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Khanuja RK, Tiwari G. Safety-in-Numbers for route choice of bicycle trips: A choice experiment approach for commuters. ACCIDENT; ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION 2024; 203:107624. [PMID: 38735194 DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2024.107624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Safety-in-Numbers (SiN) implies that the risk of collision per road user is less when there are more road users. Although the available literature has confirmed the existence of SiN as an objective measure of safety, the effect on perceived safety, especially in the context of bicycle riders, has received much less attention. This study investigates the SiN effect on the perceived safety of bicycle riders that influences route choice behavior. A stated preference survey was performed in the South Delhi district of Delhi. The effect of attributes like posted speed limit, the volume of motorized traffic, bicycle infrastructure, and bicycle traffic/ crowding on route choice behavior was investigated. A binary logit model was developed to quantify the effect of these attributes on route choice. The results indicate that, in general, riders prefer routes with more bicycle traffic, hence validating SiN. But the effect does not always hold. For some riders, in the presence of dedicated bicycle infrastructure, when the perceived safety is higher, the presence of more bicycle traffic acts as crowding and demotivates riders to choose that route. The study also reveals that riders prefer routes with a low volume of motorized traffic and dedicated bicycle infrastructure. The outcomes suggest that a policy that encourages infrastructural development to provide lateral separation will encourage more people, hence increasing bicycle mode share as well as the perceived safety of riders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmeet Kaur Khanuja
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Geetam Tiwari
- Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
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2
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Hardinghaus M, Nieland S. Assessing cyclists' routing preferences by analyzing extensive user setting data from a bike-routing engine. EUROPEAN TRANSPORT RESEARCH REVIEW 2021; 13:41. [PMID: 38624843 PMCID: PMC8314267 DOI: 10.1186/s12544-021-00499-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Many municipalities aim to support the uptake of cycling as an environmentally friendly and healthy mode of transport. It is therefore crucial to meet the demand of cyclists when adapting road infrastructure. Previous studies researching cyclists' route choice behavior deliver valuable insights but are constrained by laboratory conditions, limitations in the number of observations, or the observation period or relay on specific use cases. Methods The present study analyzes a dataset of over 450,000 observations of cyclists' routing settings for the navigation of individual trips in Berlin, Germany. It therefore analyzes query data recorded in the bike-routing engine BBBike and clusters the many different user settings with regard to preferred route characteristics. Results and Conclusion Results condense the large number of routing settings into characteristic preference clusters. Compared with earlier findings, the big data approach highlights the significance of short routes, side streets and the importance of high-quality surfaces for routing choices, while cycling on dedicated facilities seems a little less important.Consequentially, providing separated cycle facilities along main roads - often the main focal point of cycle plans - should be put into the context of an integrated strategy which fulfills distinct preferences to achieve greater success. It is therefore particularly important to provide a cycle network in calm residential streets as well as catering for short, direct cycle routes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hardinghaus
- German Aerospace Center DLR, Institute of Transport Research, Rudower Chaussee 7, 12489 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Geography, Humboldt University of Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Simon Nieland
- German Aerospace Center DLR, Institute of Transport Research, Rudower Chaussee 7, 12489 Berlin, Germany
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3
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Kellstedt DK, Spengler JO, Foster M, Lee C, Maddock JE. A Scoping Review of Bikeability Assessment Methods. J Community Health 2020; 46:211-224. [PMID: 32419079 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-020-00846-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Bicycling holds promise as a healthy and sustainable means of transportation and physical activity. Despite the growing interest in community-based environmental approaches to promoting physical activity, bikeability has received relatively little attention. This paper provides a scoping review of the instruments developed to measure bikeability along with practice-based analyses of the tools related to user expertise, estimated cost, and required time to implement. The review summarizes the literature, identifies research gaps, and informs stakeholders with articles from EBSCO and transportation databases published after 2003 when the previous bikeability instrument review paper was published. Data extraction included the tool name, data collection method, study location, data collection scale, type of measure, and description. Two reviewers independently reviewed articles included in the full text review, and the inter-rater agreement exceeded 90%. The database search yielded 388 unique articles, and 17 met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Most of the studies, 11 of 17, were applied to settings outside of the U.S. Five studies employed a self-report survey, and five studies examined bikeability using geospatial data, like GIS. Seven studies used a direct observation audit tool-one specifically using a mobile app and another using virtual observation techniques with Google Street View. Bikeability tools are useful for assessing communities and their supports for bicycling. Our primary finding is that advances in technology over the past two decades have driven innovative and useful methodologies, in a variety of disciplines, for assessing the environment, but more consensus is needed to provide a universal definition of bikeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debra K Kellstedt
- College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
| | - John O Spengler
- Texas A&M School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Margaret Foster
- Texas A&M University Libraries, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Chanam Lee
- Texas A&M College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jay E Maddock
- Texas A&M School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
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4
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Abstract
Providing a sufficiently appropriate route environment is crucial to ensuring fair and safe biking, thus encouraging cycling as a sustainable mode of transport. At the same time, better understanding of cyclists’ preferences regarding the features of their routes and their infrastructure requirements is fundamental to evaluating improvement of the current infrastructure or the development of new infrastructure. The present study has two objectives. The first is to investigate cyclists’ route preferences by means of a choice experiment based on a stated preference survey. Subsequently, the second objective is to compare cyclist preferences in two countries with different cycling characteristics (both in infrastructure as well as cyclists’ behavior). For this purpose, a graphical online stated preferences survey was conducted in Greece and Germany. Within the framework of statistical analyses, multinomial mixed logit discrete choice models were developed that allow us to quantify the trade-offs of interest, while distinguishing between the preferences of different user groups. In addition, user requirements in Greece, as a country with a low cycling share and very little dedicated bike infrastructure, were compared to the requirements in Germany, where cycling is popular and the infrastructure is well developed. The results over the whole sample indicate that subgroups value infrastructure differently according to their specific needs. When looking at country specifics, users from Greece are significantly more willing to accept longer travel times in return for higher-quality facilities. The utility of low speed limits in mixed traffic is also different. In Germany, low speed limits offset the disturbance caused by motorized traffic, but in Greece they do not. Consequently, the results help to asses which types of infrastructure are most sustainable from a user perspective and help to set priorities when the aim is to adapt the road infrastructure efficiently in a stable strategy.
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5
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Expanding the Scope of the Bicycle Level-of-Service Concept: A Review of the Literature. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12072944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Research into the bicycle level-of-service (BLOS) has been extensively conducted over the last three decades. This research has mostly focused on user perceptions of comfort to provide guidance for decision-makers and planners. Segments and nodes were studied first, followed by a network evaluation. Besides these investigations, several variables have also been utilized to depict the users’ perspectives within the BLOS field, along with other cycling research domains that simultaneously scrutinized the users’ preferences. This review investigates the variables and indices employed in the BLOS area in relation to the field of bicycle flow and comfort research. Despite general agreement among existing BLOS variables and the adopted indices, several important research gaps remain to be filled. First, BLOS indices are often categorized based on transport components, while scarce attention has been paid to BLOS studies in trip-end facilities such as bicycle parking facilities. The importance of these facilities has been highlighted instead within research related to comfort. Second, the advantages of separated bike facilities have been proven in many studies; however, scarce research has addressed the challenges associated with them (e.g., the heterogeneity within those facilities due to the presence of electric bikes and electric scooters). This issue is clearly noticeable within the research regarding flow studies. Furthermore, network evaluation (in comparison to segment and node indices) has been studied to a lesser extent, whereas issues such as connectivity can be evaluated mainly through a holistic approach to the system. This study takes one step toward demonstrating the importance of the integration of similar research domains in the BLOS field to eliminate the aforementioned shortcomings.
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6
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Differences in park characteristic preferences for visitation and physical activity among adolescents: A latent class analysis. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212920. [PMID: 30883562 PMCID: PMC6422290 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to optimize environmental interventions, the current study aimed to investigate whether there are subgroups with different preferences regarding park characteristics for park visitation and park-based PA among adolescents (12–16 years). Furthermore, we examined whether the identified subgroups differed in socio-demographics, PA behavior, and park use characteristics (e.g. accompaniment to park, usual activities during park visitation, usual transportation to parks). Adolescents (12–16 years) were recruited via randomly selected secondary schools, located in Flanders (Belgium). Class visits were conducted between September and November 2016 and adolescents were asked to complete an online questionnaire. Latent class analyses using Sawtooth Software were used to identify possible subgroups. A final sample of 972 adolescents (mean age 13.3 ± 1.3 years) remained for analyses. Three subgroups of adolescents with similar preferences for park characteristics could be distinguished for both park visitation and park-based PA. Overall, current results indicate that park upkeep was the most important park characteristic for park visitation as well as park-based PA among at risk subgroups (i.e. adolescents with lower overall PA levels, girls, older adolescents,…) followed by the presence of a playground or outdoor fitness equipment. Among the more active adolescents, especially boys visiting the parks together with friends, the presence of a sport field (soccer and basketball) seems to be the best strategy to increase park visitation as well as park-based PA. Current results provide a starting point to advise policy makers and urban planners when designing or renovating parks that investing in good upkeep and maintenance of parks, and the provision of a playground or outdoor fitness equipment might be the best strategy to increase both park visitation and park-based PA among at risk adolescent subgroups.
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Mueller N, Rojas-Rueda D, Salmon M, Martinez D, Ambros A, Brand C, de Nazelle A, Dons E, Gaupp-Berghausen M, Gerike R, Götschi T, Iacorossi F, Int Panis L, Kahlmeier S, Raser E, Nieuwenhuijsen M. Health impact assessment of cycling network expansions in European cities. Prev Med 2018; 109:62-70. [PMID: 29330030 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
We conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of cycling network expansions in seven European cities. We modeled the association between cycling network length and cycling mode share and estimated health impacts of the expansion of cycling networks. First, we performed a non-linear least square regression to assess the relationship between cycling network length and cycling mode share for 167 European cities. Second, we conducted a quantitative HIA for the seven cities of different scenarios (S) assessing how an expansion of the cycling network [i.e. 10% (S1); 50% (S2); 100% (S3), and all-streets (S4)] would lead to an increase in cycling mode share and estimated mortality impacts thereof. We quantified mortality impacts for changes in physical activity, air pollution and traffic incidents. Third, we conducted a cost-benefit analysis. The cycling network length was associated with a cycling mode share of up to 24.7% in European cities. The all-streets scenario (S4) produced greatest benefits through increases in cycling for London with 1,210 premature deaths (95% CI: 447-1,972) avoidable annually, followed by Rome (433; 95% CI: 170-695), Barcelona (248; 95% CI: 86-410), Vienna (146; 95% CI: 40-252), Zurich (58; 95% CI: 16-100) and Antwerp (7; 95% CI: 3-11). The largest cost-benefit ratios were found for the 10% increase in cycling networks (S1). If all 167 European cities achieved a cycling mode share of 24.7% over 10,000 premature deaths could be avoided annually. In European cities, expansions of cycling networks were associated with increases in cycling and estimated to provide health and economic benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Mueller
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
| | - David Rojas-Rueda
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maëlle Salmon
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - David Martinez
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Albert Ambros
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Christian Brand
- University of Oxford (UOXF), Transport Studies Unit, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Audrey de Nazelle
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Evi Dons
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
| | - Mailin Gaupp-Berghausen
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute for Transport Studies, Vienna, Austria
| | - Regine Gerike
- Dresden University of Technology, Chair of Integrated Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering, Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Götschi
- Physical Activity and Health Unit, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Luc Int Panis
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium; Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Sonja Kahlmeier
- Physical Activity and Health Unit, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elisabeth Raser
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute for Transport Studies, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
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8
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Verhoeven H, Ghekiere A, Van Cauwenberg J, Van Dyck D, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Clarys P, Deforche B. Which physical and social environmental factors are most important for adolescents' cycling for transport? An experimental study using manipulated photographs. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2017; 14:108. [PMID: 28818079 PMCID: PMC5561648 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-017-0566-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ecological models emphasize that cycling for transport is determined by an interplay between individual, physical and social environmental factors. The current study investigated (a) which physical and social environmental factors determine adolescents’ preferences towards cycling for transport and (b) which individual, physical and social environmental factors are associated with their intention to actually cycle for transport. Methods An online questionnaire consisting of questions on individual and social environmental variables, and 15 choice-based conjoint tasks with manipulated photographs was completed by 882 adolescents (55.3% male; 13.9 ± 1.6 years). Within the choice tasks, participants were asked to indicate which of two situations they would prefer to cycle to a friend’s house. The manipulated photographs were all modified versions of one semi-urban street which differed in the following physical micro-environmental attributes (separation of cycle path, evenness of cycle path, speed limit, speed bump, traffic density, amount of vegetation and maintenance). In addition, each photograph was accompanied by two sentences which described varying cycling distances and co-participation in cycling (i.e. cycling alone or with a friend). After each choice task participants were also asked if they would actually cycle in that situation in real life (i.e. intention). Hierarchical Bayes analyses were performed to calculate relative importances and part-worth utilities of environmental attributes. Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate which individual, physical and social environmental factors were associated with adolescents’ intention to actually cycle for transport. Results Adolescents’ preference to cycle for transport was predominantly determined by separation of cycle path, followed by shorter cycling distance and co-participation in cycling. Higher preferences were observed for a separation between the cycle path and motorized traffic by means of a hedge versus a curb, versus a marked line. Similar findings were observed for intention to cycle. Furthermore, evenness of the cycle path and general maintenance of the street were also of considerable importance among adolescents, but to a lesser extent. Conclusions Results of this experimental study justify investment by local governments in well-separated cycling infrastructure, which seemed to be more important than cycling distance and the social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Verhoeven
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium. .,Physical Activity, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium. .,Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, B-1000, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Ariane Ghekiere
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jelle Van Cauwenberg
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.,Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, B-1000, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Delfien Van Dyck
- Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, B-1000, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij
- Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Clarys
- Physical Activity, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Benedicte Deforche
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.,Physical Activity, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
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9
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Mertens L, Compernolle S, Deforche B, Mackenbach JD, Lakerveld J, Brug J, Roda C, Feuillet T, Oppert JM, Glonti K, Rutter H, Bardos H, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Van Dyck D. Built environmental correlates of cycling for transport across Europe. Health Place 2017; 44:35-42. [PMID: 28157622 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to determine which objective built environmental factors, identified using a virtual neighbourhood audit, were associated with cycling for transport in adults living in five urban regions across Europe. The moderating role of age, gender, socio-economic status and country on these associations was also investigated. Overall, results showed that people living in neighbourhoods with a preponderance of speed limits below 30km/h, many bicycle lanes, with less traffic calming devices, more trees, more litter and many parked cars forming an obstacle on the road were more likely to cycle for transport than people living in areas with lower prevalence of these factors. Evidence was only found for seven out of 56 possible moderators of these associations. These results suggest that reducing speed limits for motorized vehicles and the provision of more bicycle lanes may be effective interventions to promote cycling in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lieze Mertens
- Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sofie Compernolle
- Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Benedicte Deforche
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 4k3, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Human Biometry and Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joreintje D Mackenbach
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Lakerveld
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Johannes Brug
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Célina Roda
- Équipe de Recherche en Épidémiologie Nutritionnelle (EREN), Université Paris 13, Centre de Recherche en Épidémiologie et Statistiques, Inserm (U1153), Inra (U1125), Cnam, COMUE Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-93017 Bobigny, France
| | - Thierry Feuillet
- Équipe de Recherche en Épidémiologie Nutritionnelle (EREN), Université Paris 13, Centre de Recherche en Épidémiologie et Statistiques, Inserm (U1153), Inra (U1125), Cnam, COMUE Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-93017 Bobigny, France
| | - Jean-Michel Oppert
- Équipe de Recherche en Épidémiologie Nutritionnelle (EREN), Université Paris 13, Centre de Recherche en Épidémiologie et Statistiques, Inserm (U1153), Inra (U1125), Cnam, COMUE Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-93017 Bobigny, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Department of Nutrition Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (AP-HP), Centre for Research on Human Nutrition Ile-de-France (CRNH IdF), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Paris, France
| | - Ketevan Glonti
- ECOHOST - The Centre for Health and Social Change, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Harry Rutter
- ECOHOST - The Centre for Health and Social Change, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Helga Bardos
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij
- Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Delfien Van Dyck
- Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
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10
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Mertens L, Van Cauwenberg J, Ghekiere A, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Deforche B, Van de Weghe N, Van Dyck D. Differences in environmental preferences towards cycling for transport among adults: a latent class analysis. BMC Public Health 2016; 16:782. [PMID: 27519425 PMCID: PMC4983031 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-3471-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing cycling for transport can contribute to improve public health among adults. Micro-environmental factors (i.e. small-scaled street-setting features) may play an important role in affecting the street's appeal to cycle for transport. Understanding about the interplay between individuals and their physical environment is important to establish tailored environmental interventions. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine whether specific subgroups exist based on similarities in micro-environmental preferences to cycle for transport. METHODS Responses of 1950 middle-aged adults (45-65 years) on a series of choice tasks depicting potential cycling routes with manipulated photographs yielded three subgroups with different micro-environmental preferences using latent class analysis. RESULTS Although latent class analysis revealed three different subgroups in the middle-aged adult population based on their environmental preferences, results indicated that cycle path type (i.e. a good separated cycle path) is the most important environmental factor for all participants and certainly for individuals who did not cycle for transport. Furthermore, only negligible differences were found between the importances of the other micro-environmental factors (i.e. traffic density, evenness of the cycle path, maintenance, vegetation and speed limits) regarding the two at risk subgroups and that providing a speed bump obviously has the least impact on the street's appeal to cycle for transport. CONCLUSIONS Results from the current study indicate that only negligible differences were found between the three subgroups. Therefore, it might be suggested that tailored environmental interventions are not required in this research context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lieze Mertens
- Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jelle Van Cauwenberg
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 4k3, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Human Biometry and Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium.,Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ariane Ghekiere
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 4k3, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Human Biometry and Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium.,Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij
- Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Benedicte Deforche
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 4k3, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Human Biometry and Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nico Van de Weghe
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S8, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Delfien Van Dyck
- Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.,Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
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