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Affiliation
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Elizabeth Webb and Jenny Mindell are with the Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, England. Anthony Laverty and Chris Millett are with the Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVES: We investigated associations between having a bus pass, enabling free local bus travel across the United Kingdom for state pension-aged people, and physical activity, gait speed, and adiposity.
METHODS: We used data on 4650 bus pass-eligible people (aged ≥ 62 years) at wave 6 (2012-2013) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing in regression analyses.
RESULTS: Bus pass holders were more likely to be female (odds ratio [OR] = 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.38, 2.02; P < .001), retired (OR = 2.65; 95% CI = 2.10, 3.35; P < .001), without access to a car (OR = 2.78; 95% CI = 1.83, 4.21; P < .001), to use public transportation (OR = 10.26; 95% CI = 8.33, 12.64; P < .001), and to be physically active (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.12, 1.84; P = .004). Female pass holders had faster gait speed (b = 0.06 meters per second; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.09; P = .001), a body mass index 1 kilogram per meter squared lower (b = -1.20; 95% CI = -1.93, -0.46; P = .001), and waist circumference 3 centimeters smaller (b = -3.32; 95% CI = -5.02, -1.62; P < .001) than women without a pass.
CONCLUSIONS: Free bus travel for older people helps make transportation universally accessible, including for those at risk for social isolation. Those with a bus pass are more physically active. Among women in particular, the bus pass is associated with healthier aging. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print November 12, 2015: e1-e7. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2015.302907).
Language: en |