Abstract

Purpose: Understanding the geographical and environmental triggers of active transport among older adults is crucial to promote healthy and independent lifestyles. While transportation research has long considered trip purpose as a major determinant of transport mode choices, “place and health” research has given little attention to it, and even less in connection with environmental determinants. To avoid an oversimplification of neighborhood built environments influence active transport, it is critical to account simultaneously for trip purposes, locations of visited places, and exposures to surrounding environments.
Methods: Based on a cohort of 470 older adults in Luxembourg, this study examined the influence of trip purposes on utilitarian walking, and the potential interaction effect with characteristics of multiple environments and distance to the place of residence. Information related to demographics, health status and regular visited locations were collected in 2015-2016 using the standard questionnaires and the VERITAS survey. Associations between trip purpose, environment, distance, and walking were analyzed using multilevel logistic regressions, accounting for demographics, neighborhood self-selection, and health status.
Results: Trip purpose appeared as a strong correlates of walking among older adults. Only street connectivity was associated with walking, and no interactions with trip purpose was observed. Associations between distance and walking strongly differed by trip purposes.
Conclusion: While increasing interest in “place and health” research is dedicated to “when” and where” travel behavior is realized, this study stressed the importance of the “why”. Trip purposes characterized by low physical constraints and high flexibility in space and time seemed to diminish the barrier effect of distance on walking.