It also suggests that the effort to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods can have the added benefit of improving the health of individuals living there. |
Our study shows that it's not just who you are or what you do, but where you live that affects your well-being. |
This study of neighborhood conditions is especially important because it has investigated a relatively older population. Older people are much more sensitive to their environment. They rely on aspects of their immediate surroundings--how easy it is to get to the doctor or the grocery store or go for a walk--much more than younger people do. |
Very few studies have examined the influence of neighborhood conditions on physical disabilities. We found the quality of the neighborhood had a very high impact on lower-body function in the people we surveyed. |