Commute mode and mental health in major metropolitan areas

Abstract

This research studies the relationship between travel behavior and mental health by exploring the association between commute mode and different mental health issues. Data were drawn from the 68 substate regions that have the most workers per square mile within the United States of America. Commute mode data were collected from the American Community Survey (ACS), while four separate metrics of mental health were collected from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). After analyzing through a Spearman’s rank-order correlation and a linear regression, both carpooling and public transportation were found to have a strong and statistically significant negative association with the mental health issues, while driving alone to work was found to have a strong and statistically significant positive association. Bicycling and walking were not found to have a significant association.

Keywords:

• Travel behavior
• Mental health
• Depression
• Driving alone