Godina, Sara
(2023)
Examining the association of race and neighborhood greenspace on cognitive outcomes: brain structure and impairment free life span.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Consistently, studies indicate there are stark racial differences in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s Disease. Residential segregation is considered a fundamental driver of racial disparities in health, as racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to live in neighborhoods with less access to and differing quality of resources that promote health and wellness. Specific aspects of disadvantaged neighborhoods, including decreased greenspace, are associated with poorer cognitive function. Prior work has been limited by a lack of structural neuroimaging and infrequent use of person-centered cognitive outcomes among racially diverse older adults. This dissertation utilized secondary data from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study, a population-based, biracial sample of adults aged 70-79 at entry. In Aim 1, we examined whether there were racial differences in physical indicators of brain health (measured by gray matter macrostructure), and what factors explain such differences. We found that White individuals consistently showed less evidence of neurodegeneration in two regions of interest (parahippocampal gyrus and entorhinal cortex) compared to Black individuals, and these associations were only partially explained by the demographic, environmental, and psychosocial factors considered. In Aim 2, we investigated the association between the overall percent of neighborhood greenspace (derived from the 2007 National Land Cover Dataset) and physical indicators of brain health (measured by gray matter micro-structure). We found more greenspace was associated with worse brain integrity in two regions of interest (left precuneus and thalamus), and we found no evidence of effect modification by race. In Aim 3, we determined the association between more granular measures of neighborhood greenspace and Cognitively Healthy Life Years (CHLYs), or years lived to the first occurrence of cognitive problems. We found the presence of abandoned buildings or homes in the neighborhood was associated with fewer CHLYs (stronger in White participants), and the presence of parks, walking, or biking trails was associated with fewer life years (stronger in Black participants). Taken together, our results suggest psychosocial factors and the type of neighborhood greenspace may represent modifiable targets in future interventions to promote healthy cognitive aging and reduction of disparities.
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| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
24 August 2023 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
13 July 2023 |
| Approval Date: |
24 August 2023 |
| Submission Date: |
1 August 2023 |
| Access Restriction: |
2 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 2 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
146 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Epidemiology |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
epidemiology; cognition; health disparities; environmental factors |
| Date Deposited: |
24 Aug 2023 13:51 |
| Last Modified: |
24 Aug 2023 18:20 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/45207 |
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