Measures of Neighborhood Quality: Self-reports of Mothers of Infant Children

Poor neighborhood perceptions among mothers during pregnancy are associated with negative health outcomes such as maternal stress, preterm birth and long-term mental health problems in children. Given the increasing research on neighborhood perceptions, we examined the maternal-, child-, and neighborhood-level correlates of self-reported maternal neighborhood satisfaction at 13 months post-partum. Women were recruited from the post-partum units at Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island from January 5, 2009 to March 19, 2009. Unadjusted and adjusted regression coefficients were estimated using linear regression. In the full model, being a mother in excellent or very good health, being Hispanic/Latino, and having a higher or unknown household income were associated with a higher neighborhood satisfaction rating at 13 months, and having a stubborn baby, having more than a high school or GED education, as well as living in a neighborhood with a higher percent of black and Latino residents were significantly associated with a lower neighborhood satisfaction rating. Our results indicate that various aspects of the neighborhood environment, maternal characteristics, and characteristics of the child influence maternal neighborhood satisfaction post-partum. All of these characteristics should be accounted for when assessing the relationship between maternal neighborhood perceptions and both short- and long-term health effects in the offspring. In addition, when assessing neighborhood perception at any point in the life course, it is important to account for neighborhood- and individual-level characteristics, as well as risk factors associated with daily stress at the time of assessment.