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Guell C, Ogilvie D, Green J. Changing mobility practices. Can meta-ethnography inform transferable and policy-relevant theory? Soc Sci Med 2023; 337:116253. [PMID: 37857239 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Social practice theories have attracted attention for their potential insights into how to change transport systems towards "healthier" states. However, most evidence is from small-scale qualitative case studies. We explored whether a synthesis of qualitative evidence on mobility practices in one country, informed by meta-ethnography and a Bourdieusian approach to practice, could produce theory that is of sufficient abstraction to be transferable, yet also capable of informing intervention planning. The synthesis identified three third order constructs: mobility practices result from habitus plus capital in fields; specific configurations of local mobility practices are shaped, but not determined, by material infrastructures and social structures; and changes in practice happen across a number of scales and temporalities. This body of evidence as a whole was then interpreted as an integrative "storyline": Mobility systems are complex, in that outcomes from interventions are neither unilinear nor necessarily predictable from aggregations of individual practice changes. Infrastructure changes may be a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for change. Moving systems towards "healthier" states requires changing habitus such that "healthier" practices align with fields, and that interventions take sufficient account of the power relations that materially and symbolically constrain or enable attachments to and changes in mobility practices. Meta-ethnography is a useful approach for integrating qualitative evidence for informing policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Guell
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Penryn, UK; Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
| | - David Ogilvie
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Judith Green
- Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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2
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Lunetto M, Castro O, Gericke C, Hale J. Barriers and enablers to local active travel during COVID-19: A case study of Streetspace interventions in two London boroughs. Wellcome Open Res 2023; 8:177. [PMID: 37663794 PMCID: PMC10468679 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19164.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, UK local authorities increased emergency active travel interventions. This study aimed to understand what aspects of temporary Streetspace for London schemes represent barriers or enablers to walking and cycling for short local journeys. Methods: Focusing on two Inner London boroughs, we conducted 21 semi-structured stakeholder interviews and sampled 885 public comments about Streetspace schemes. We triangulated the data in a thematic analysis to identify barriers and enablers, which were categorised using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behaviour (COM-B) model. Results: Opportunity and motivation factors were reflected in the barriers (accessibility and integration of the schemes; controversy, dissatisfaction, and doubt) and enablers (new routes and spaces; sustainability and health beliefs) and mixed themes (changes to traffic and appeal of the area; feelings of safety). Capability was not reflected in the main themes. Conclusions: Although aspects of Streetspace schemes were seen to enable active travel, our findings suggest that additional processes to address the acceptability, fairness, and unintended consequences of emergency interventions will be important to their long-term success for health and sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lunetto
- Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London, London, England, WC1E 6AE, UK
| | - Oscar Castro
- Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London, London, England, WC1E 6AE, UK
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence And Technological Enterprise, National University of Singapore University Town, 138602, Singapore
| | - Chiara Gericke
- Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London, London, England, WC1E 6AE, UK
| | - Joanna Hale
- Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London, London, England, WC1E 6AE, UK
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3
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Gerpott FH, Rivkin W, Unger D. Autonomous or controlled self-regulation, that is the question: A self-determination perspective on the impact of commuting on employees’ domain-specific functioning. ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/20413866221133644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The few studies that have considered psychological processes during the commute have drawn an ambiguous picture, with some emphasizing the negative and others the positive consequences of commuting. Drawing on self-determination theory, we develop a framework that expands on the costs and benefits of commuting for employees’ subsequent domain-related functioning at work and home. Specifically, we propose employees’ basic needs satisfaction and processes of autonomous and controlled self-regulation as mechanisms that explain how psychological commute characteristics spill over to domain-related functioning through experienced subjective vitality. In doing so, we introduce a taxonomy of psychological commute characteristics and highlight the importance of separating these underlying subjective characteristics from objective aspects of the commuting environment. Our research encourages scholars to conduct within- and between-person studies to examine how the objective commute environment and associated psychological commute characteristics affect employees’ self-regulation. Plain Language Summary What happens during the commute does not stay within the boundaries of the commute: Aversive experiences such as being stuck in a traffic jam may spill over to lower engagement in work or home activities. Similarly, positive incidents such as flowing to work uninterruptedly can positively impact subsequent experiences such as flowing (i.e., being fully engaged) when performing tasks at work or at home. How can this be explained? Our article suggests that commuters enter motivational states when going and coming from work. For instance, they feel that everything is going easy and under one's control (autonomous self-regulation) or they feel that the commute is effortful and externally determined (controlled self-regulation). These motivational states influence subjective vitality after the commute, which in turn predicts how employees function at work or at home. Importantly, while objective aspects of the commute environment (for instance, the length of one's commute or one's means of transportation) have an impact on these motivational states, we argue that they do so via psychological commute characteristics perceived by the commuter. We focus on the latter and predict employees’ motivational state during the commute in the form of the fulfillment of their basic needs (i.e., feeling autonomous, competent, and related during the commute) as determined by different psychological commute characteristics (decision latitude, psychological stimulation, social characteristics, physical aspects, insecurity). Our work can inspire research that investigates why different employees perceive their commute differently as well as why the same employee may experience different motivational states during their commute from day to day. We end with practical recommendations for communities, organizations, and the commuter themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dana Unger
- Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway; University of East Anglia, Norwich Business School, United Kingdom
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Olde Kalter MJ, Geurs KT, Wismans L. Post COVID-19 teleworking and car use intentions. Evidence from large scale GPS-tracking and survey data in the Netherlands. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES 2021; 12:100498. [PMID: 34909635 PMCID: PMC8661099 DOI: 10.1016/j.trip.2021.100498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
This study examines the changes in teleworking during the lockdown in April 2020 and the intention to change commuting behaviour after COVID-19 in the Netherlands. Survey data of 1,515 Dutch employees and large-scale smartphone-based GPS-data of the same participants before and during COVID-19 is used. The probability of increasing teleworking during COVID-19 is estimated using an ordinal logistic regression model, considering sociodemographic characteristics, the initial travel behaviour and the initial work situation as determining factors. Two binary logistic regression models are developed to analyse whether employees expect to continue teleworking after the COVID-19 pandemic and whether they will decrease car use for commuting. Both models consider teleworking and car use intentions in the context of behavioural changes during COVID-19. The main factors that influenced teleworking during the lockdown are job characteristics. Office workers and teaching staff were more likely to increase the amount of time spent working from home and showed a higher chance of changes in daily commuting routines. After COVID-19, office workers expect to increase teleworking. The results suggest that employees with a relatively large change in teleworking during the early lockdown expect to work from home more frequently after COVID-19. This effect is strengthened further by positive experiences with teleworking (i.e. more pleasure and higher productivity) and supporting policy measures by the employer, such as sufficient ICT facilities. The main conclusion related to intended changes in mode choice is that car use for commuting is expected to decrease after COVID-19, mostly because of an increase in teleworking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-José Olde Kalter
- Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente, P.O Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
- Goudappel B.V, P.O. Box 161, 7400 AD, Deventer, The Netherlands
| | - Karst T Geurs
- Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente, P.O Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Luc Wismans
- Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente, P.O Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
- Goudappel B.V, P.O. Box 161, 7400 AD, Deventer, The Netherlands
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Communal therapeutic mobility in group walking: A meta-ethnography. Soc Sci Med 2020; 262:113241. [PMID: 32777672 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Increased attention to links between walking, health and wellbeing have contributed to a growth in the number of walking groups meeting on a regular basis to offer short, social walks. Walking group interventions are known to increase physical activity and to have wide-ranging health benefits, and there is evidence that drop out is generally low. The aim of this paper is to synthesise qualitative research on experiences and perceptions of group walking in order to develop a new conceptual understanding of the group walking experience. We conducted a systematic search of the literature and identified 22 such studies which we synthesised using meta-ethnography. Included studies were conducted in the UK, USA, Australia and Ireland. Most reported research was undertaken with outdoor walking groups, some of which catered specifically for people who shared a disease experience or a disability. A smaller number of studies examined indoor mall walking groups, while two looked at perceptions of non-participants of group walking as a potential activity. From the original constructs identified in the papers we derived five higher order constructs: seeking and enjoying health and fitness, attachment to walking, providing purpose and confidence, mobile companionship and a peaceful and contemplative shared respite from everyday life. We argue that participating in a walking group provides a set of experiences that together constitute a specific form of shared or communal therapeutic mobility that is not simply the accumulation of the constructs we have outlined. Rather, we suggest that an initial instrumental and disciplinary focus on health and fitness is transformed through the experience of group walking into a shared meaningful and enjoyable practice; an emergent communal therapeutic mobility, which recruits and retains large numbers of group walkers. However, this communal therapeutic mobility is not equally accessible to all.
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6
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Wagnild JM, Pollard TM. "Sit Yourself Down": Women's Experiences of Negotiating Physical Activity During Pregnancy. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2020; 30:1072-1082. [PMID: 32141381 PMCID: PMC7682526 DOI: 10.1177/1049732320909103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Approaches to understanding why physical activity (PA) tends to decline during pregnancy are generally based on individualized behavioral models, examining "barriers" or "enablers." In contrast, we used a social practice approach to explore the ways in which women negotiate PA during pregnancy within the contexts and routines of their everyday lives. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 pregnant women who had been classed as being at risk of gestational diabetes. We found that leisure-time physical activities were valued as pleasurable and therapeutic, but women's roles as employees and carers for others often constrained their opportunities for leisure-time PA. Women encountered others' expectations that they should sit down and slow down. This surveillance was often resisted, as women relied on "listening to the body" as a way to negotiate PA. These findings have important implications for public health strategies or interventions designed to promote PA during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle M. Wagnild
- Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
- Janelle M. Wagnild, Department of Anthropology, Dawson Building, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
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Haynes E, Green J, Garside R, Kelly MP, Guell C. Gender and active travel: a qualitative data synthesis informed by machine learning. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2019; 16:135. [PMID: 31864372 PMCID: PMC6925863 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-019-0904-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Innovative approaches are required to move beyond individual approaches to behaviour change and develop more appropriate insights for the complex challenge of increasing population levels of activity. Recent research has drawn on social practice theory to describe the recursive and relational character of active living but to date most evidence is limited to small-scale qualitative research studies. To 'upscale' insights from individual contexts, we pooled data from five qualitative studies and used machine learning software to explore gendered patterns in the context of active travel. METHODS We drew on 280 transcripts from five research projects conducted in the UK, including studies of a range of populations, travel modes and settings, to conduct unsupervised 'topic modelling analysis'. Text analytics software, Leximancer, was used in the first phase of the analysis to produce inter-topic distance maps to illustrate inter-related 'concepts'. The outputs from this first phase guided a second researcher-led interpretive analysis of text excerpts to infer meaning from the computer-generated outputs. RESULTS Guided by social practice theory, we identified 'interrelated' and 'relating' practices across the pooled datasets. For this study we particularly focused on respondents' commutes, travelling to and from work, and on differentiated experiences by gender. Women largely described their commute as multifunctional journeys that included the school run or shopping, whereas men described relatively linear journeys from A to B but highlighted 'relating' practices resulting from or due to their choice of commute mode or journey such as showering or relaxing. Secondly, we identify a difference in discourses about practices across the included datasets. Women spoke more about 'subjective', internal feelings of safety ('I feel unsafe'), whereas men spoke more about external conditions ('it is a dangerous road'). CONCLUSION This rare application of machine learning to qualitative social science research has helped to identify potentially important differences in co-occurrence of practices and discourses about practice between men's and women's accounts of travel across diverse contexts. These findings can inform future research and policy decisions for promoting travel-related social practices associated with increased physical activity that are appropriate across genders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Haynes
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK.
| | - Judith Green
- School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences, KCL, London, UK
| | - Ruth Garside
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK
| | - Michael P Kelly
- Cambridge Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Cornelia Guell
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK
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8
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Spotswood F, Wiltshire G, Spear S, Morey Y, Harris J. A practice theory approach to primary school physical activity: opportunities and challenges for intervention. CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/09581596.2019.1695746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gareth Wiltshire
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Sara Spear
- Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
| | - Yvette Morey
- Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
| | - Jennifer Harris
- Physiotherapy Department, Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Doncaster, UK
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9
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Abstract
We investigated the travel behavior of the elderly in two United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO Heritage Cities in Malaysia, George Town and Malacca, to assess the commonalities and differences in the mobility of the elderly and to analyze the factors influencing the mobility of the elderly. We relied upon a one-day travel diary where the elderly recorded their trip information including trip category, mode of travel, and distance travelled. A total of 455 travel diaries were completed and analyzed using descriptive analysis and Poisson estimation with the number of trips as the dependent variable. We found that the elderly in both cities recorded no more than five trips per day, travelled mostly within a distance of five kilometers, and chose private transportation as their preferred mode of transportation. Factors statistically significantly influencing the elderly’s trip frequency included location (city), education level, private vehicle ownership, health condition, and engagement in exercise. Findings from this study suggest that authorities need to strategize transportation planning to encourage mobility among the elderly without compromising the heritage status of both cities.
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10
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Morris S, Guell C, Pollard TM. Group walking as a "lifeline": Understanding the place of outdoor walking groups in women's lives. Soc Sci Med 2019; 238:112489. [PMID: 31437768 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Organised walking groups are increasingly widespread in the UK and elsewhere and have been shown to have many benefits for participants. They tend to attract more women than men, but little is known about how and why walking groups 'recruit' women. This is of particular importance given observed inequalities in physical activity participation by gender, in favour of men. To explore women's participation in walking groups, we conducted ethnographic fieldwork (in May-August 2017) with women members of five different walking groups in deprived areas of north-east England. Participant observation and informal 'go along' interviewing were conducted on 25 group walks, and 20 semi-structured interviews were undertaken. Fieldnotes and interview transcripts were analysed thematically. This paper presents five portraits to show how the identified themes played out in women's lives. For many of the women, the act of moving and socialising together in outdoor environments was highly valued. We show how walking groups found a place within the lives of women, becoming spaces of sharing, healing and enjoyment and acting as a positive resource or "lifeline", often around time-spaces of change (biographical disruptions). We contribute new understandings of how walking groups work by showing how women's reasons for participating were intimately intertwined with their life circumstances and relationships, thus furthering the ongoing theoretical shift from investigating health 'behaviours' to health 'practices'. We conclude that walking groups work well for some people at particular times in their lives, especially (but not only) for older women and, more generally, that life transitions offer an opportunity for interventions to enhance health if they work within the lives of prospective participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Morris
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
| | - Cornelia Guell
- University of Exeter Medical School, Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, TR1 3HD, UK
| | - Tessa M Pollard
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK; Wolfson Research Institute, Durham University Queen's Campus, University Boulevard, Thornaby, Stockton on Tees, TS17 6BH, UK
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11
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Haynes E, Garside R, Green J, Kelly MP, Thomas J, Guell C. Semiautomated text analytics for qualitative data synthesis. Res Synth Methods 2019; 10:452-464. [PMID: 31125493 PMCID: PMC6772124 DOI: 10.1002/jrsm.1361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Approaches to synthesizing qualitative data have, to date, largely focused on integrating the findings from published reports. However, developments in text mining software offer the potential for efficient analysis of large pooled primary qualitative datasets. This case study aimed to (a) provide a step‐by‐step guide to using one software application, Leximancer, and (b) interrogate opportunities and limitations of the software for qualitative data synthesis. We applied Leximancer v4.5 to a pool of five qualitative, UK‐based studies on transportation such as walking, cycling, and driving, and displayed the findings of the automated content analysis as intertopic distance maps. Leximancer enabled us to “zoom out” to familiarize ourselves with, and gain a broad perspective of, the pooled data. It indicated which studies clustered around dominant topics such as “people.” The software also enabled us to “zoom in” to narrow the perspective to specific subgroups and lines of enquiry. For example, “people” featured in men's and women's narratives but were talked about differently, with men mentioning “kids” and “old,” whereas women mentioned “things” and “stuff.” The approach provided us with a fresh lens for the initial inductive step in the analysis process and could guide further exploration. The limitations of using Leximancer were the substantial data preparation time involved and the contextual knowledge required from the researcher to turn lines of inquiry into meaningful insights. In summary, Leximancer is a useful tool for contributing to qualitative data synthesis, facilitating comprehensive and transparent data coding but can only inform, not replace, researcher‐led interpretive work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Haynes
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Ruth Garside
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Judith Green
- School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Michael P Kelly
- Primary Care Unit, Cambridge Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - James Thomas
- EPPI-Centre, Department of Social Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cornelia Guell
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
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12
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Brainard J, Cooke R, Lane K, Salter C. Age, sex and other correlates with active travel walking and cycling in England: Analysis of responses to the Active Lives Survey 2016/17. Prev Med 2019; 123:225-231. [PMID: 30936000 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.03.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Active travel (walking or cycling for transport) can generate personal and environmental benefits. We determined the frequency of participation in walking or cycling active travel by age and sex, as well as used multivariate analysis to find correlations with many other factors using a large cross-sectional 2016/17 survey of people living in England. Walking and cycling active travel were explored separately. Most respondents reported no active travel, but at least 25% of people under age 45 met activity recommendations only from active travel. Otherwise, (unlike other types of physical activity) active travel declined consistently with increased age. Men reported much more cycling active travel than women, who were more likely to do any active travel walking and therefore more likely to meet activity guidelines from just active travel walking. Lower levels of disability, fewer children in household, and working full time increased active travel. Season was sometimes relevant. BMI, personal-effectiveness, deprivation and rurality had mixed relationships with types of active travel. Understanding differences in correlates for cycling vs. walking active travel could help tailor local promotion programmes for each. The analysis suggests that motivators and barriers for active travel greatly by age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julii Brainard
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Rachel Cooke
- Active Norfolk, Easton & Otley College, Norwich NR9 5DX, UK
| | - Kathleen Lane
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Charlotte Salter
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
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13
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Aittasalo M, Tiilikainen J, Tokola K, Suni J, Sievänen H, Vähä-Ypyä H, Vasankari T, Seimelä T, Metsäpuro P, Foster C, Titze S. Socio-Ecological Natural Experiment with Randomized Controlled Trial to Promote Active Commuting to Work: Process Evaluation, Behavioral Impacts, and Changes in the Use and Quality of Walking and Cycling Paths. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16091661. [PMID: 31086071 PMCID: PMC6540220 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16091661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Active commuting to work (ACW) has beneficial effects on health, traffic, and climate. However, more robust evidence is needed on how to promote ACW. This paper reports the findings of a multilevel natural experiment with a randomized controlled trial in 16 Finnish workplaces. In Phase 1, 11 workplaces (1823 employees) from Area 1 were exposed to environmental improvements in walking and cycling paths. In Phase 2, five more workplaces (826 employees) were recruited from Area 2 and all workplaces were randomized into experimental group (EXP) promoting ACW with social and behavioral strategies and comparison group (COM) participating only in data collection. Process and impact evaluation with questionnaires, travel diaries, accelerometers, traffic calculations, and auditing were conducted. Statistics included Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and after-before differences with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). After Phase 1, positive change was seen in the self-reported number of days, which the employees intended to cycle part of their journey to work in the following week (p = 0.001). After Phase 2, intervention effect was observed in the proportion of employees, who reported willingness to increase walking (8.7%; 95% CI 1.8 to 15.6) and cycling (5.5%; 2.2 to 8.8) and opportunity to cycle part of their journey to work (5.9%; 2.1 to 9.7). To conclude, the intervention facilitated employees’ motivation for ACW, which is the first step towards behavior change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minna Aittasalo
- UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, P.O. Box 30, 33501 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Johanna Tiilikainen
- UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, P.O. Box 30, 33501 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Kari Tokola
- UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, P.O. Box 30, 33501 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Jaana Suni
- UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, P.O. Box 30, 33501 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Harri Sievänen
- UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, P.O. Box 30, 33501 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Henri Vähä-Ypyä
- UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, P.O. Box 30, 33501 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Tommi Vasankari
- UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, P.O. Box 30, 33501 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Timo Seimelä
- Department of Transport and Streets, City of Tampere, Frenckellinaukio 2, PL 487, 33101 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Pasi Metsäpuro
- Department of Mobility and Transport, WSP Finland Ltd., Kelloportinkatu 1 D, 33100 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Charlie Foster
- Centre for Exercise Nutrition and Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences and Law, University of Bristol, 8 Priory Road, Bristol BS81TZ, UK.
| | - Sylvia Titze
- Institute of Sport Science, University of Graz, Mozartgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria.
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Comfort First! Vehicle-Sharing Systems in Urban Residential Areas: The Importance for Everyday Mobility and Reduction of Car Use among Pilot Users. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11092521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to explore to what extent a vehicle-sharing system (VSS) that includes electric bicycles and cars, connected to a block of apartments in a middle-sized city in Sweden, can cater for individuals’ everyday mobility needs and reduce the need to own a car. The study connects to two different research areas: the usage of VSS and mobility transitions through pilot projects. Our results show a reluctance to voluntarily sacrifice comfort regarding everyday energy use. Owning and using a private car is to a high degree interpreted as convenient. The results from this study suggest that a VSS has the potential to satisfy mobility needs for people living in urban areas. However, in order for it to be successful, both in terms of satisfying mobility needs as well as being regarded as an attractive alternative to private car ownership, we argue that reconfiguration of modal choice and accessibility on different sociotechnical levels is a necessity. Interventions such as satisfactory public transport and better infrastructure for cycling and walking are suggested, as well as stricter parking regulations, banning cars in certain areas and making car use and ownership more expensive. In other words, the deployment of both soft and hard measures in combination is necessary.
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How and Why Does Intra-Metropolitan Workplace Location Affect Car Commuting? SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11041196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This paper illuminates important causal processes that can explain differences between central, semi-central and suburban workplaces in commuting distances and modes. Its empirical base is qualitative interview material on the considerations and conditions underlying commuting behavior among employees of workplaces differently located within Oslo metropolitan area. The interviewees do not necessarily choose local jobs but rather travel a bit farther if this is necessary to find a more relevant job, especially if they have specialized job qualifications. Likewise, employers do not restrict their recruitment to local applicants. Workplaces close to the city center have a large number of potential employees within a short distance from the workplace and are, therefore, more likely to recruit workers locally. The interviewees’ rationales for travel mode choices, such as time-saving, flexibility, convenience and stress avoidance, encourage commuting by transit to central workplaces and by car to peripheral workplaces. For example, transit is often faster and more convenient than car when commuting to central workplaces, while the opposite is often the case for commutes to peripheral workplaces. Rationales of avoidance of stress and frustration and of predictability and control work in similar ways.
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Phoenix C, Bell SL. Beyond "Move More": Feeling the Rhythms of physical activity in mid and later-life. Soc Sci Med 2018; 231:47-54. [PMID: 29759825 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The last two decades have seen growing unease regarding the negative health consequences of increasing levels of physical inactivity, both in the UK and further afield. Public health initiatives and interventions aimed at increasing levels of physical activity have, therefore, become somewhat commonplace. Within the current context of demographic change, with growing numbers of older adults and evidence that inactivity increases with age, these initiatives hold particular relevance to mid and later-life adults. Yet despite their prevalence, the policy gains from such promotional efforts have typically been modest at best, demonstrating the limits to decontextualized health messages that encourage people to 'sit less', 'move more' or 'move faster'. In this paper, we draw on the concept of rhythm, to provide an original contribution in response to recent calls to rethink existing approaches to physical activity in mid-life and beyond. We draw from three qualitative data sets from separate studies exploring health, wellbeing and ageing (two in the context of chronic health conditions and sensory impairments). Inspired by facet methodology, we advance knowledge by providing 'flashes of insight' into the subtle patterns and tempos that frame physical activity in mid and later life. In doing so, we offer alternative insight into how people avail themselves to, and experience motion and stillness during these life stages. That alternative, as we also note, has an important role to play in the development of appropriate, relatable health messages regarding movement that recognises 'expertise by experience'.
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Serrano N, Perez LG, Carlson J, Patrick K, Kerr J, Holub C, Arredondo EM. Sub-population differences in the relationship between the neighborhood environment and Latinas' daily walking and vehicle time. JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT & HEALTH 2018; 8:210-219. [PMID: 29911019 PMCID: PMC5999321 DOI: 10.1016/j.jth.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over 60% of Latinas report not meeting moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) guidelines of 150 minutes/week. Ecological models of health posit that intrapersonal and environmental factors interact with one another to influence physical activity. Understanding their interactions in relation to transportation behaviors may inform interventions to increase Latinas' physical activity. PURPOSE To 1) objectively estimate walking and vehicle time in Latinas, 2) examine the association of, and interactions between, intrapersonal (socio-demographics and weight status) and neighborhood environmental correlates with objective daily walking and vehicle time. METHODS A subsample of Latinas (n=87) participating in a health intervention wore an accelerometer and GPS device for at least two valid wear days at baseline. The Personal Activity Location and Measurement System (PALMS) software estimated daily walking and vehicle time. Participants' anthropometrics were measured, and they completed a survey assessing socio-demographic characteristics and perceived neighborhood environment. Generalized linear mixed models examined main effects and interactions of four intrapersonal and five environmental factors on daily walking and vehicle time. RESULTS On average, participants walked 16 min/day and spent 69 min/day in a vehicle. Overweight/obesity was negatively associated with walking time (p=.04) and positively associated with vehicle time (p=0.01). Household income was positively associated with vehicle time (p=0.02). For daily walking time, two interactions were significant: perceived access to destinations X household income (p=0.01), and perceived sidewalk maintenance X acculturation (p= 0.01). For daily vehicle time, two interactions were significant: perceived access to destinations X weight status (p<0.001), and perceived safety from crime X education (p=0.01). CONCLUSION Latinas participated in relatively low walking time and high amounts of vehicle time. Findings suggest intrapersonal sub-group differences in the association of the neighborhood environment with walking and vehicle time. Improving neighborhood environments to promote walking and reduce vehicle time may help improve Latinas' overall physical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalicio Serrano
- Institute for Behavioral and Community Health (IBACH), Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 9245 Sky Park Ct. San Diego, CA 92123, United States
| | - Lilian G. Perez
- Institute for Behavioral and Community Health (IBACH), Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 9245 Sky Park Ct. San Diego, CA 92123, United States
- Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health, University of California, San Diego/San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Jordan Carlson
- Center for Children’s Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Kevin Patrick
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, United States
| | - Jacqueline Kerr
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, United States
| | - Christina Holub
- Department of Public Health, California State University San Marcos, CA 92096
| | - Elva M. Arredondo
- Institute for Behavioral and Community Health (IBACH), Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 9245 Sky Park Ct. San Diego, CA 92123, United States
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Tenorio BGV, Joe JAS, Tamayo RCM, Canoy NA. The Daily Grind: A Rhizomatic Approach to Narratives of Managing Commuter Stress During Traffic Congestion in Metro Manila. JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/10720537.2017.1410458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph Aaron S. Joe
- Department of Psychology, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines
| | | | - Nico A. Canoy
- Department of Psychology, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines
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Panter J, Guell C, Prins R, Ogilvie D. Physical activity and the environment: conceptual review and framework for intervention research. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2017; 14:156. [PMID: 29141646 PMCID: PMC5688667 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-017-0610-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Changing the physical environment is one way to promote physical activity and improve health, but evidence on intervention effectiveness is mixed. The theoretical perspectives and conceptual issues discussed or used in evaluative studies and related literature may contribute to these inconsistencies. We aimed to advance the intervention research agenda by systematically searching for and synthesising the literature pertaining to these wider conceptual issues. Methods We searched for editorials, commentaries, reviews, or primary qualitative or quantitative studies in multiple disciplines by electronic searches of key databases (MEDLINE and MEDLINE In-Process, Web of Science, Cochrane Reviews, ProQuest for dissertations, Health Evidence, EPPI-Centre, TRID and NICE) and snowballing. We extracted theoretical and conceptual material and used thematic analysis in an in-depth, configurative narrative approach to synthesis. Results Our initial searches identified 2760 potential sources from fields including public health, sociology, behavioural science and transport, of which 104 were included. By first separating out and then drawing together this material, we produced a synthesis that identified five high-level conceptual themes: one concerning outcomes (physical activity as a behaviour and a socially embedded practice), one concerning exposures (environmental interventions as structural changes) and three concerning how interventions bring about their effects (the importance of social and physical context; (un) observable mechanisms linking interventions and changes in physical activity; and interventions as events in complex systems). These themes are inter-related but have rarely been considered together in the disparate literatures. Drawing on these insights, we present a more generalisable way of thinking about how environmental interventions work which could be used in future evaluation studies. Conclusions Environmental and policy interventions are socially embedded and operate within a system. Evaluators should acknowledge this, and the philosophical perspective taken in their evaluation. Across disciplinary fields, future studies should seek to understand how interventions work through considering these systems, the context in which interventions take place, and the (un) observable mechanisms that may operate. This will help ensure that findings can be more easily interpreted and widely applied by policymakers. We hope that highlighting these conceptual issues will help others to interpret and improve upon a somewhat contested evidence base. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi: 10.1186/s12966-017-0610-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Panter
- MRC Epidemiology Unit & Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), Box 285, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK.
| | - Cornelia Guell
- MRC Epidemiology Unit & Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), Box 285, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK
| | - Rick Prins
- MRC Epidemiology Unit & Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), Box 285, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK
| | - David Ogilvie
- MRC Epidemiology Unit & Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), Box 285, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK
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Brown BB, Smith KR. Complex active travel bout motivations: Gender, place, and social context associations. JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT & HEALTH 2017; 6:335-346. [PMID: 29104857 PMCID: PMC5667544 DOI: 10.1016/j.jth.2017.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Active travel bouts are healthy, but bout-specific motives, social, and physical contexts have been poorly characterized. Adults (n= 421 in 2012, 436 in 2013) described their moderate activity bouts over the past week, aided by accelerometry/GPS data integration. Participants viewed maps indicating date, time, and starting and ending locations of their past week moderate-to-vigorous active travel bouts of 3 or more minutes. These prompts helped participants recall their social and physical contexts and motives for the bouts. Three bout motivations were modeled: leisure, transportation, and their "T-L" difference scores (transportation minus leisure scores). Blends of leisure and transportation motives characterized most bouts, even though most studies do not allow participants to endorse multiple motives for their active travel. Bouts were often neighborhood-based. Leisure motives were related to pleasant place perceptions, homes, and exercise places; workplaces were associated with stronger transportation and T-L bout motives. Women's bout motives were more closely associated with place than men's. Our novel method of individual bout assessment can illuminate the social-ecological contexts and experiences of everyday healthy bouts of activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara B Brown
- Department of Family and Consumer Studies; Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, 225 S 1400 E RM 228, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Ken R Smith
- Department of Family and Consumer Studies; Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, 225 S 1400 E RM 228, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
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Feng X, Feng Z, Astell-Burt T. Perceived public transport infrastructure modifies the association between public transport use and mental health: Multilevel analyses from the United Kingdom. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180081. [PMID: 28813422 PMCID: PMC5558919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Investments to promote public transport utilisation are being championed to achieve sustainable development, but the potential co-benefits for mental health are comparatively under-researched. We hypothesised that frequent users of public transport would be more likely to have better mental health (possibly due to increased levels of physical activity), but among the more frequent users, less favourable perceptions of public transport infrastructure (PPTI) could have a negative influence on mental health. METHODS Multilevel linear and logistic regressions were fitted on 30,214 participants in the UK Household Longitudinal Study with lagged PPTI and confounder measures at baseline and indicators of active travel and mental health (General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), SF-12 Mental Component Scale (MCS) and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale (WEMWBS)) at follow-up. RESULTS Compared to participants expressing poor PPTI, those who felt it was excellent were 1.29 (95%CI 1.15, 1.45) times more likely to be frequent users of public transport and 1.53 (95%CI 1.33, 1.76) times more likely to choose to walk or cycle journeys of less than two to three miles. Frequent use of public transport was found to be consistently associated with better mental health for GHQ caseness (OR 0.85, 95%CI 0.79, 0.91), GHQ score (coefficient -0.28, 95%CI -0.41, -0.16), MCS (coefficient 0.45, 95%CI 0.23, 0.66), and WEMWBS (coefficient 0.30, 95%CI 0.19, 0.40). Among frequent users of public transport, participants expressing poor PPTI were 1.46 (95%CI 1.11, 1.93) times more likely to report poorer mental health according to the GHQ caseness indicator, compared to frequent users that regarded PPTI as excellent. Similar results were observed for the other indicators of mental health. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that while the provision of public transport infrastructure is a necessary pre-condition for stimulating population increases in physical activity, PPTI improvements needs to be prioritised to leverage the full mental health-related co-benefits of active travel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqi Feng
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Zhiqiang Feng
- School of Geosciences, Drummond Library, Surgeon’s Square, Drummond Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Astell-Burt
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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22
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Green Travel: Exploring the Characteristics and Behavior Transformation of Urban Residents in China. SUSTAINABILITY 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/su9061043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Pollard TM, Wagnild JM. Gender differences in walking (for leisure, transport and in total) across adult life: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 2017; 17:341. [PMID: 28427376 PMCID: PMC5397769 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-017-4253-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this systematic review was to examine gender differences in walking for leisure, transport and in total in adults living in high-income countries, and to assess whether gender differences in walking practices change across the life-course. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted of publications dated 1995 to 2015. Papers providing quantitative data on participation in walking of both men and women aged at least 18 years in a high-income country were screened for the quality of the data on gender differences in walking. Data were extracted and results were synthesised using forest plots and narrative summary. RESULTS Thirty-six studies were included in the review: 18 reported on walking for leisure, 16 on walking for transport (in total, or for particular purposes), and 14 on total walking. Most (33) studies provided data comparing the proportion of men and women who walked (at all or for a minimum duration) over a defined period, usually one week. There was consistent evidence that more women than men walk for leisure, although effect sizes were small. However, this effect varies by age: more younger women than younger men walk for leisure, but the gender difference diminishes with age and appears to reverse in the oldest age groups. Taking all ages together, there was no consistent gender difference in walking for transport or in total walking, although the small number of studies reporting on walking to undertake errands suggested that more women than men walk for this purpose. CONCLUSIONS While there is little evidence that levels of total walking consistently vary by gender, our findings suggest that there are consistent gender differences in participation in walking for some purposes, including for leisure, and that there are gender differences in the impact of age on walking. We conclude that more research is needed to improve our understanding of how walking fits into the lives of women and men across the life-course, especially in relation to gender differences in the impact of aging on walking. PROSPERO REGISTRATION PROSPERO registration number: CRD42015025961 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa M. Pollard
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE UK
| | - Janelle M. Wagnild
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE UK
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Yang Y. A dynamic framework on travel mode choice focusing on utilitarian walking based on the integration of current knowledge. JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT & HEALTH 2016; 3:336-345. [PMID: 27747158 PMCID: PMC5061507 DOI: 10.1016/j.jth.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Recently, research on utilitarian walking has gained momentum due to its benefits on both health and the environment. However, our overall understanding of how built and social environments affect travel mode choice (walking or not) is still limited, and most existing frameworks on travel mode choice lack dynamic processes. After a review of several mainstream theories and a number of frameworks, we propose an integrated framework. The basic constructs in the travel mode choice function are utilities, constraints, attitudes, and habits. With a hierarchical structure and heuristic rules, the travel mode choice function is modified by individual characteristics and travel characteristics. The framework explicitly presents several dynamic processes, including the perception process on the environment, attitude formation process, habit formation process, interactions among an individual's own behaviors, interactions among travelers, feedback from travel to the built and social environments, and feedback from other behaviors to the built and social environments. For utilitarian walking, the framework may contribute to the study design, data collection, adoption of new research methods, and provide indications for policy interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yang
- School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, 38152
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Mytton OT, Panter J, Ogilvie D. Longitudinal associations of active commuting with wellbeing and sickness absence. Prev Med 2016; 84:19-26. [PMID: 26740344 PMCID: PMC4766368 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 12/12/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Our aim was to explore longitudinal associations of active commuting (cycling to work and walking to work) with physical wellbeing (PCS-8), mental wellbeing (MCS-8) and sickness absence. METHOD We used data from the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study (2009 to 2012; n=801) to test associations between: a) maintenance of cycling (or walking) to work over a one year period and indices of wellbeing at the end of that one year period; and b) associations between change in cycling (or walking) to work and change in indices of wellbeing. Linear regression was used for testing associations with PCS-8 and MCS-8, and negative binomial regression for sickness absence. RESULTS After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, physical activity and physical limitation, those who maintained cycle commuting reported lower sickness absence (0.46, 95% CI: 0.14-0.80; equivalent to one less day per year) and higher MCS-8 scores (1.50, 0.10-2.10) than those who did not cycle to work. The association for sickness absence persisted after adjustment for baseline sickness absence. No significant associations were observed for PCS-8. Associations between change in cycle commuting and change in indices of wellbeing were not significant. No significant associations were observed for walking. CONCLUSIONS This work provides some evidence of the value of cycle commuting in improving or maintaining the health and wellbeing of adults of working age. This may be important in engaging employers in the promotion of active travel and communicating the benefits of active travel to employees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Tristan Mytton
- MRC Epidemiology Unit & UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box, 285, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | - Jenna Panter
- MRC Epidemiology Unit & UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box, 285, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - David Ogilvie
- MRC Epidemiology Unit & UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box, 285, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
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Perez Barbosa D, Zhang J, Seya H. Effects of the Residential Environment on Health in Japan Linked with Travel Behavior. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:190. [PMID: 26848676 PMCID: PMC4772210 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13020190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Revised: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
This paper aims to clarify how the residential environment is associated with overall health-related quality of life (QOL) via active travel (walking and cycling), by reflecting the influence of different trip purposes in Japan. The health-related QOL includes physical, mental, and social dimensions. For this study we implemented a questionnaire survey in 20 cities in Japan in 2010 and obtained valid answers from 1202 respondents. The residential environment is defined in terms of distances to and densities of different daily facilities extracted from both the survey and external GIS data. We found that the effects of residential environment on active travel behavior are mixed and limited, depending on types of trip makers. Unexpectedly, travel behavior has no direct effects on the health-related QOL. The residential environment, which is only observed indirectly via lifestyle habits for commuters, has limited effects on health. As for noncommuters, neither their travel behavior nor the residential environment influences their health-related QOL.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Perez Barbosa
- Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan.
| | - Junyi Zhang
- Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan.
| | - Hajime Seya
- Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe and explore perceptions, practices and motivations for active living in later life. DESIGN Qualitative study with semistructured interviews and 'semistructured' participant observations of participant-selected activities, such as exercise classes, private or organised walks, shopping and gardening. PARTICIPANTS 27 participants (65-80 years) from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer Norfolk study, purposefully selected by gender, age, occupational class, living status and residential location; 19 of the participants agreed to be accompanied for observed activities. SETTING Participants' homes, neighbourhoods, places of leisure activities and workplaces in Norfolk, England. RESULTS All participants regarded a positive attitude as important for healthy ageing; this included staying active, both physically and mentally through sedentary activities such as reading and crosswords. 'Getting out of the house', being busy, or following a variety of interests were regarded as both important motivators and descriptions of their 'activeness'. Purposeful activities formed an important part of this, for example, still being engaged in paid or voluntary work, having caring responsibilities, or smaller incidental activities such as helping neighbours or walking for transport. Many also reported adapting previous, often lifelong, activity preferences and habits to their ageing body, or replacing them altogether with lower impact activities such as walking. This included adapting to the physical limitations of partners and friends which dictated the intensity and frequency of shared activities. The social context of activities could thus form a barrier to active living, but could also encourage it through companionship, social responsibilities and social pressures. CONCLUSIONS Promoting and maintaining physical activity among older people may require more attention to activeness as an attitude and way of life as well as to its social context, and initiatives encouraging broader activity habits rather than discrete activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Guell
- MRC Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, UK
| | - Guy Shefer
- MRC Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, UK
| | - Simon Griffin
- MRC Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, UK
- The Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, UK
| | - David Ogilvie
- MRC Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, UK
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Ogilvie D, Panter J, Guell C, Jones A, Mackett R, Griffin S. Health impacts of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway: a natural experimental study. PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH 2016. [DOI: 10.3310/phr04010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundImproving transport infrastructure to support walking and cycling on the journey to and from work – active commuting – could help to promote physical activity and improve population health.AimsTo assess whether or not investment in new high-quality transport infrastructure was associated with an increase in active commuting; wider health impacts of changes in travel behaviour; determinants of the use and uptake of active commuting; and how changes in travel behaviour were distributed in the population and related to the wider social context.DesignThe Commuting and Health in Cambridge study, comprising a quasi-experimental cohort study combined with both nested and supplementary in-depth quantitative and qualitative studies.SettingCambridgeshire, UK.ParticipantsA cohort of 1143 adults living within 30 km of Cambridge, working in the city and recruited in 2009; and a separate sample of 1710 users intercepted on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway in 2012.InterventionThe Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, comprising a new bus network using 22 km of guideway (segregated bus track) accompanied by a traffic-free path for pedestrians and cyclists, opened in 2011.Main outcome measureChange in time spent in active commuting from 2009 to 2012, using a self-reported measure validated using georeferenced combined heart rate and movement sensor data.MethodsA delay from 2009 to 2011 in completing the intervention entailed some changes to the original design and attrition of the cohort. A period of methodological and observational research on active commuting preceded the evaluation, which was based on a quasi-experimental cohort analysis together with the intercept and qualitative data. A graded measure of each participant’s exposure to the intervention, based on the proximity of the busway to his or her home, served as the basis for controlled comparisons.ResultsCommuting practices were complex and shaped by various changeable social and environmental factors. Walking and cycling were often incorporated into longer commuting journeys made predominantly by car or public transport. In multivariable multinomial regression analyses, exposure to the intervention was associated with a greater likelihood of a large increase in the proportion of commuting trips involving any active travel [adjusted relative risk ratio (RRR) 1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.27 to 2.55], of a large decrease in the proportion of trips made entirely by car (RRR 2.09, 95% CI 1.35 to 3.21), and of an increase in weekly cycle commuting time (RRR 1.34, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.76). There was a mixed pattern of effects at the individual level, with the intervention providing a more supportive environment for active commuting for some and not for others. There was some evidence that the effect was most pronounced among those who reported no active commuting at baseline, and observational evidence suggesting a relationship between active commuting, greater overall physical activity, and improved well-being and weight status.ConclusionsThese findings provide new empirical support and direction for reconfiguring transport systems to improve population health and reduce health inequalities. They should be combined with evidence from research evaluating related environmental changes in other settings, preferably using longer periods of observation and controlled comparisons, to support more generalisable causal inference.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ogilvie
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jenna Panter
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Cornelia Guell
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andy Jones
- Norwich Medical School and Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Roger Mackett
- Centre for Transport Studies, University College London, London, UK
| | - Simon Griffin
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Zhou X. Understanding Spatiotemporal Patterns of Biking Behavior by Analyzing Massive Bike Sharing Data in Chicago. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137922. [PMID: 26445357 PMCID: PMC4596835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing number of bike sharing systems (BSS) in many cities largely facilitates biking for transportation and recreation. Most recent bike sharing systems produce time and location specific data, which enables the study of travel behavior and mobility of each individual. However, despite a rapid growth of interest, studies on massive bike sharing data and the underneath travel pattern are still limited. Few studies have explored and visualized spatiotemporal patterns of bike sharing behavior using flow clustering, nor examined the station functional profiles based on over-demand patterns. This study investigated the spatiotemporal biking pattern in Chicago by analyzing massive BSS data from July to December in 2013 and 2014. The BSS in Chicago gained more popularity. About 15.9% more people subscribed to this service. Specifically, we constructed bike flow similarity graph and used fastgreedy algorithm to detect spatial communities of biking flows. By using the proposed methods, we discovered unique travel patterns on weekdays and weekends as well as different travel trends for customers and subscribers from the noisy massive amount data. In addition, we also examined the temporal demands for bikes and docks using hierarchical clustering method. Results demonstrated the modeled over-demand patterns in Chicago. This study contributes to offer better knowledge of biking flow patterns, which was difficult to obtain using traditional methods. Given the trend of increasing popularity of the BSS and data openness in different cities, methods used in this study can extend to examine the biking patterns and BSS functionality in different cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Zhou
- Department of Geology and Geography, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8149, Statesboro, GA 30460, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Kesten JM, Guell C, Cohn S, Ogilvie D. From the concrete to the intangible: understanding the diverse experiences and impacts of new transport infrastructure. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2015; 12:72. [PMID: 26041652 PMCID: PMC4470025 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-015-0230-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Changes to the environment that support active travel have the potential to increase population physical activity. The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway is an example of such an intervention that provides new traffic-free infrastructure for walking, cycling and public transport. This qualitative investigation explored the diverse experiences of new transport infrastructure and its impacts on active travel behaviours. METHODS Thirty-eight adult participants from the Commuting and Health in Cambridge natural experimental study were purposively selected according to their demographic and travel behaviour change characteristics and invited to participate in semi-structured interviews between February and June 2013. A mixed-method, following-a-thread approach was used to construct two contrasting vignettes (stories) to which the participants were asked to respond as part of the interviews. Inductive thematic qualitative analysis of the interview data was performed with the aid of QSR NVivo8. RESULTS Perceptions of the busway's attributes were important in shaping responses to it. Some participants rarely considered the new transport infrastructure or described it as unappealing because of its inaccessibility or inconvenient routing. Others located more conveniently for access points experienced the new infrastructure as an attractive travel option. Likewise, the guided buses and adjacent path presented ambiguous spaces which were received in different ways, depending on travel preferences. While new features such as on board internet access or off-road cycling were appreciated, shortcomings such as overcrowded buses or a lack of path lighting were barriers to use. The process of adapting to the environmental change was discussed in terms of planning and trialling new behaviours. The establishment of the busway in commuting patterns appeared to be influenced by whether the anticipated benefits of change were realised. CONCLUSIONS This study examined the diverse responses to an environmental intervention that may help to explain small or conflicting aggregate effects in quantitative outcome evaluation studies. Place and space features, including accessibility, convenience, pleasantness and safety relative to the alternative options were important for the acceptance of the busway. Our findings show how environmental change supporting active travel and public transport can encourage behaviour change for some people in certain circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna May Kesten
- MRC Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box, 285, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | - Cornelia Guell
- MRC Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box, 285, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | - Simon Cohn
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK.
| | - David Ogilvie
- MRC Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box, 285, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
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Dalton AM, Jones AP, Panter J, Ogilvie D. Are GIS-modelled routes a useful proxy for the actual routes followed by commuters? JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT & HEALTH 2015; 2:219-229. [PMID: 26682132 PMCID: PMC4678602 DOI: 10.1016/j.jth.2014.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Active commuting offers the potential to increase physical activity among adults by being built into daily routines. Characteristics of the route to work may influence propensity to walk or cycle. Geographic information system (GIS) software is often used to explore this by modelling routes between home and work. However, if the validity of modelled routes depends on the mode of travel used, studies of environmental determinants of travel may be biased. We aimed to understand how well modelled routes reflect those actually taken, and what characteristics explain these differences. We compared modelled GIS shortest path routes with actual routes measured using QStarz BT-Q1000X Global Positioning System (GPS) devices in a free-living sample of adults working in Cambridge and using varying travel modes. Predictors of differences, according to length and percentage overlap, between the two route sets were assessed using multilevel regression models and concordance coefficients. The 276 trips, made by 51 participants, were on average 27% further than modelled routes, with an average geographical overlap of 39%. However, predictability of the route depended on travel mode. For route length, there was moderate-to-substantial agreement for journeys made on foot and by bicycle. Route overlap was lowest for trips made by car plus walk (22%). The magnitude of difference depended on other journey characteristics, including travelling via intermediate destinations, distance, and use of busy roads. In conclusion, GIS routes may be acceptable for distance estimation and to explore potential routes, particularly active commuting. However, GPS should be used to obtain accurate estimates of environmental contexts in which commuting behaviour actually occurs. Public health researchers should bear these considerations in mind when studying the geographical determinants and health implications of commuting behaviour, and when recommending policy changes to encourage active travel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Dalton
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew P Jones
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jenna Panter
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David Ogilvie
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Guell C, Ogilvie D. Picturing commuting: photovoice and seeking well-being in everyday travel. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH : QR 2015; 15:201-218. [PMID: 25972763 PMCID: PMC4425295 DOI: 10.1177/1468794112468472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
We used participant-produced photography to investigate everyday commuting practices in Cambridge, UK. Photovoice served as an observational method for producing ethnographically rich data. A total of 19 participants produced over 500 photos about their journeys to and from work and took part in photo-elicitation interviews. Three themes emerged. First, many images depicted 'well-being' in commuting, for example, beautiful landscapes. Second, during elicitation interviews, participants described positive images that they intended but failed to capture in photos. Third, those participants who did not depict well-being described a lack of choice in their commuting, while those who acknowledged well-being seemed to do so in order to make practices of commuting meaningful and habitable. While our interpretations of photos of well-being could be subject to a methodological fallacy relating to a preference for positive over negative images in lay photography, we nonetheless suggest that the rich visual and oral narratives indicate a 'real' experience, albeit elicited through the photovoice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Guell
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), UK
| | - David Ogilvie
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), UK
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Ivory VC, Russell M, Witten K, Hooper CM, Pearce J, Blakely T. What shape is your neighbourhood? Investigating the micro geographies of physical activity. Soc Sci Med 2014; 133:313-21. [PMID: 25480666 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.11.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Being physically active has demonstrated health benefits, and more walkable neighbourhoods can potentially increase physical activity. Yet not all neighbourhoods provide opportunities for active lifestyles. This paper examines the social context of being active in local and non-local places. We use a social practice theoretical framework to examine how residents talk about and make sense of physical activity and places, contrasting individual and neighbourhood factors. In 2010, fourteen focus groups were held in four neighbourhoods varying by walkability and area-level deprivation (two Auckland and two Wellington, New Zealand), and with participants grouped by gender, ethnicity, and employment. Focus groups elicited discussion on where local residents go for physical activity, and the opportunities and barriers to physical activity in their local area and beyond. Thematic analyses compared across all groups for contrasts and similarities in the issues discussed. Neighbourhood walkability factors appeared to shape where residents engage with public places, with residents seeking out good places. Individual factors (e.g. employment status) also influenced how residents engage with their local neighbourhoods. All groups referred to being active in places both close by and further afield, but residents in less walkable neighbourhoods with fewer local destinations drew attention to the need to go elsewhere, notably for exercise, being social, and to be in pleasant, restorative environments. Being physically active in public settings was valued for social connection and mental restoration, over and above specifically 'health' reasons. Residents talk about being active in local and non-local places revealed agency in how they managed the limitations and opportunities within their immediate residential setting. That is, factors of place and people contributed to the 'shape' of everyday residential environments, at least with regard to physical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivienne C Ivory
- Health Inequalities Research Programme, Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
| | - Marie Russell
- Health Inequalities Research Programme, Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Karen Witten
- SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, School of Public Health, Massey University, Wellesley Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Carolyn M Hooper
- Health Inequalities Research Programme, Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jamie Pearce
- Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Health, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Tony Blakely
- Health Inequalities Research Programme, Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
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Bopp M, Behrens TK, Velecina R. Associations of Weight Status, Social Factors, and Active Travel Among College Students. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH EDUCATION 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2014.948652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Fan JX, Wen M, Kowaleski-Jones L. Sociodemographic and environmental correlates of active commuting in rural America. J Rural Health 2014; 31:176-85. [PMID: 25066252 DOI: 10.1111/jrh.12084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This research investigated participation rates in 3 modes of active commuting (AC) and their sociodemographic and physical environmental correlates in rural America. METHODS The 2000 Census supplemented with other data sets were used to analyze AC rates in percentage of workers walking, biking, and taking public transportation to work in 14,209 nonmetropolitan rural tracts identified by RUCA codes, including 4,067 small rural and 10,142 town-micropolitan rural tracts. Sociodemographic and physical environmental variables were correlated with 3 AC modes simultaneously using Seemingly Unrelated Regression for nonmetro rural, and for small rural and town-micropolitan rural separately. FINDINGS The average AC rates in rural tracts were 3.63%, 0.26%, and 0.56% for walking, biking, and public transportation to work, respectively, with small rural tracts having a higher rate of walking but lower rates of biking and public transportation to work than town-micropolitan tracts. In general, better economic well-being was negatively associated with AC but percentage of college-educated was a positive correlate. Population density was positively associated with AC but greenness and proximity to parks were negative correlates. However, significant differences existed for different AC modes, and between small rural and town-micropolitan rural tracts. CONCLUSIONS Sociodemographic factors explained more variance in AC than physical environmental factors but the detailed relationships were complex, varying by AC mode and by degree of rurality. Any strategy to promote AC in rural America needs to be sensitive to the population size of the area and assessed in a comprehensive manner to avoid a "one size fits all" approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie X Fan
- Department of Family and Consumer Studies, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Abstract
Active commuting (AC), the act of walking or biking to work, has notable health benefits though rates of AC remain low among women. This study used a social-ecological framework to examine the factors associated with AC among women. A convenience sample of employed, working women (n = 709) completed an online survey about their mode of travel to work. Individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and environmental influences were assessed. Basic descriptive statistics and frequencies described the sample. Simple logistic regression models examined associations with the independent variables with AC participation and multiple logistic regression analysis determined the relative influence of social ecological factors on AC participation. The sample was primarily middle-aged (44.09±11.38 years) and non-Hispanic White (92%). Univariate analyses revealed several individual, interpersonal, institutional, community and environmental factors significantly associated with AC. The multivariable logistic regression analysis results indicated that significant factors associated with AC included number of children, income, perceived behavioral control, coworker AC, coworker AC normative beliefs, employer and community supports for AC, and traffic. The results of this study contribute to the limited body of knowledge on AC participation for women and may help to inform gender-tailored interventions to enhance AC behavior and improve health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Bopp
- a Department of Kinesiology , The Pennsylvania State University , University Park , Pennsylvania , USA
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Nettleton S, Green J. Thinking about changing mobility practices: how a social practice approach can help. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2014; 36:239-251. [PMID: 24528305 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.12101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Policy efforts directed at encouraging physical activity have had minimal success to date. Drawing on Bourdieu's theory of practice, we suggest that a social practice framing might provide useful ways of thinking about why and how some practices do and could change. This article takes three case studies of transformations in mobility practices to explore conditions of possibility for change, using a secondary analysis of qualitative data from studies on cycling in London and fell running in the English Lake District. Three modes of transformation: unthinkable, thwarted and resisted, are rooted in differential interrelationships of field, habitus and doxa in these contrasting cases. We suggest that the notion of tacit, practical knowledge is more useful to understanding why change is thinkable or unthinkable than participants' reasoned accounts of their practice; that where new social fields are available that are congruent with habitus, change is possible and that where field and habitus are tightly aligned, the conditions of possibility for change are reduced. Efforts directed at changing practice might usefully focus not on behaviour or environments but on identifying the social fields in which mobility practices are likely to be malleable. The sociology of public health needs to focus less on health behaviour and more on social practice.
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Green J, Steinbach R, Jones A, Edwards P, Kelly C, Nellthorp J, Goodman A, Roberts H, Petticrew M, Wilkinson P. On the buses: a mixed-method evaluation of the impact of free bus travel for young people on the public health. PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH 2014. [DOI: 10.3310/phr02010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundIn September 2005 London introduced a policy granting young people aged < 17 years access to free bus and tram travel. A year later this policy was extended to people aged < 18 years in education, work or training. This intervention was part of a broader environmental strategy in London to reduce private car use, but its primary aim was to decrease ‘transport exclusion’, and ensure that access to goods, services, education and training opportunities were not denied to some young people because of transport poverty. However, there were also likely to be positive and negative health implications, which were difficult to assess in the absence of a robust evidence base on the impact of transport policies on health and well-being.ObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of free bus travel for young people in London on the public health. Specifically, to provide empirical evidence for the impact of this ‘natural experiment’ on health outcomes and behaviours (e.g. injuries, active travel) for young people; explore the effects on the determinants of health; identify the effects on older citizens of increased access to bus travel for young people and to identify whether or not the intervention represented value for money.DesignQuasi-experimental design, using secondary analysis of routine data, primary qualitative data and literature reviews.SettingLondon, UK.ParticipantsYoung people aged 12–17 years and older citizens aged ≥ 60 years.InterventionThe introduction of free bus travel for those aged < 17 years living in London in 2005, extended to those aged < 18 years in 2006.Main outcome measuresQuantitative: number of journeys to school or work; frequency and distance of active travel (i.e. walking and/or cycling), bus travel, car travel; incidence of road traffic injuries and assaults and socioeconomic gradients in travel patterns. Qualitative: how free bus travel affected young people and older citizens’ travel and well-being.MethodsQuantitative component: change-on-change analysis comparing pre–post change in the target age group (12–17 years) against that seen in ‘non-exposed’ groups [for travel mode, road traffic injury (RTI) and assaults]. Qualitative component: interviews analysed using both deductive and inductive methods. Economic evaluation: cost–benefit analysis (CBA).Data sourcesLondon Area Transport Survey (LATS) and London Travel Demand Survey (LTDS) (travel mode); STATS19 Road Accident data set (RTI); Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) (assaults); interviews with young people and older citizens; and cost data from providers and literature reviews.ResultsThe introduction of free bus travel for young people was associated with higher use of bus travel by adults and young people [31% increase, 95% confidence interval (CI) 19% to 42%; and 26% increase, 95% CI 13% to 41%, respectively], especially for short journeys, and lower car distances relative to adults (relative change 0.73, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.94); no significant overall reduction in ‘active travel’ [reduction in number of walking trips but no evidence of change in distance walked (relative change 0.99, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.07)]; significant reduction in cycling relative to adults (but from a very low base); a reduction in road traffic injuries for car occupants (relative change 0.89, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.95) and cyclists (relative change 0.60, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.66), but not pedestrians; an overall modest increase in journeys to work or school (relative change 1.09, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.14); equivocal evidence of impact on socioeconomic gradients in travel behaviour and no evidence of adverse impact on travel of older people aged > 60 years. An increase in assaults largely preceded the scheme. Qualitative data suggested that the scheme increased opportunities for independent travel, social inclusion, and a sense of belonging and that it ‘normalised’ bus travel. The monetised benefits of the scheme substantially outweighed the costs, providing what the Department for Transport (DfT) considers ‘high’ value for money.ConclusionThe free bus travel scheme for young people appears to have encouraged their greater use of bus transport for short trips without significant impact on their overall active travel. There was qualitative evidence for benefits on social determinants of health, such as normalisation of bus travel, greater social inclusion and opportunities for independent travel. In the context of a good bus service, universal free bus travel for young people appears to be a cost-effective contributor to social inclusion and, potentially, to increasing sustainable transport in the long term. Further research is needed on the effects of both active and other travel modes on the determinants of health; the factors that influence maintenance of travel mode change; travel as ‘social practice’; the impact of driving license changes on injury rates for young adults and the value of a statistical life for young people.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Green
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Steinbach
- Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Alasdair Jones
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Department of Methodology, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - Phil Edwards
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Charlotte Kelly
- Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - John Nellthorp
- Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Anna Goodman
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Helen Roberts
- General and Adolescent Paediatrics Unit, University College London Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Mark Petticrew
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Paul Wilkinson
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Jose KA, Cleland VJ, Venn AJ, Hansen E. Young adult perceptions of Australia's physical activity recommendations for adults. Health Promot J Austr 2013; 24:199-205. [PMID: 24355340 DOI: 10.1071/he13041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Accepted: 11/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
ISSUES ADDRESSED Physical activity recommendations for adults worldwide advise participation in moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, on most days of the week. Younger adults report the lowest prevalence of walking. This mixed-methods study explores the salience of Australia's activity recommendations around moderate-intensity physical activity, particularly walking, for young Australian adults. METHODS Semistructured interviews were conducted with 24 young Australians aged 17-25 years. During interviews, Australia's physical activity recommendations for adults were explained to participants, highlighting the inclusion of moderate-intensity physical activity such as walking. Participants were asked to comment on the recommendations and walking for physical activity and exercise. Data from interviews underwent an iterative thematic form of analysis. Participants also completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and were asked to complete a pedometer diary. RESULTS No participant was classified as sedentary; twenty three participants reported walking for transport and nine for leisure (IPAQ). During interviews, the majority of participants (n=20) did not identify walking as physical activity or exercise. Participants focussed on the cardiorespiratory (fitness) benefits associated with physical activity and believed walking was of insufficient intensity to achieve these benefits at their age. CONCLUSIONS Walking was considered an everyday activity and of insufficient intensity to achieve any health or fitness benefits. SO WHAT?: The belief that only vigorous physical activity conveys any fitness benefits may act as a barrier to participation in moderate-intensity physical activity such as walking, particularly among sedentary young people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim A Jose
- Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, Tas. 7000, Australia
| | - Verity J Cleland
- Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, Tas. 7000, Australia
| | - Alison J Venn
- Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, Tas. 7000, Australia
| | - Emily Hansen
- School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 22, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia
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Panter J, Griffin S, Dalton AM, Ogilvie D. Patterns and predictors of changes in active commuting over 12 months. Prev Med 2013; 57:776-84. [PMID: 23938464 PMCID: PMC3842498 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2013] [Revised: 07/22/2013] [Accepted: 07/27/2013] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the predictors of uptake and maintenance of walking and cycling, and of switching to the car as the usual mode of travel, for commuting. METHODS 655 commuters in Cambridge, UK reported all commuting trips using a seven-day recall instrument in 2009 and 2010. Individual and household characteristics, psychological measures relating to car use and environmental conditions on the route to work were self-reported in 2009. Objective environmental characteristics were assessed using Geographical Information Systems. Associations between uptake and maintenance of commuting behaviours and potential predictors were modelled using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS Mean within-participant changes in commuting were relatively small (walking: +3.0 min/week, s.d.=66.7; cycling: -5.3 min/week, s.d.=74.7). Self-reported and objectively-assessed convenience of public transport predicted uptake of walking and cycling respectively, while convenient cycle routes predicted uptake of cycling and a pleasant route predicted maintenance of walking. A lack of free workplace parking predicted uptake of walking and alternatives to the car. Less favourable attitudes towards car use predicted continued use of alternatives to the car. CONCLUSIONS Improving the convenience of walking, cycling and public transport and limiting the availability of workplace car parking may promote uptake and maintenance of active commuting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Panter
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit & UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, UK.
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Making sense of a new transport system: an ethnographic study of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway. PLoS One 2013; 8:e69254. [PMID: 23935968 PMCID: PMC3728339 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2012] [Accepted: 06/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
An increase in public transport use has the potential to contribute to improving population health, and there is growing interest in innovative public transport systems. Yet how new public transport infrastructure is experienced and integrated (or not) into daily practice is little understood. We investigated how the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, UK, was used and experienced in the weeks following its opening, using the method of participant observation (travelling on the busway and observing and talking to passengers) and drawing on Normalization Process Theory to interpret our data. Using excerpts of field notes to support our interpretations, we describe how the ease with which the new transport system could be integrated into existing daily routines was important in determining whether individuals would continue to use it. It emerged that there were two groups of passengers with different experiences and attitudes. Passengers who had previously travelled frequently on regular bus services did not perceive the new system to be an improvement; consequently, they were frustrated that it was differentiated from and not coherent with the regular system. In contrast, passengers who had previously travelled almost exclusively by car appraised the busway positively and perceived it to be a novel and superior form of travel. Our rich qualitative account highlights the varied and creative ways in which people learn to use new public transport and integrate it into their everyday lives. This has consequences for the introduction and promotion of future transport innovations. It is important to emphasise the novelty of new public transport, but also the ways in which its use can become ordinary and routine. Addressing these issues could help to promote uptake of other public transport interventions, which may contribute to increasing physical activity and improving population health.
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Guell C, Panter J, Ogilvie D. Walking and cycling to work despite reporting an unsupportive environment: insights from a mixed-method exploration of counterintuitive findings. BMC Public Health 2013; 13:497. [PMID: 23705951 PMCID: PMC3665474 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2012] [Accepted: 05/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Perceptions of the environment appear to be associated with walking and cycling. We investigated the reasons for walking and cycling to or from work despite reporting an unsupportive route environment in a sample of commuters. Methods This mixed-method analysis used data collected as part of the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study. 1164 participants completed questionnaires which assessed the travel modes used and time spent on the commute and the perceived environmental conditions on the route to work. A subset of 50 also completed qualitative interviews in which they discussed their experiences of commuting. Participants were included in this analysis if they reported unsupportive conditions for walking or cycling on their route (e.g. heavy traffic) in questionnaires, walked or cycled all or part of the journey to work, and completed qualitative interviews. Using content analysis of these interviews, we investigated their reasons for walking or cycling. Results 340 participants reported walking or cycling on the journey to work despite unsupportive conditions, of whom 15 also completed qualitative interviews. From these, three potential explanations emerged. First, some commuters found strategies for coping with unsupportive conditions. Participants described knowledge of the locality and opportunities for alternative routes more conducive to active commuting, as well as their cycling experience and acquired confidence to cycle in heavy traffic. Second, some commuters had other reasons for being reliant on or preferring active commuting despite adverse environments, such as childcare arrangements, enjoyment, having more control over their journey time, employers’ restrictions on car parking, or the cost of petrol or parking. Finally, some survey respondents appeared to have reported not their own environmental perceptions but those of others such as family members or ‘the public’, partly to make a political statement regarding the adversity of active commuting in their setting. Conclusions Participants report walking and cycling to work despite adverse environmental conditions. Understanding this resilience might be just as important as investigating ‘barriers’ to cycling. These findings suggest that developing knowledge of safe walking and cycling routes, improving cycling confidence and restricting workplace parking may help to encourage walking and cycling to and from work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Guell
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, UK.
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Gatrell AC. Therapeutic mobilities: walking and 'steps' to wellbeing and health. Health Place 2013; 22:98-106. [PMID: 23666145 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2013] [Revised: 03/25/2013] [Accepted: 04/02/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
There is now an extensive literature on therapeutic landscapes, those settings and places that can contribute to wellbeing and good health. Less attention has been paid to the therapeutic qualities of the act of moving from one place to another. The recent emergence of a significant mobilities 'turn' in social science is welcome, but this has as yet had relatively little to say about the consequences of mobility for health and wellbeing. This paper maps the relations between one form of mobility - walking - and wellbeing and health. Such relations may be theorised as 'therapeutic mobilities', a concept that sits comfortably alongside that of therapeutic landscapes. I explore three elements of such relations: activity; connection; and context. Although only one form of mobility is considered, the notion of therapeutic mobilities can be extended to other forms of travel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony C Gatrell
- Faculty of Health & Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK.
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Incorporating walking or cycling into car journeys to and from work: the role of individual, workplace and environmental characteristics. Prev Med 2013; 56:211-7. [PMID: 23375993 PMCID: PMC3712186 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2012] [Revised: 11/22/2012] [Accepted: 01/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Small increases in walking or cycling for transport could contribute to population health improvement. We explore the individual, workplace and environmental characteristics associated with the incorporation of walking and cycling into car journeys. METHODS In 2009, participants from the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study (UK) reported transport modes used on the commute in the last week as well as individual, workplace and environmental characteristics. Logistic regression was used to assess the explanatory variables associated with incorporating walking or cycling into car commuting journeys. RESULTS 31% of car commuters (n=419, mean age 43.3 years, SD 0.3) regularly incorporated walking or cycling into their commute. Those without access to car parking at work (OR: 26.0, 95% CI:11.8 to 57.2) and who reported most supportive environments for walking and cycling en route to work (highest versus lowest tertile, OR: 2.7, 95% CI 1.4 to 5.5) were more likely to incorporate walking or cycling into their car journeys. CONCLUSIONS Interventions that provide pleasant and convenient routes, limit or charge for workplace car parking and provide free off-site car parking may encourage car commuters to incorporate walking and cycling into car journeys. The effects of such interventions remain to be evaluated.
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Jones CHD, Ogilvie D. Motivations for active commuting: a qualitative investigation of the period of home or work relocation. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2012; 9:109. [PMID: 22967090 PMCID: PMC3489688 DOI: 10.1186/1479-5868-9-109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2012] [Accepted: 09/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Promoting walking or cycling to work (active commuting) could help to increase population physical activity levels. According to the habit discontinuity and residential self-selection hypotheses, moving home or workplace is a period when people (re)assess, and may be more likely to change, their travel behavior. Research in this area is dominated by the use of quantitative research methods, but qualitative approaches can provide in-depth insight into the experiences and processes of travel behavior change. This qualitative study aimed to explore experiences and motivations regarding travel behavior around the period of relocation, in an effort to understand how active commuting might be promoted more effectively. Methods Participants were recruited from the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study cohort in the UK. Commuters who had moved home, workplace or both between 2009 and 2010 were identified, and a purposive sample was invited to participate in semi-structured interviews regarding their experiences of, and travel behavior before and after, relocating. A grounded theory approach was taken to analysis. Results Twenty-six commuters participated. Participants were motivated by convenience, speed, cost and reliability when selecting modes of travel for commuting. Physical activity was not a primary motivation, but incidental increases in physical activity were described and valued in association with active commuting, the use of public transport and the use of park-and-ride facilities. Conclusions Emphasizing and improving the relative convenience, cost, speed and reliability of active commuting may be a more promising approach to promoting its uptake than emphasizing the health benefits, at least around the time of relocation. Providing good quality public transport and free car parking within walking or cycling distance of major employment sites may encourage the inclusion of active travel in the journey to work, particularly for people who live too far from work to walk or cycle the entire journey. Contrary to a straightforward interpretation of the self-selection hypothesis, people do not necessarily decide how they prefer to travel, relocate, and then travel in their expected way; rather, there is constant negotiation, reassessment and adjustment of travel behavior following relocation which may offer an extended window of opportunity for travel behavior change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline H D Jones
- MRC Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), Box 296, Institute of Public Health, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 OSR, UK.
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