BEYOND INDIVIDUAL RISK - NEIGHBORHOOD EFFECTS ON LONELINESS IN PREDOMINATELY BLACK ADULTS IN PITTSBURGH - Abstract

Sep 28, 2026

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While individual correlates of loneliness such as age, sex, and physical function are well documented, the study tests whether neighborhood characteristics alter those relationships. Guided by the Ecological Theory of Aging, data from the Think PHRESH study (N=753) examined subjective and objective neighborhood factors as moderators between individual characteristics and loneliness in two predominantly Black neighborhoods. Loneliness used the UCLA 3-item scale. Subjective factors included perceived safety and neighborhood satisfaction; objective factors included socioeconomic deprivation and residential instability. Multivariable linear regressions with interaction terms assessed moderation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study aim and framework

Data and measurements

Neighborhood factors tested

Key findings and implications

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 1309 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.4361 BEYOND INDIVIDUAL RISK: NEIGHBORHOOD EFFECTS ON LONELINESS IN PREDOMINATELY BLACK ADULTS IN PITTSBURGH Moka Yoo-Jeong1, Greta Jianjia Cheng2, Tamara Dubowitz3, Wendy Troxel4, Gerald Hunter5, Bonnie Dastidar6, Tanisha Hill-Jarrett7, and Andrea Rosso2, 1. Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 2. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 3. University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 4. RAND, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 5. Rand Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 6. RAND, Santa Monia, California, United States, 7. University of California Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California, United States 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 1310 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 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.

FAQs

What research question does the study address about loneliness?

It examines whether neighborhood characteristics modify the associations between individual correlates (such as age and functional limitations) and loneliness among adults in predominantly Black neighborhoods.

Which tools and data sources were used to measure loneliness and neighborhoods?

Loneliness was measured using the UCLA 3-item scale, and neighborhood factors were drawn from the Think PHRESH study, including both subjective (perceived safety, satisfaction) and objective measures (socioeconomic deprivation, residential instability).

What do the findings suggest about subjective neighborhood conditions?

Perceived safety and neighborhood satisfaction interact with individual vulnerabilities: adults who perceive lower safety or lower satisfaction report higher loneliness, especially among middle-aged and older groups. Objective neighborhood measures did not moderate the associations.

Sep 28, 2026

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