Articlehybrid2016

Are perceptions of the environment in the workplace ‘neighbourhood’ associated with commuter walking?

Emma J. Adams · Fiona Bull · Charlie E Foster

38 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Transport & Health

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Urban Transport and Accessibility Physical Activity and Health Urban Green Space and Health

Abstract

Walking for the daily commute is one potential strategy for increasing physical activity levels. Understanding the behaviour-specific environmental correlates associated with commuter walking will help effective interventions to be identified and developed. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of perceptions of the environment in the workplace ‘neighbourhood’ and commuter walking. Participants in the baseline survey of the Walking Works intervention study reported perceptions of ten environmental attributes in their workplace neighbourhood, availability of public transport, time spent walking to and from work in the last seven days, their participation in physical activity and socio-demographic characteristics (n=676). We built a series of multivariate logistic regression models to examine associations between each environmental item, public transport availability and commuter walking. Half (52%) of respondents were classified as commuter walkers (n=352) (66% female; 47% aged <30 years). Respondents were significantly more likely to walk for their daily commute if they reported there to be convenient walking routes (OR (odds ratio) 2.05, 95% CI (confidence interval) 1.23–3.42), suitable pavements (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.23–4.04), maintained pavements (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.02–2.62) or convenient public transport (OR 4.98, 95% CI 3.34–7.44) after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, free car parking at work and distance lived from work. Creating ‘pedestrian friendly’ environments in workplace surroundings may be important for encouraging walking for the daily commute to work. Such environments would include convenient routes, suitable and maintained pedestrian infrastructure and convenient access to public transport. Improving and maintaining the walking environment around existing workplaces and ensuring infrastructure around new workplaces is designed to support commuter walking should be considered a priority area for investment.

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References

2003Environmental correlates of walking and cycling: Findings from the transportation, urban design, and planning literatures 2008Built Environment Correlates of Walking 2004Understanding environmental influences on walking 2006Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale 2005Walking to Public TransitSteps to Help Meet Physical Activity Recommendations 2014Systematic review and meta-analysis of reduction in all-cause mortality from walking and cycling and shape of dose response relationship 2012Relationship between the physical environment and different domains of physical activity in European adults: a systematic review 2012Perceived neighborhood environmental attributes associated with adults’ transport-related walking and cycling: Findings from the USA, Australia and Belgium

Cited by

2019Measuring walking behaviour in commuting to work: investigating the role of subjective, environmental and socioeconomic factors in a structural model 2017Creating and applying public transport indicators to test pathways of behaviours and health through an urban transport framework 2021Investigating what makes people walk or cycle using a socio-ecological approach in seven European cities 2016The influence of the built environment on transport and health

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