Ugo Lachapelle

Transit and Health: Mode of Transport, Employer-Sponsored Public Transit Pass Programs, and Physical Activity

Increased provision of transit service and policy incentives that favor transit use can support a physically active lifestyle. We used the smartraq travel survey in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia (in 2001–2002) to assess whether transit and car trips were associated with meeting the recommended levels of physical activity by using walking as a means of transportation. Additionally, we assessed associations between walking and using an employer-sponsored public transit pass. We controlled for demographics, neighborhood density, presence of services near workplaces, distance from home to transit, and car availability in our sample of 4,156 completed surveys. Walking distances from origin to destination were derived by a geographical information system and categorized as: no walking, moderate walking, or meeting recommendation (walking⩾2.4 km (1.5 miles) a day, approximately⩾30 min). In a multinomial logistic regression controlling for other covariates, transit trips were associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.87 (confidence interval (CI) 95%, 2.93–5.11) of meeting recommendation. In a multinominal logistical regression controlling for other covariates, transit users were associated with meeting recommendation, OR 2.23 (CI 95%, 1.27–3.90).

Teaching children about bicycle safety: an evaluation of the New Jersey Bike School program.

There are multiple health and environmental benefits associated with increasing bicycling among children. However, the use of bicycles is also associated with severe injuries and fatalities. In order to reduce bicycle crashes, a bicycling education program was implemented in selected New Jersey schools and summer camps as part of the New Jersey Safe Routes to School Program. Using a convenience sample of participants to the program, an opportunistic study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of two bicycle education programs, the first a more-structured program delivered in a school setting, with no on-road component, and the other a less structured program delivered in a summer camp setting that included an on-road component. Tests administered before and after training were designed to assess knowledge acquired during the training. Questions assessed childrens existing knowledge of helmet use and other equipment, bicycle safety, as well as their ability to discriminate hazards and understand rules of the road. Participating children (n=699) also completed a travel survey that assessed their bicycling behavior and their perception of safety issues. Response to individual questions, overall pre- and post-training test scores, and changes in test scores were compared using comparison of proportion, t-tests, and ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression. Improvements between the pre-training and post-training test are apparent from the frequency distribution of test results and from t-tests. Both summer camps and school-based programs recorded similar improvements in test results. Children who bicycled with their parents scored higher on the pre-training test but did not improve as much on the post-training test. Without evaluating long-term changes in behavior, it is difficult to ascertain how successful the program is on eventual behavioral and safety outcomes.

Active Transportation by Transit-Dependent and Choice Riders and Potential Displacement of Leisure Physical Activity

Public transit users are expected to have higher levels of active transportation (AT, walking and bicycling) because they often need to walk to and from transit. Surveys in Baltimore and Seattle (n = 1,622) revealed that transit users performed more AT than nonusers, especially when dependent on transit. Health benefits and impacts of their limited travel options are discussed. Choice transit riders, who use transit and have a car, and dependent transit riders, who are limited to transit use, are compared for differences in AT and leisure physical activity time (LPA). Less LPA is explored as a consequence of the additional AT.

Inconsistencies in Associations between Crime and Walking: A Reflection of Poverty and Density

Higher crime rates theoretically deter walking, yet empirical analyses show mixed results. It is hypothesized that more walking occurs in low-income, high-density municipalities that have higher crime rates. Gender, car ownership and relative wealth may also moderate associations between crime and walking. A statewide New Jersey survey (n = 673) of walking was linked to crime and census data. Women were more likely to walk for exercise, but less likely as crime rose. Carless households and wealthier respondents did more non-discretionary walking, but walked less in municipalities with higher crime rates. Poorer, high-density municipalities have higher crime rates and more walking.

Are Cell Phone Samples Needed for Studies of Walking Activity

The growth in cell phone–only households represents a challenge for the collection of survey data. Cell phone–only households have distinct sociodemographic characteristics, which may result in different travel behavior. To explore those differences, as well as to investigate the impact of including a cell phone component in active transportation research, a representative sample of New Jersey households was surveyed with a random digit dial survey that included 1,200 completed interviews (800 based on a statewide landline sample, 400 from a landline over sample of Jersey City) and 311 statewide cell phone interviews, of which 80 were cell phone–only respondents. The survey explored walking behavior and perceived characteristics of the pedestrian environment. Sociodemographic characteristics, the frequency of walking, and home location characteristics were compared with chisquare tests of significance between sample pairs as well as multivariate analysis (ordered probit). Cell phone–only respondents were typically younger and poorer, with a greater proportion of renters, carless households, and minorities. It was found that cell phone–only household members walked more frequently, but this finding was because of their distinct sociodemographic characteristics, not their cell phone use per se. The implication for any analysis of rates or trends in walking (and probably other travel behavior) is that cell phone–only households must be included through a cell phone sample supplementing a landline sample. However, in the absence of a cell phone supplement, multivariate analysis of the correlates of walking may not be overly biased if sociodemographics relevant to cell phone–only respondents are collected and included in the analysis.

“Outta my way!” Individual and environmental correlates of interactions between pedestrians and vehicles during street crossings

Because pedestrian crash rates remain lower than other collision types, surrogate measures such as traffic interactions are now used in road safety research to complement crash history. Using naturalistic data collection, we sought to assess 1) the likelihood of occurrence of interactions between pedestrians and vehicles based on individual and crossing characteristics; and 2) differences in interaction characteristics between children, adult and senior pedestrians. Observations of pedestrian crossing behaviours (n=4687) were recorded at 278 crossings. For recorded interactions (n=843), information was collected to characterize the behaviours of involved parties. A mixed-effect logit regression model was performed to assess the factors associated with interactions. Chi-square tests evaluated differences between age groups and characteristics of observed interactions. Older adults were those more likely to be involved in an interaction event. Bicycle paths, different crossing surface material and one-way streets were significantly associated with fewer interactions with vehicles, while parked vehicles nearby and crossings on arterial roads were significantly associated with more interactions. Children and the elderly (80 years of age or more) did have distinct patterns of interaction, with more careful drivers/cyclists behaviours being observed towards children and lesser regulation compliance towards the elderly. Given the growing emphasis and adoption of active transportation in many cities, the number of interactions between pedestrians and vehicles during street crossings is likely to increase. Educating drivers and pedestrians to respect each others space requires an understanding of where, between whom, and under what circumstances interactions occur. Such an approach can also help identify which engineering and enforcement programs are needed to ensure safe pedestrian crossings since interactions can be good markers of uncomfortable crossing situations that may deter walking and lead to more collisions.

Telecommuting and sustainable travel: Reduction of overall travel time, increases in non-motorised travel and congestion relief?:

Existing research has concluded that shares of telecommuting are low but stable, increase with distance from the workplace and that telecommuting may reduce commuting-related travel. Its effect on work and non-work travel are subject to rebound effects and, thus, still debated. Additionally, telecommuting does not necessarily occur entirely at home. The paper studies telecommuting’s potential as a sustainable mobility tool in Canada to reduce overall travel time and peak hour travel, and to increase non-motorised travel. Do types of telecommuting arrangements have varying relationships with these studied travel patterns? Using time use data from the 2005 Canadian General Social Survey, studied outcomes are regressed on telecommuting arrangements (all day home working, part-day home working and a combination of other locations and home and/or workplace) and other personal characteristics. Depending on telecommuting arrangements and travel outcomes, results vary. Working from home is associated with decreases in overall travel time by 14 minutes and increases in odds of non-motorised travel by 77%. Other forms of telecommuting yield different results. Telecommuters may be more likely to avoid peak hours when they do take trips. Types of telecommuting arrangements have different impacts on sustainable travel outcomes that should be considered depending on policy priorities.

Cross-border spatial accessibility of health care in the North-East Department of Haiti

BackgroundThe geographical accessibility of health services is an important issue especially in developing countries and even more for those sharing a border as for Haiti and the Dominican Republic. During the last 2 decades, numerous studies have explored the potential spatial access to health services within a whole country or metropolitan area. However, the impacts of the border on the access to health resources between two countries have been less explored. The aim of this paper is to measure the impact of the border on the accessibility to health services for Haitian people living close to the Haitian-Dominican border.MethodsTo do this, the widely employed enhanced two-step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) method is applied. Four scenarios simulate different levels of openness of the border. Statistical analysis are conducted to assess the differences and variation in the E2SFCA results. A linear regression model is also used to predict the accessibility to health care services according to the mentioned scenarios.ResultsThe results show that the health professional-to-population accessibility ratio is higher for the Haitian side when the border is open than when it is closed, suggesting an important border impact on Haitians’ access to health care resources. On the other hand, when the border is closed, the potential accessibility for health services is higher for the Dominicans.ConclusionThe openness of the border has a great impact on the spatial accessibility to health care for the population living next to the border and those living nearby a road network in good conditions. Those findings therefore point to the need for effective and efficient trans-border cooperation between health authorities and health facilities. Future research is necessary to explore the determinants of cross-border health care and offers an insight on the spatial revealed access which could lead to a better understanding of the patients’ behavior.