Neighborhood Participation Is Less Likely among Older Adults with Sidewalk Problems

Objectives: This cross-sectional study examines the association between perceived sidewalk conditions and neighborhood participation among older adults in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. Methods: Between 2013–2016, 14,233 REGARDS participants completed a second in-home visit. Using logistic regression, we cross-sectionally examined if perceived severity of sidewalk problems was associated with going into the neighborhood less than once compared to 1–7 times per week. Results: The analytic sample included participants (N = 9863) with nonmissing data. The likelihood of going into the neighborhood less than one time per week was greater among participants who reported minor (OR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.33), somewhat serious (OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.17, 1.70), and very serious (OR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.38, 1.98) sidewalk problems in their neighborhood compared to those reporting no sidewalk problems, independent of demographic, socioeconomic, and impairment characteristics. Discussion: Perceived sidewalk problems appear to deter neighborhood participation among older adults.