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Disentangling the relative influence of built and socioeconomic environments on walking: The contribution of areas homogenous along exposures of interest

Author

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  • Riva, Mylene
  • Gauvin, Lise
  • Apparicio, Philippe
  • Brodeur, Jean-Marc

Abstract

The geography of small areas has important implications for studying the contextual determinants of health because of potential errors when measuring ecologic exposures and estimating their effects on health. In this paper, we present an approach for designing homogeneous zones optimising the spatial distribution of an area-level exposure, active living potential (ALP), based on data collected in Montreal, Canada. The objectives are to (1) assess and compare variation in walking behaviours between these purposefully designed zones and between standard administrative units, census tracts; and (2) disentangle the relative influence of ALP and area-level socioeconomic conditions on walking using the alternative geographies. Zones were designed by statistically classifying smallest census areas (disseminations areas) into seven categories of exposure similar along three indicators of ALP: population density, land use mix, and geographic accessibility to services. Mapping of categories resulted in the delineation of zones characterised by one of seven levels of ALP. A sample of 2716 adults aged >=45 years was geocoded and cross-classified in 270 zones and 112 census tracts. Individuals reported on minutes and motives of walking and provided socioeconomic information. Data were analysed using cross-classified multilevel models. Variation in utilitarian walking was larger across the purposefully defined zones than across census tracts. Total walking varied significantly between census tracts only. Greater ALP was associated with more utilitarian walking but with less recreational walking. Higher socioeconomic position in census tracts was positively associated with total, utilitarian, and recreational walking. The soundness of standard administrative units for measuring ecologic exposure and their associations with health should be considered prior to conducting analyses. The added value of different approaches for understanding how place relates to health remains to be established and should be the focus of further investigations.

Suggested Citation

  • Riva, Mylene & Gauvin, Lise & Apparicio, Philippe & Brodeur, Jean-Marc, 2009. "Disentangling the relative influence of built and socioeconomic environments on walking: The contribution of areas homogenous along exposures of interest," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(9), pages 1296-1305, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:69:y:2009:i:9:p:1296-1305
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    Cited by:

    1. Losada-Rojas, Lisa L. & Pyrialakou, Dimitra & Waldorf, Brigitte S. & Banda, Jorge A. & Gkritza, Konstantina, 2022. "The effect of location on physical activity: Implications for active travel," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    2. Mahdi-Salim Saib & Julien Caudeville & Florence Carre & Olivier Ganry & Alain Trugeon & Andre Cicolella, 2014. "Spatial Relationship Quantification between Environmental, Socioeconomic and Health Data at Different Geographic Levels," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-22, April.
    3. Karen Witten & Jamie Pearce & Peter Day, 2011. "Neighbourhood Destination Accessibility Index: A GIS Tool for Measuring Infrastructure Support for Neighbourhood Physical Activity," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 43(1), pages 205-223, January.
    4. Steffen Andreas Schüle & Gabriele Bolte, 2015. "Interactive and Independent Associations between the Socioeconomic and Objective Built Environment on the Neighbourhood Level and Individual Health: A Systematic Review of Multilevel Studies," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-31, April.
    5. Yi Zhang & Yuan Li & Qixing Liu & Chaoyang Li, 2014. "The Built Environment and Walking Activity of the Elderly: An Empirical Analysis in the Zhongshan Metropolitan Area, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-17, February.
    6. Brusilovskiy, Eugene & Salzer, Mark S., 2012. "A study of environmental influences on the well-being of individuals with psychiatric disabilities in Philadelphia, PA," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(10), pages 1591-1601.
    7. Yi Zhang & Xiaoguang Yang & Yuan Li & Qixing Liu & Chaoyang Li, 2014. "Household, Personal and Environmental Correlates of Rural Elderly’s Cycling Activity: Evidence from Zhongshan Metropolitan Area, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(6), pages 1-16, June.
    8. Hongwei Xu & John Logan & Susan Short, 2014. "Integrating Space With Place in Health Research: A Multilevel Spatial Investigation Using Child Mortality in 1880 Newark, New Jersey," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(3), pages 811-834, June.
    9. Yongxin Deng, 2016. "Challenges and complications in neighborhood mapping: from neighborhood concept to operationalization," Journal of Geographical Systems, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 229-248, July.
    10. Mahmood, Atiya & Chaudhury, Habib & Michael, Yvonne L. & Campo, Michael & Hay, Kara & Sarte, Ann, 2012. "A photovoice documentation of the role of neighborhood physical and social environments in older adults’ physical activity in two metropolitan areas in North America," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(8), pages 1180-1192.
    11. Feuillet, T. & Commenges, H. & Menai, M. & Salze, P. & Perchoux, C. & Reuillon, R. & Kesse-Guyot, E. & Enaux, C. & Nazare, J.-A. & Hercberg, S. & Simon, C. & Charreire, H. & Oppert, J.M., 2018. "A massive geographically weighted regression model of walking-environment relationships," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 118-129.

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