Citation

Cerin E, Mellecker RR, Macfarlane DJ, Barnett A, Cheung MC, Sit CH, Chan WM. J. Aging Health 2013; 25(8): 1425-1444.

Affiliation

The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0898264313510034

PMID

24246302

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We examined the associations of educational attainment and area socioeconomic status (SES) with total within-neighborhood walking patterns and percentage of walking undertaken for recreation purposes in Hong Kong elders. Environmental mediators of these associations were also examined. METHOD: Chinese-speaking elders (N = 484), cognitively unimpaired and able to walk unassisted, were recruited from 32 street blocks stratified by SES and walkability. Interviewer-administered surveys were conducted to collect data on walking and sociodemographics. Neighborhood environments were audited. RESULTS: Educational attainment was positively related to walking outcomes, while area SES was only positively related to percentage of walking allocated to recreational purposes. While no mediators of area SES-walking associations were identified, several environmental attributes explained the associations of educational attainment with walking. DISCUSSION: Educational attainment rather than area SES is a key determinant of walking in Hong Kong elders; these effects are mostly attributable to social and individual rather than environmental factors.

Language: en