IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i7p3923-d780177.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Determinants of Walking Behavior before and during COVID-19 in Middle-East and North Africa: Evidence from Tabriz, Iran

Author

Listed:
  • Mohammad Javad Kamelifar

    (Tabriz Metropolis Municipality, Tabriz 5174643119, Iran)

  • Behzad Ranjbarnia

    (Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Faculty of Planning and Environmental Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran)

  • Houshmand Masoumi

    (Center for Technology and Society, Technische Universität Berlin, Kaiserin-Augusta-Allee 104, 10553 Berlin, Germany
    Department of Transport and Supply Chain Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa)

Abstract

To support the global strategy to raise public health through walking among adults, we added the evidence on predictors of walking behavior in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by emphasizing the mediator—COVID-19. During the COVID-19 outbreak, public restrictions to encompass the spread of the disease have disrupted normal daily lifestyles, including physical activity and sedentary behavior. It was proposed that tremendous changes have occurred on predictors of physical activity in general and walking behavior in particular for three types of walking, including commute, non-commute, and social walking compared to pre-COVID-19 time. This study aimed to identify the determinants of the walking types mentioned above, including subjective and objective variables before COVID-19, and compare them during the COVID-19 period in a sample from Iran, which has not yet been addressed in previous research. Adults (N = 603) finalized an online survey between June 5 and July 15, 2021. This group reported their individual/socioeconomic locations (e.g., home/work) and perception features before and during COVID-19. The paper developed six Binary Logistic (BL) regression models, with two models for each walking type (commute, non-commute, and social walking). For commute trips before COVID-19, the findings showed that factors including BMI, residential duration, p. (perceived) neighborhood type, p. distance to public transport stations and job/university places, p. sidewalks quality, p. facilities attractiveness, p. existence of shortcut routes, commute distance, building density and distance to public transport were correlated with commute walking. At the same time, such associations were not observed for BMI, p. distance to public transport and job/university places, p. facilities attractiveness, building density, and distance to public transport during COVID-19. The variables include age, possession of a driving license, number of family members, p. neighborhood type, p. distance to grocery, restaurant, parking, and mall, p. existence of sidewalks, land-use mix, and distance to public transport indicated correlations with non-commute before COVID-19. However, p. distance to groceries and malls and the p. existence of sidewalks did not correlate with non-commute walking during COVID-19. Ultimately for social walking, age and income variables, and the considerable proportions of subjective variables (e.g., p. distance to services/land-uses, security, etc.), health status and building density were correlated with social walking before COVID-19. Nevertheless, most of the mentioned variables did not explicitly correlate with social walking during COVID-19. As for the implication of our study, apparently, special actions will be needed by urban authorities to encourage adults to enhance their walkability levels by fully considering both objective and subjective indicators and walking types, which will result in healthier lifestyles.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammad Javad Kamelifar & Behzad Ranjbarnia & Houshmand Masoumi, 2022. "The Determinants of Walking Behavior before and during COVID-19 in Middle-East and North Africa: Evidence from Tabriz, Iran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-20, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:7:p:3923-:d:780177
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/7/3923/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/7/3923/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Masayoshi Tanishita & Bert van Wee, 2017. "Impact of regional population density on walking behavior," Transportation Planning and Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(6), pages 661-678, August.
    2. Deutsch, Kathleen & Yoon, Seo Youn & Goulias, Konstadinos, 2013. "Modeling travel behavior and sense of place using a structural equation model," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 155-163.
    3. Susanne Nordbakke & Tim Schwanen, 2014. "Well-being and Mobility: A Theoretical Framework and Literature Review Focusing on Older People," Mobilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 104-129, February.
    4. Cervero, Robert & Duncan, Michael, 2003. "Walking, Bicycling, and Urban Landscapes: Evidence from the San Francisco Bay Area," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt6zr1x95m, University of California Transportation Center.
    5. Cervero, R. & Duncan, M., 2003. "Walking, Bicycling, and Urban Landscapes: Evidence from the San Francisco Bay Area," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(9), pages 1478-1483.
    6. Leyden, K.M., 2003. "Social Capital and the Built Environment: The Importance of Walkable Neighborhoods," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(9), pages 1546-1551.
    7. Eric T. H. Chan & Tim Schwanen & David Banister, 2021. "The role of perceived environment, neighbourhood characteristics, and attitudes in walking behaviour: evidence from a rapidly developing city in China," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 431-454, February.
    8. Begoña Muñoz & Andres Monzon & Ricardo A. Daziano, 2016. "The Increasing Role of Latent Variables in Modelling Bicycle Mode Choice," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(6), pages 737-771, November.
    9. Jonas De Vos, 2019. "Analysing the effect of trip satisfaction on satisfaction with the leisure activity at the destination of the trip, in relationship with life satisfaction," Transportation, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 623-645, June.
    10. Jonas De Vos & Tim Schwanen & Veronique Van Acker & Frank Witlox, 2013. "Travel and Subjective Well-Being: A Focus on Findings, Methods and Future Research Needs," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(4), pages 421-442, July.
    11. Melika Mehriar & Houshmand Masoumi & Atif Bilal Aslam & Syed Mubasher Gillani, 2021. "The Neighborhood Effect on Keeping Non-Commuting Journeys within Compact and Sprawled Districts," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-21, November.
    12. Ermagun, Alireza & Samimi, Amir, 2015. "Promoting active transportation modes in school trips," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 203-211.
    13. Ruth F. Hunter & Leandro Garcia & Thiago Herick Sa & Belen Zapata-Diomedi & Christopher Millett & James Woodcock & Alex ’Sandy’ Pentland & Esteban Moro, 2021. "Effect of COVID-19 response policies on walking behavior in US cities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    14. Yehua Dennis Wei & Weiye Xiao & Ming Wen & Ran Wei, 2016. "Walkability, Land Use and Physical Activity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-16, January.
    15. Rubén López-Bueno & Joaquín Calatayud & Lars L. Andersen & Carlos Balsalobre-Fernández & José Casaña & José A. Casajús & Lee Smith & Guillermo F. López-Sánchez, 2020. "Immediate Impact of the COVID-19 Confinement on Physical Activity Levels in Spanish Adults," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-10, July.
    16. Niaz Mahmud Zafri & Asif Khan & Shaila Jamal & Bhuiyan Monwar Alam, 2021. "Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Active Travel Mode Choice in Bangladesh: A Study from the Perspective of Sustainability and New Normal Situation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-18, June.
    17. Etminani-Ghasrodashti, Roya & Ardeshiri, Mahyar, 2015. "Modeling travel behavior by the structural relationships between lifestyle, built environment and non-working trips," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 506-518.
    18. Brownson, R.C. & Baker, E.A. & Housemann, R.A. & Brennan, L.K. & Bacak, S.J., 2001. "Environmental and policy determinants of physical activity in the United States," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 91(12), pages 1995-2003.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hong Jiang & Weiting Xiong, 2024. "The Impact of Land-Use Mix on Technological Innovation: Evidence from a Grid-Cell-Level Analysis of Shanghai, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, April.
    2. Jaroslav Mazanec & Veronika Harantová & Vladimíra Štefancová & Hana Brůhová Foltýnová, 2023. "Estimating Mode of Transport in Daily Mobility during the COVID-19 Pandemic Using a Multinomial Logistic Regression Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-15, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tashi Dendup & Xiaoqi Feng & Stephanie Clingan & Thomas Astell-Burt, 2018. "Environmental Risk Factors for Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-25, January.
    2. Ao, Yibin & Zhang, Yuting & Wang, Yan & Chen, Yunfeng & Yang, Linchuan, 2020. "Influences of rural built environment on travel mode choice of rural residents: The case of rural Sichuan," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    3. Wang, Donggen & Lin, Tao, 2013. "Built environments, social environments, and activity-travel behavior: a case study of Hong Kong," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 286-295.
    4. Tae‐Hyoung Tommy Gim, 2020. "The relationship between overall happiness and perceived transportation services relative to other individual and environmental variables," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 712-733, June.
    5. Mahdi Rashidi & Seyed-Mohammad Seyedhosseini & Ali Naderan, 2023. "Defining Psychological Factors of Cycling in Tehran City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, February.
    6. Majd Homoud & Ola M. Jarrar, 2024. "Walkability in Riyadh: A Comprehensive Assessment and Implications for Sustainable Community—Al-Falah Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-27, September.
    7. Andrea Abraham & Kathrin Sommerhalder & Thomas Abel, 2010. "Landscape and well-being: a scoping study on the health-promoting impact of outdoor environments," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 55(1), pages 59-69, February.
    8. Lorinne du Toit & Ester Cerin & Evie Leslie & Neville Owen, 2007. "Does Walking in the Neighbourhood Enhance Local Sociability?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 44(9), pages 1677-1695, August.
    9. Andrew F. Clark & Darren M. Scott, 2016. "Barriers to Walking: An Investigation of Adults in Hamilton (Ontario, Canada)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-12, January.
    10. Ivan Blečić & Tanja Congiu & Giovanna Fancello & Giuseppe Andrea Trunfio, 2020. "Planning and Design Support Tools for Walkability: A Guide for Urban Analysts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-18, May.
    11. Wang, Kailai & Akar, Gulsah, 2019. "Gender gap generators for bike share ridership: Evidence from Citi Bike system in New York City," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 1-9.
    12. Marina Lagune-Reutler & Andrew Guthrie & Yingling Fan & David Levinson, 2015. "Transit Riders' Perception of Waiting Time and Stops' Surrounding Environments," Working Papers 000142, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.
    13. Devin McNally & Rachel Tillinghast & Hiroyuki Iseki, 2022. "Bicycle Accessibility GIS Analysis for Bike Master Planning with a Consideration of Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) and Energy Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    14. Regine Gerike & Caroline Koszowski & Bettina Schröter & Ralph Buehler & Paul Schepers & Johannes Weber & Rico Wittwer & Peter Jones, 2021. "Built Environment Determinants of Pedestrian Activities and Their Consideration in Urban Street Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-21, August.
    15. Peters, Luke & MacKenzie, Don, 2019. "The death and rebirth of bikesharing in Seattle: Implications for policy and system design," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 208-226.
    16. Zuoxian Gan & Tao Feng & Min Yang, 2018. "Exploring the Effects of Car Ownership and Commuting on Subjective Well-Being: A Nationwide Questionnaire Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-20, December.
    17. Singh, Abhilash C. & Faghih Imani, Ahmadreza & Sivakumar, Aruna & Luna Xi, Yang & Miller, Eric J., 2024. "A joint analysis of accessibility and household trip frequencies by travel mode," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    18. Dong, Han & Zhang, Jun & Cirillo, Cinzia, 2019. "Exploring, understanding, and modeling the reciprocal relation between leisure and subjective well-being," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 813-824.
    19. Irina Tumini & Paula Villagra-Islas & Geraldine Herrmann-Lunecke, 2017. "Evaluating reconstruction effects on urban resilience: a comparison between two Chilean tsunami-prone cities," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 85(3), pages 1363-1392, February.
    20. Chandra, Shailesh & Jimenez, Jose & Radhakrishnan, Ramalingam, 2017. "Accessibility evaluations for nighttime walking and bicycling for low-income shift workers," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 97-108.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:7:p:3923-:d:780177. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.