Active transportation and social capital: The association between walking or biking for transportation and community participation

A cross-cultural investigation of active transportation and community participation: Results from the WHO survey of Global Ageing and Adult Health

Little is known about how the associations between active transportation and community participation may vary across national contexts. Using representative datasets from China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa collected in the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (N = 33,535), we estimated multi-group confirmatory factor analyses, tests of measurement invariance, and predictive models. Standardized coefficients were equivalent across countries and showed a modest positive association between active transportation and community participation (the variance explained by active transportation ranged from 1.3% to 7.5% across countries). These results suggest that supporting active transportation can help mitigate negative environmental and health changes associated with increased vehicular travel and support social capital via community participation.

Changes in walking practice and associated factors during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has induced many lifestyle changes, with reductions in healthy activities, including walking. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify strategies to maintain good health during a pandemic. Demographics, walking habits, health behaviors, health status, recognition of social capital, and changes in walking practice of 800 residents were evaluated using a structured questionnaire. Among the participants, 73.9%, 15.8%, and 10.4% reported no change, a decrease, and an increase in walking practice, respectively. Individuals in their 50 s and 60 s showed 6.388- and 5.054-times greater increases in walking, respectively, than did those aged 19-29 years. Walking increased more among high-income people than among low-income people. Additionally, walking practice increased in people participating in social gatherings, those with pets that needed walks, those with a COVID-19 history, those who considered walking as both a habitual and leisure activity, those with nearly no stress, and those satisfied with their safety, the natural environment, and public transportation; other health behaviors or conditions were not related to an increase in walking practice. To maintain good health during a pandemic, walking practice should be promoted in people in their 20 s and low-income groups. Moreover, people should be encouraged to attend meetings, including online interaction, and safe walking routes should be created within the community. Walking should be encouraged as a method of relieving stress, and the benefits of walking for recovery after an infectious disease should be emphasized. Furthermore, the direct effects of walking should be studied.

Association between choices of transportation means and instrumental activities of daily living: observational cohort study of community-dwelling older adults

INTRODUCTION

The association between the physical health of older people and the frequency of going out has been reported, and in recent years, local governments have developed transportation support programs for older people. Although previous studies show an association between the frequency of going out and functional health status, little has been reported on the impact of the choice of means of transport on instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between choice of transportation means and the risk of decline in IADL among older adults.

METHODS

We conducted an observational, population (community-dwelling)-based cohort study using data from the Resident Health Status Survey, and longitudinal panel data at 2-time points in 2016 and 2019. In addition, we combined this panel data and a database on people who were certified as requiring long-term care to identify participants' IADL. The propensity score matching method was used to classify the respondents into two groups, "active means of transportation" and "passive means of transportation," and determine the risk of a decline in means-tested independence after 3 years.

RESULTS

Active means were used by 6,280 (76.2%) and passive means were used by 1,865 (22.6%). 999 (12.1%) individuals declined in IADL in 2019. The results of the comparison by balancing the attributes of "active means of transportation" and "passive means of transportation," with propensity score matching, showed that "passive means of transportation" were more likely to be "active" than "passive means of transportation," and "active" was more likely to be "passive" The risk of IADL decline was significantly higher than that of "active means of transportation" with an RR of 1.93 (95% CI: 1.62-2.30).

CONCLUSION

Passive means of transportation in older adults could be a possible risk for decreasing IADL 3 years later. Increasing the number of opportunities and places in the community for older adults to use active means of transportation may be effective in encouraging socially independent living among older adults.