Gentrification, Health, and the Perceived Social Cohesion of Older Adults

Abstract

The changes brought by gentrification disproportionately affect older adults. Gentrification is the process by which higher-income residents move into and alter a neighborhood's characteristics through financial (but not necessarily social or community-engaged) investment. The process may adversely affect their health and well-being, as well as that of other residents in the neighborhood, through cumulative stress and potential declines in social cohesion. To address this gap, the present study used national survey and U.S. Census data to examine the interrelationships among gentrification, social cohesion, and health outcomes among older adults. The study was organized into three components. First (Aim 1), I conducted a narrative review to explore the existing literature on the relationship between gentrification and various outcomes for older adults. Second (Aim 2), I used data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and the American Community Survey (ACS) for 2011 through 2022/23 to examine the association between gentrification and self-reported health among older adults, employing generalized linear models (GLMs) and a difference-in-difference model. Third (Aim 3), I examined the relationship between gentrification and social cohesion for older adults, employing the same data and modeling approach used in Aim 2. I discuss the implications of these findings for health and social policy, health equity, and future research.