New Findings from Queensland University of Technology in the Area of Preventive Medicine Described (Neighborhood disadvantage, individual-level…

New Findings from Queensland University of Technology in the Area of Preventive Medicine Described (Neighborhood disadvantage, individual-level socioeconomic position and physical function: A cross-sectional multilevel analysis)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Week -- Data detailed on Health and Medicine - Preventive Medicine have been presented. According to news reporting from Brisbane, Australia, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, "Understanding associations between physical function and neighborhood disadvantage may provide insights into which interventions might best contribute to reducing socioeconomic inequalities in health. This study examines associations between neighborhood-disadvantage, individual-level socioeconomic position (SEP) and physical function from a multilevel perspective."

Financial supporters for this research include National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Transport and Main Roads and the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (see also Health and Medicine - Preventive Medicine).

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from the Queensland University of Technology, "Data were obtained from the HABITAT multilevel longitudinal (2007-13) study of middle-aged adults, using data from the fourth wave (2013). This investigation included 6004 residents (age 46-71 years) of 535 neighborhoods in Brisbane, Australia. Physical function was measured using the PF-10 (0-100), with higher scores indicating better function. The data were analyzed using multilevel linear regression and were extended to test for cross-level interactions by including interaction terms for different combinations of SEP (education, occupation, household income) and neighborhood disadvantage on physical function. Residents of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods reported significantly lower physical function (men: beta-11.36 95% CI-13.74,-8.99; women: beta-11.41 95% CI-13.60,-9.22). These associations remained after adjustment for individual-level SEP. Individuals with no post-school education, those permanently unable to work, and members of the lowest household income had significantly poorer physical function. Cross-level interactions suggested that the relationship between household income and physical function is different across levels of neighborhood disadvantage for men; and for education and occupation for women. Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood was negatively associated with physical function after adjustment for individual-level SEP."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "These results may assist in the development of policy-relevant targeted interventions to delay the rate of physical function decline at a community-level."

For more information on this research see: Neighborhood disadvantage, individual-level socioeconomic position and physical function: A cross-sectional multilevel analysis. Preventive Medicine, 2016;89():112-120. Preventive Medicine can be contacted at: Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science, 525 B St, Ste 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495, USA. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Preventive Medicine - www.journals.elsevier.com/preventive-medicine/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting V.H.Y. Loh, Queensland University of Technology, Inst Hlth & Biomed Innovat, Brisbane, Qld, Australia. Additional authors for this research include J.N. Rachele, W.J. Brown, S. Washington and G. Turrell.

Keywords for this news article include: Brisbane, Australia, Australia and New Zealand, Preventive Medicine, Health and Medicine, Risk and Prevention, Queensland University of Technology.

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