Authors' Affiliations

Dr. Shimin Zheng, Dr. Jodi Southerland

Location

D.P. Culp Center Ballroom

Start Date

4-5-2024 9:00 AM

End Date

4-5-2024 11:30 AM

Poster Number

171

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Elizabeth Erin Mauck

Faculty Sponsor's Department

Community and Behavioral Health

Classification of First Author

Graduate Student-Master’s

Competition Type

Competitive

Type

Poster Presentation

Presentation Category

Social Sciences

Abstract or Artist's Statement

Background: A vibrant community encourages healthy lifestyles. Belonging to a community reduces social isolation, especially among older adults. Communities provide emotional and practical support for aging well. Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine factors associated with a sense of community (SOC) among older adults aging in place in Northeast Tennessee. Methods: The survey was administered to 82 older adults living in senior apartment complexes in Northeast Tennessee from February to March 2023. The evaluation of SOC utilized the 8-item Brief Sense of Community Scale. Low SOC was defined as a score of 24 or less. We used logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of SOC. Results: Nearly one in six (15.85%) experienced a very low or moderately low SOC. Not having a caregiver quadrupled the odds of reporting a low SOC compared to individuals with a caregiver (AOR=4.41; 90% CI: 1.05-18.52, p=0.09). Similarly, experiencing barriers to aging-in-place increased the odds of low SOC compared to without barriers (AOR=6.63; 90% CI: 1.57-27.97, p=0.03). Older adults who had a low leisure time activities score and who rated their community livability as fair to poor were also more likely to report a low SOC (AOR=16.99, 90% CI: 3.20-90.20, p=0.005; AOR=16.67, 90% CI: 3.43-81.52, p=0.003, respectively). Conclusions: These findings can be used to develop tailored strategies to promote SOC among the region’s aging population. The findings should be interpreted with caution, given the small sample size and the extremely wide confidence intervals. Larger studies are needed to confirm the findings.

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Apr 5th, 9:00 AM Apr 5th, 11:30 AM

Factors Associated with Sense of Community Among Older Adults Aging in Place in Northeast Tennessee: A Cross-Sectional Study

D.P. Culp Center Ballroom

Background: A vibrant community encourages healthy lifestyles. Belonging to a community reduces social isolation, especially among older adults. Communities provide emotional and practical support for aging well. Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine factors associated with a sense of community (SOC) among older adults aging in place in Northeast Tennessee. Methods: The survey was administered to 82 older adults living in senior apartment complexes in Northeast Tennessee from February to March 2023. The evaluation of SOC utilized the 8-item Brief Sense of Community Scale. Low SOC was defined as a score of 24 or less. We used logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of SOC. Results: Nearly one in six (15.85%) experienced a very low or moderately low SOC. Not having a caregiver quadrupled the odds of reporting a low SOC compared to individuals with a caregiver (AOR=4.41; 90% CI: 1.05-18.52, p=0.09). Similarly, experiencing barriers to aging-in-place increased the odds of low SOC compared to without barriers (AOR=6.63; 90% CI: 1.57-27.97, p=0.03). Older adults who had a low leisure time activities score and who rated their community livability as fair to poor were also more likely to report a low SOC (AOR=16.99, 90% CI: 3.20-90.20, p=0.005; AOR=16.67, 90% CI: 3.43-81.52, p=0.003, respectively). Conclusions: These findings can be used to develop tailored strategies to promote SOC among the region’s aging population. The findings should be interpreted with caution, given the small sample size and the extremely wide confidence intervals. Larger studies are needed to confirm the findings.