greater loneliness was reported among middle-aged and older adults with low neighborhood satisfaction, but not among those with high satisfaction. Functional limitations were also linked to greater loneliness among those with low perceived safety or neighborhood satisfaction. Objective neighborhood measures did not moderate associations. Findings demonstrate that perceptions of neighborhood safety and satisfaction interact with individual vulnerabilities to shape loneliness. Supportive neighborhood conditions may buffer loneliness among high-risk groups. These findings highlight the need for community-based interventions that enhance subjective neighborhood experiences to buffer against loneliness in historically marginalized communities.