Introduction This study investigates the associations between community public-space characteristics and the walking behaviours of older residents during healthcare return trips. Methods GNSS trajectories were recorded for 124 older adults returning from two community health service centres in Hefei, China. Duration of in-space activity and space transit ratio were analysed as grid-level trajectory-derived indicators within 10 × 10 m grid cells and related to the area proportions of 18 spatial types. Gamma and quasi-binomial generalised linear models were fitted separately for each study area, with HC3 robust standard errors. Results Entrance/frontage spaces and road intersections were positively associated with recorded duration in both study areas. Entrance/frontage spaces, sidewalks separated by green belts, street-front commerce and small street-front gardens were positively associated with space transit ratio at both sites. Other associations varied between sites. Conclusions Recorded duration represents time spent within a grid cell during the observation period and does not establish older adults' preferences. Entrance areas, intersections and frequently traversed commercial and green-space routes warrant particular attention in future age-friendly planning. On-site activity observations and older adults’ reported experiences are needed to identify whether these spaces support everyday activities or involve difficulties and delays.
Introduction Daily walking and other forms of low-speed mobility among people with disabilities are shaped by the interaction of street environments, access to daily destinations, and individual circumstances. This study developed a GPS-based Low-speed Mobility Activity Intensity (LMAI) measure and examined disability-specific and overall associations with environmental, facility, and individual characteristics. Methods We recruited 319 adults aged 50–60 years in central Tianjin, China, including 157 participants with visual impairments and 162 with physical/mobility impairments. Participants carried GPS devices for at least 10 consecutive days. LMAI was defined as the product of mean daily distance and mean daily trip frequency derived from GPS-classified low-speed mobility. Exploratory Pearson correlations were estimated separately by disability group at 500 m and 800 m neighbourhood scales. After complete-case screening, pooled ordinary least-squares (OLS) models were estimated using 29 participants. Results Group-specific correlations showed distinct patterns across disability types and some scale sensitivity. In pooled OLS models, residential building construction year (β = .978, p = 0.005 at 500 m; β = .861, p = 0.025 at 800 m) and employment (β = .612, p = 0.002; β = .723, p = 0.005) were positively associated with LMAI, whereas sky-view factor was negatively associated (β = −.910, p = 0.003; β = −.835, p = 0.031). Distance to the nearest metro station was significant only in the 500 m model, whereas tactile paving density was significant only in the 800 m model. Conclusions Low-speed mobility among people with disabilities reflects both disability-specific patterns and potential overall associations. Accessible planning should therefore combine continuous and useable walking environments with disability-specific support and opportunities for employment and social participation.
Introduction The promise of urban mobility for millions of women is shaped by a complex calculus of safety, accessibility, and affordability. While safety is widely recognised as a barrier, its role in creating tangible missed opportunities remains underexplored. This study addresses this critical gap by examining missed commuting opportunities and their associated factors among women in urban India. Methods The study analyses cross-sectional survey data from 16,820 women across 40 Indian cities using multilevel binary logistic regression to examine factors associated with missed commuting opportunities. Exploratory Factor Analysis was used to develop a validated two-item 'Safety Concern Score'. An interaction term between the Safety Concern Score and household income was included to assess moderating effects. Results Higher levels of safety concern increased the odds of a missed opportunity by 2.33 times; for women in domestic duties, the odds were 1.95 times higher. This association was stronger for women from higher-income households. Concerns over petty crime and poor service reliability were cited more frequently as barriers than gender-based harassment. Conclusions Safety perceptions are associated with tangible missed opportunities, hindering women's participation in public life. The association between safety concerns and missed commuting opportunities was stronger among women from higher-income households, indicating that safety concerns interact with socioeconomic position rather than acting uniformly across income groups. These findings are based on cross-sectional data and warrant further longitudinal investigation. Policy should prioritise user-centric transport systems that are safe, reliable, and inclusive.
Background Pedestrian infrastructure and driver attentional conditions are commonly assessed separately, even though both can shape the safety conditions under which walking occurs. This study developed an upstream spatial-prioritization framework for peri-urban corridors that integrates these two complementary dimensions without treating them as direct measures of pedestrian health or behaviour. Methods Eighty-seven road segments across six peri-urban corridors near Babol, Iran, were audited for pedestrian exposure potential, infrastructure, land use, and roadway characteristics. Pedestrian Exposure Potential (PEP) and Pedestrian Infrastructure Deficiency (PID) were combined into a Pedestrian Vulnerability Index (PVI) and spatially linked to 6000 5-min naturalistic-driving windows from 50 commercial drivers. The driver layer used a fatigue-adjusted latent attentional index (adjusted LCDI). Driver-clustered GEE models examined PEP/PID associations with LCDI, and extensive sensitivity analyses tested robustness. Results PVI was weakly correlated with segment-level LCDI. Neither PEP nor PID was associated with LCDI in the primary model, whereas roadway and operating context showed stronger associations. Twenty-three of 87 segments (26.4%) were classified as compound high vulnerability; 21 were retained in at least 80% of alternative median-based index specifications. Conclusions Pedestrian-environment vulnerability and commercial-driver attentional vulnerability are complementary rather than interchangeable dimensions of the walking environment. Their spatial overlay identifies robust priority locations for interventions aimed at improving walking safety, preventing pedestrian injury, and supporting the conditions needed for routine active travel. These are upstream transport-health pathways; perceived safety, walking persistence, physical activity, and injury outcomes were not directly measured and require external validation.
Background Active school commuting is a relevant opportunity to increase daily physical activity among adolescents. However, participation rates remain low, particularly in middle-income countries, where structural, environmental, and social factors may interact in complex ways. Understanding these multilevel associations is essential to inform effective transport and public health strategies. Objectives To examine the associations between distance to school, perceived built environment, type of school, and active school commuting among adolescents in Chile. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 secondary school students (mean age: 17.0 ± 0.35 years) from public, subsidized, and private schools in Talca, Chile. Active commuting was assessed via self-report and categorized as active (walking or cycling) or motorized. Distance to school was classified as <3 km or ≥3 km. Perceived built environment was measured using the ALPHA questionnaire. A binary logistic regression model was used to examine associations, adjusting for school type, sex, home-to-school distance, and the perceived built-environment dimensions retained in the final model: connectivity, home environment, and school environment. Results are presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results The prevalence of active commuting was low (10.9% to school; 23.8% from school). Distance to school showed the strongest association with active commuting (OR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.28–0.69; p < .001), with greater distances associated with lower likelihood of active travel. Perceived connectivity was also inversely associated with active commuting (OR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.54–0.92; p = .011). No significant associations were found for type of school, sex, or other environmental variables. Conclusions Active school commuting among adolescents is primarily associated with structural factors, particularly distance to school, rather than individual or perceived environmental characteristics. These findings highlight the need to integrate urban planning, educational policies, and transport strategies to promote active commuting, especially in middle-income contexts characterized by spatial inequalities.
