Factors That Influence the Sense of Attachment to the Community in the Japanese Suburban Population

Aim: This study aimed to identify what drives community attachment among suburban residents.Methods: In a cross-sectional analysis, 4,301 individuals (1,792 males, 2,480 females) from four Japanese regions were surveyed in 2019.A negative binomial regression model adjusted for area, age, and sex was used to calculate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for neighborhood attachment factors.Multiple imputation with the fully conditional specification method addressed missing values.Results: The prevalence of the sense of attachment to the community was 82.3%.Years of residence ≥ 20 vs. ≤ 10 years (PR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.01-1.13);satisfaction with the environment of nursing care in the residential area (PR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.03-1.09);ease of walking on the streets (PR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.06-1.13);satisfaction with natural surroundings of the community (PR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.23-1.54);satisfaction with the convenience of daily shopping, medical care, welfare, and cultural facilities (PR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02-1.09);satisfaction with engagement with neighbors and community (PR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.08-1.18);presence of people in the community who can be consulted about problems (PR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.03-1.11);degree of relationship with neighbors who would speak upon meeting vs. almost no relationship (PR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.09-1.18);and presence of close friends in the community (PR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.02-1.12)were significantly associated with a sense of attachment to the community.Conclusion: When developing a community, the factors that influenced the sense of attachment to the community should be considered by municipalities.