An Ecological Approach to Understanding Older Adults’ Experiences with Active Transportation in Washington, DC
Open Access DepositedAbstract of Dissertation An Ecological Approach to Understanding Older Adults’ Experiences with Active Transportation in Washington, DC Background
This dissertation emphasizes the opportunity to promote active transportation as a strategy for improving physical activity and health outcomes in older adult populations. Findings provide potential strategies for integrating age-friendly considerations within active transportation systems. This research also adds to the literature of factors that shape older adults’ perceptions and experiences with active transportation. Additional research should continue to explore factors in different contexts and examine the strength of their associations with active transportation behavior. As a whole, this dissertation reinforces the multi-layered approaches needed to support active transportation systems that are safe, comfortable, and accessible for older adults.
For Aim 1, the systematic expert opinion and policy review identified 101 policy recommendations for supporting “age-friendly active transportation.” Using the recommendations as a benchmark, review of the policy environment revealed significant alignment between recommended policies and existing policies and strategies in DC. For Aim 2, 10 overarching themes and 30 subthemes of factors were identified that influenced older adults’ decisions and experiences with active transportation. Themes included
Physical activity is critical for older adults’ health and wellbeing, yet many do not meet recommended activity levels. This presents a significant public health challenge for many communities. Active transportation—human-powered modes of travel, such as walking, bicycling, and rolling—is an acceptable and feasible form of physical activity for many older adults. This presents a valuable opportunity for communities to support physical activity behavior in this group. However, the needs of older adults are unique from other groups and warrant exploration to better understand the range of factors that influence their active transportation decisions and experiences. Aims and Methods
The conceptual framework for this research is based on an ecological model of behavior, which assumes factors across multiple levels of influence contribute to active transportation behavior. These levels include the policy environment, behavior settings, social-cultural environment, natural environment, perceived environment, and intrapersonal factors. The first aim was to describe the policy environment around active transportation and physical activity within Washington, DC, understand how it addresses the needs of aging and older adults, and inform policymakers of opportunities to support age-friendly active transportation. A systematic expert opinion and policy review identified best practices and policy recommendations for “age-friendly active transportation.” A content analysis of strategic planning and policy documents from DC was conducted to review and describe the existing policy landscape in relation to the topic. The second aim was to understand how intrapersonal, social-cultural, and other environmental factors influence older adults’ active transportation decisions and experiences in Washington, DC. Walking interviews were conducted with 15 older adults residing in Ward 5 of Washington, DC to explore these factors. Data was collected from interviews, observations, and photographs. Thematic analysis was performed using a combined approach of deductive and inductive coding to derive overarching themes and subthemes. Results
safety, pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure, social environment, nearby destinations, appearance and attractiveness, neighborhood environment and characteristics, public transit, individual characteristics, community policy and responsibility, and natural environment. Subthemes were found to correspond to ecological levels of influence, reinforcing the relevance of the conceptual framework. Conclusion
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