Individual characteristics, perceived neighborhood, and walking for transportation among older Brazilian people residing in a large urban area

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate the association of individual and environmental characteristics with walking for transportation among older Brazilian people living in a large urban area. Data from 825 participants (≥ 60 years) from a multistage household survey in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, were used. Walking for transportation was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The environmental variables included six perceived neighborhood scales (walkability, quality of services, physical disorder, safety, social disorder, and social cohesion). A Poisson regression analysis with robust variance was performed. The walking for transportation was significantly associated with walkability scale, lower family income (up to four minimum wages), very good/good self-rated health, and high social participation. Our results suggest that promoting adequate conditions for walkability in urban areas, expanding the opportunities for social participation, and improving general health is essential to increase walking levels for transportation among this older Brazilian population.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all researchers of the Observatory for Urban Health in Belo Horizonte (OSUBH) that participated in the BH Health Study. The Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for a post-doctoral scholarship to the researcher BSM and the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for a research productivity scholarship to the researcher WTC.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Health Fund of the Ministry of Health under [Grant number 162/2006]; CNPq under [Grant number 47504/2006-0]; Fapemig under [Grant number APQ-00975-08]; NIH/Fogarty International Center under [Grant number 1R03TY008105-01]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish the results or preparation of the manuscript.