Herbolsheimer Florian, Mahmood Atiya, Michael Yvonne L, Chaudhury Habib
Department of Gerontology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
Front Public Health. 2020 Dec 22;8:564533. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.564533. eCollection 2020.
A walkable neighborhood becomes particularly important for older adults for whom physical activity and active transportation are critical for healthy aging-in-place. For many older adults, regular walking takes place in the neighborhood and is the primary mode of mobility. This study took place in eight neighborhoods in Metro Portland (USA) and Metro Vancouver (Canada), examining older adults' walking behavior and neighborhood built environmental features. Older adults reported walking for recreation and transport in a cross-sectional telephone survey. Information on physical activity was combined with audits of 355 street segments using the Senior Walking Environmental Audit Tool-Revised (SWEAT-R). Multi-level regression models examined the relationship between built environmental characteristics and walking for transport or recreation. Older adults [ = 434, mean age: 71.6 ( = 8.1)] walked more for transport in high-density neighborhoods and in Metro Vancouver compared to Metro Portland ( = 12.8 vs. = 2.2 min/day; < 0.001). No relationship was found between population density and walking for recreation. Older adults spent more time walking for transport if pedestrian crossing were present ( = 0.037) and if parks or outdoor fitness amenities were available ( = 0.022). The immediate neighborhood built environment supports walking for transport in older adults. Comparing two similar metropolitan areas highlighted that high population density is necessary, yet not a sufficient condition for walking in the neighborhood.
对于老年人来说，一个适合步行的社区尤为重要，因为身体活动和主动出行对于健康地居家养老至关重要。对许多老年人而言，日常步行在社区内进行，且是主要的出行方式。本研究在美国俄勒冈州波特兰市地铁区和加拿大温哥华市地铁区的八个社区开展，调查老年人的步行行为和社区建成环境特征。在一项横断面电话调查中，老年人报告了为休闲和出行目的而进行的步行情况。利用修订后的老年人步行环境审计工具（SWEAT-R），将身体活动信息与对355个街道段的审计相结合。多层次回归模型检验了建成环境特征与出行或休闲步行之间的关系。与波特兰市地铁区相比，温哥华市地铁区高密度社区的老年人[ = 434，平均年龄：71.6（ = 8.1）]出行步行更多（分别为每天12.8分钟和2.2分钟； < 0.001）。未发现人口密度与休闲步行之间存在关联。如果有行人横道（ = 0.037）以及有公园或户外健身设施（ = 0.022），老年人出行步行的时间会更长。周边社区建成环境支持老年人出行步行。对两个类似的大都市区进行比较表明，高人口密度是必要条件，但并非社区步行的充分条件。
