Living with pain in 'age-(un)friendly' housing environments: A qualitative study with African American older adults.
Staja Q Booker
PMID 34560523WHAT IT FOUND
Six African American older adults with arthritis pain described living in senior housing that lacked on-site healthcare, grab bars, and internet access.
They relied on public transport and social support to manage daily life, noting that environmental barriers complicated their pain self-management.
Key findings
01Residents identified a lack of on-site healthcare staff and adaptive features like grab bars as major barriers to aging with pain.
02Limited access to technology and information, such as no public computers, forced residents to seek health information elsewhere.
03Social support and shared culture helped buffer the negative effects of environmental inequities on their quality of life.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only six participants, all living in the same metropolitan area and housing type, which limits how much these findings apply to other older African Americans or different living situations. The analysis was secondary, re-using data collected for a different purpose, which may have missed environmental details not originally prioritized. The sample was homogeneous regarding race and housing status, so findings do not represent the broader population of older adults with chronic pain.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR).
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this as evidence that specific interventions, such as installing grab bars or providing on-site healthcare, will reduce pain or improve outcomes. The study only describes the experiences and perceptions of six individuals regarding their environment.