Location Matters: The Role of the Neighborhood Environment for Incident Cardiometabolic Disease in Adults Aging With Physical Disability

Abstract

Purpose

People aging with disability may be limited in their ability to engage in healthy behaviors to maintain cardiometabolic health. We investigated the role of health promoting features in the neighborhood environment for incident cardiometabolic disease in adults aging with physical disability in the United States.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Optum’s Clinformatics® Data Mart Database (2007-2018) of administrative health claims.

Subjects

ICD-9-CM codes were used to identify 15 467 individuals with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Multiple Sclerosis, or Spinal Cord Injury.

Measures

Cardiometabolic disease was identified using ICD-9-CM/ICD-10-CM codes over 3 years of follow-up. Measures of the neighborhood environment came from the National Neighborhood Data Archive and linked to individual residential ZIP codes over time. Covariates included age, sex, and comorbid health conditions.

Analysis

Cox regression models estimated hazard ratios (HR) for incident cardiometabolic disease. Using a 1-year lookback period, individuals with pre-existing cardiometabolic disease were excluded from the analysis.

Results

Net of individual risk factors, residing in neighborhoods with a greater density of broadband Internet connections (HR = .88, 95% CI: .81, .97), public transit stops (HR = .89, 95% CI: .83, .95), recreational establishments (HR = .89, 95% CI: .83, .96), and parks (HR = .88, 95% CI: .82, .94), was associated with reduced risk of 3-year incident cardiometabolic disease.

Conclusion

Findings identify health-promoting resources that may mitigate health disparities in adults aging with disability.