Citation

Moran MR, Werner P, Doron I, HaGani N, Benvenisti Y, King AC, Winter SJ, Sheats JL, Garber R, Motro H, Egron S. J. Aging Phys. Act. 2016; 25(3): 420-431.

Affiliation

Shilo - non-profit organization promotion services for the welfare of the elderly.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Human Kinetics Publishers)

DOI

10.1123/japa.2016-0165

PMID

27992252

Abstract

Walking is a central form of physical activity among older adults that is associated with the physical environment at various scales. This mixed-methods study employs a concurrent nested design to explore objective and perceived environmental characteristics of older adults' local walking routes. This was achieved by integrating quantitative Geographic Information System (GIS) data with qualitative data obtained using the Stanford Discovery Tool (DT). Fifty-nine community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults (14 men and 45 women aged 50+) were recruited in a snowball approach through community centers in the city of Haifa (Israel). Four neighborhood environment themes were identified: pedestrian infrastructure, access to destinations, aesthetics, and environmental quality. Both geometrical traits (i.e., distance, slope) and urban features (i.e., land-uses, greenery) of the route may impact the experience of walking. The findings thus highlight the importance of micro-scale environmental elements in shaping environmental perceptions, which may consequently influence the choice of being active.

Language: en