Exploring the nexus between physical environments, resident preferences, and usage frequency of community centers: Evidence from two Korean neighborhoods in Seoul.

Community centers offer a public space for physical activities, attracting residents with diverse interests and abilities, and promoting social interaction and connection, which in turn enhances individuals' physical and mental fitness and fosters a sense of community. When exploring the correlation between community space accessibility and usage frequency, it is crucial to consider empirical evidence and resident preferences. Nevertheless, the role of physical environments in determining community center usage frequency, while also considering residents' inclination for effortless access, remains unclear. This study investigated the impact of resident preferences and satisfaction with the accessibility of community centers and physical environments on usage frequency, addressing a gap in previous research. Structural equation models were utilized to analyze a household drop-off survey consisting of 186 residents gathered from two neighborhoods in Korea. The results revealed that while the preference for easy access to community centers did not have a substantial effect on their usage frequency, satisfaction with easy access to such centers was positively linked to usage frequency. Furthermore, the perception of physical environments as being walkable and having a diverse range of amenities was associated with a higher frequency of community center usage. These findings have policy implications as they can help increase the usage frequency of community centers and enhance overall well-being in regenerated neighborhoods.

Effects of Multifaceted Determinants on Individual Stress: The Mediating Role of Social Capital.

Stress substantially results in various negative health outcomes. While there is a nexus between social capital and individual stress, previous studies have primarily explored the direct relationship between them. Social capital may potentially have an indirect effect on perceived stress via social networking pathways that provide accessible resources. This study addresses this research gap by exploring the mediating effect of social capital for associations between personal-level features, personal-level behaviors, physical environments, and perceived stress. A household drop-off survey of 600 respondents was collected from two neighborhoods in Korea and analyzed by structural equation models. Results showed that social capital acted as a mediator on perceived stress level. The frequency of community center use had both direct and indirect impacts on stress level through social capital. Those who were satisfied with the cleanliness of the neighborhood had a higher level of social capital and a lower level of stress indirectly through social capital. Households with more children had a lower level of social capital, while persons who had chronic disease and were more extroverted, agreeable, and open to others enjoyed a higher level of social capital. The results provide policy implications on how community revitalization affects social capital and perceived stress.

Moving Toward Active Lifestyles: The Change of Transit-Related Walking to Work From 2009 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: This study explored the percentage change of walking to/from public transit to work from 2009 to 2017 in general and for specific sociodemographic characteristics. Furthermore, this study also examined the sociodemographic characteristics of those who walked to/from transit to work and those who walked 30 minutes or more per day to/from transit to work and compared the difference between 2009 and 2017. METHODS: 2009 and 2017 National Household Travel Survey were used. This study used weighted logistic regressions to explore the sociodemographic characteristics of those who walked to/from transit to work and those who walked 30 minutes or more per day to/from transit to work in both 2009 and 2017. RESULTS: The percentage of trips achieving the recommended level of physical activity (30 min or more per day) by walking to/from transit work solely has a slightly increase from 9 in 2009 to 9.5 in 2017. However, the weighted percentages of walking to/from transit to work decreased for low-education, low-income, and minority populations. High population density areas were related to more transit-related walking trips to work in both 2009 and 2017. CONCLUSIONS: Policymakers in terms of transit location and service should consider low-education, low-income, and minority populations to address potential equity issues.

The Impacts of Residential Segregation on Obesity.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the association between residential segregation and obesity for Whites, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. This study considered 3 dimensions of residential segregation, isolation, dissimilarity, and concentration. METHODS: By combining individual-level data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and county-level data from the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, the total sample size was 204,610 respondents (160,213 Whites, 21,865 African Americans, 18,027 Hispanics, and 4505 Asians) from 205 counties in the United States. Two-level logistic regression models were performed. RESULTS: African Americans and Hispanics in counties with high levels of isolation, dissimilarity, and concentration were more likely to be obese; these relationships did not hold true for Whites and Asians. Counties with a higher percentage of populations with the income below the poverty line and a higher percentage of fast food restaurants in the county were associated with a higher likelihood of obesity for all racial/ethnic groups. African Americans and Hispanics with low levels of education and income were more likely to be obese. CONCLUSIONS: Residential segregation had a contextual influence on weight status, and the context of counties influenced racial/ethnic groups differently. Obesity reduction programs should consider the contextual influence on minority populations and target subgroups living in highly segregated areas.

Single-Family Housing Value Resilience of Walkable Versus Unwalkable Neighborhoods During a Market Downturn: Causal Evidence and Policy Implications.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the resilience of single-family housing values in walkable versus unwalkable neighborhoods during the economic downturn from 2008 to 2012 in Dallas, Texas. METHODS: Using propensity score matching and difference in differences methods, this study established a natural experimental design to compare before-and-after value changes of single-family (SF) homes in walkable neighborhoods with unwalkable neighborhoods during the Great Recession. Two thousand seven hundred ninety-nine SF homes within 18 Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts were categorized into walkable (Walk Score ≥50) and unwalkable (<50) groups. Six hundred twenty-four dwellings in walkable neighborhoods were matched with the most identical ones in the unwalkable neighborhoods by controlling for the selected structural and residential location variables. Relative average treatment effects were examined for SF values in walkable and unwalkable neighborhoods. RESULTS: On average, the SF homes in walkable neighborhoods held $4566 (2.08%) more value than their how walkable counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: This study aims to help planners and decision-makers by documenting the unmet demand for walkable communities and their sustained economic benefit. Increased awareness of the sustained value of walkable communities can be used by lenders who finance and by policy makers who regulate placemaking. Results from this study can be integrated with research that demonstrates health-care cost savings of walkable environments to create an even more comprehensive set of evidence-based interventions to increase their supply.

Health for Older Adults: The Role of Social Capital and Leisure-Time Physical Activity by Living Arrangements.

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study were to (1) explore the influence of social capital and leisure-time physical activity on older adults' physical and mental health and (2) test whether these relationships varied by living arrangement. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used national data from the 2013 National Health Interview Study. The subjects included 7714 adults aged 65 years or older. Logistic regressions were used to predict the probability of subjects being overweight or obese. Ordinary linear regressions were performed to predict mental health outcomes. RESULTS: Older adults living alone were more likely to report feeling sad (alone: 1.5; with others: 1.36), hopeless (alone: 1.25; with others: 1.18), and worthless (alone: 1.22; with others: 1.15). They were also more likely to experience lower levels of social support (alone: 3.24; with others: 3.30), trust (alone: 3.34; with others: 3.44), cohesion (alone: 2.95; with others: 2.98), and enjoy less leisure-time physical activity (alone: 49.85 min; with others: 64.64 min) than those living with others. Hispanic and divorced/separated older adults who lived alone were prioritized for health intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults living alone had poorer mental health, less social capital, and engaged in less frequent leisure-time physical activity. Promoting social capital could improve mental health in older adults living alone.

From Perception to Action: The Mediating Role of Parental Safety Concerns on Adolescents' Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: Parental safety concerns have been recognized as a critical determinant of adolescents' physical activity. However, it is still uncertain what factors relate to parental safety concern, and how they, in turn, affect adolescents' physical activity. This study explored the mediating relationships of parental safety concern on adolescents' physical activity by considering personal, social, and built environmental factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis used the data from Growing Up in Ireland (GUI), a national study (N = 5212). A structural equation model (SEM) was used to evaluate the hypothesized framework. RESULTS: 50% of the adolescents engaged in at least 6 days of exercise every 14 days, at a rate of at least 20-minutes per day. Adolescents were more physically active when parents perceived higher levels of safety. Parents perceived their children as safe when they lived in areas with easy access to play spaces. Moreover, adolescents with more close friends and more friends with whom they could play were more physically active and their parents perceived higher levels of safety. CONCLUSIONS: Parental safety concerns may profoundly affect adolescent's physical activity and the resulting health outcomes. Programs and policies should consider the importance of parental safety concerns in promoting adolescents' physical activity.

Racial/Ethnic and Income Differences in Obesity Among Older Adults: The Role of Leisure-time Physical Activity and Neighborhood Social Cohesion.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the associations among social cohesion, physical activity, and obesity in older adults. This study explored the influences of social cohesion and leisure-time physical activity on obesity in older adults, and tested whether these relationships varied by race/ethnicity and income level. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of adults in the 2013 National Health Interview Study (NHIS) who were over 65 years of age (N = 7714) was used. Logistic regressions were performed to examine the impacts of social cohesion and physical activity on obesity, and the relative risks (RR) were reported. RESULTS: The median age was 73 years old, and 59.8% of respondents were female; 23.8% met the recommended level of moderate physical activity. Neighborhood social cohesion was not associated with obesity for older adults. Meeting the recommended level of vigorous physical activity was related to a lower probability of obesity only for older Hispanic adults (RR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.50), while older adults were less likely to be obese if they met the recommended level of moderate physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing the level of physical activity may profoundly reduce the probability of obesity for older adults. Moreover, the results implied the need for future physical activity interventions for minorities.

Exploring Factors Regarding Transit-related Walking and Walking Duration.

BACKGROUND: Transit-related walking provides a potential opportunity to promote general walking behavior, yet few studies have examined this issue. Since people's decisions tend to vary as they walk between home and transit and between transit and destination, this study separated trips made in each direction. PURPOSE: This study identified the associations between sociodemographics and the 2-step process of transit-related walking: 1) whether transit users walked for home-transit trip or transitdestination trip, and 2) the walking duration for home-transit trip or transit-destination trip among those who walked. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used the 2009 National Household Travel Survey and used the Heckman 2-step selection model by including 4042 respondents (10,105 trips) who walked all portions for home-transit trip and 3756 (8075 trips) for transitdestination trip. RESULTS: The mean walking duration for home-transit trips (7.60 minutes) was shorter than transit-destination trips (7.87 minutes). Hispanics were more likely to walk for both directions and had higher walking durations than did whites. Respondents living in low-income households were more likely to walk for home-transit trip, but not for transit-destination trips. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrated several implications regarding to transit-related walking, such as creating short home-transit distances and targeting whites in promoting transit-related walking.

From attitude to action: What shapes attitude toward walking to/from school and how does it influence actual behaviors?

Walking to/from school could promote children's physical activity and help combat childhood obesity. Parental attitudes have been identified as one of the important predictors. But it is unclear what factors shape parental attitudes, and how those in turn influence children's school travel. This study addresses this gap of knowledge by examining the mediating effect of parental attitudes for the relationships between personal, social, and built environmental factors and children's walking-to/from-school behaviors. Survey data (N=2597) were collected from 20 public elementary schools in Austin, Texas, measuring students' typical school travel mode; personal, social, and built environmental factors related to walking-to/from-school; and relevant parental attitudes. The analysis was conducted in M-plus 6.11 to test the proposed conceptual framework using a structural equation model (SEM). Parental attitudes showed significant mediating effects on walking-to/from-school behaviors. Older child, positive peer influence, walkable home-to-school distance, and favorable walking environments were associated with more enjoyment and lower attitudinal barriers, and in turn increased likelihood of walking to/from school. Being Hispanic, increased car ownership, and stronger traffic safety concerns reduced enjoyment and increased attitudinal barriers, and thus decreased likelihood of walking to/from school. This study highlighted the importance of using multilevel interventions to reduce attitudinal barriers and increase enjoyment of walking to/from school. Collaborations among different stakeholders are needed to address environmental issues (e.g., safety concerns) and social factors (e.g., peer influence), while being sensitive to personal factors (e.g., age, ethnicity, and car ownership).

Transit-Related Walking to Work in Promoting Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: Transit-related walking to work is a potential strategy for incorporating physical activity into daily life and promoting health benefits. This study estimated the transit-related walking time for work trips on the journey to and from work and examined the predictors of transit users who walked to/from transit and the workplace and those who walked 30 minutes or more per day. METHODS: This study used the 2009 National Household Travel Survey and identified 772 subjects who took transit to/from work, 355 subjects who walked to/from transit and the workplace, and 145 subjects who walked 30 minutes or more per day among the 40,659 workers. Weighted logistic regressions were used for the analysis. RESULTS: Of the people who walked to/from transit and the workplace, 40.9% walked 30 minutes or more per day. The weighted logistic regressions revealed that low-income groups and workers living in high population density areas were more likely to walk to/from transit and the workplace. Workers living in high population density areas were more likely to walk 30 minutes or more per day. CONCLUSIONS: Transit-related walking to work provides an opportunity to increase physical activity levels and to meet the physical activity recommendations.

A retrospective study on changes in residents' physical activities, social interactions, and neighborhood cohesion after moving to a walkable community.

OBJECTIVE: This study is to examine changes in residents' physical activities, social interactions, and neighborhood cohesion after they moved to a walkable community in Austin, Texas. METHODS: Retrospective surveys (N=449) were administered in 2013-2014 to collect pre- and post-move data about the outcome variables and relevant personal, social, and physical environmental factors. Walkability of each resident's pre-move community was measured using the Walk Score. T tests were used to examine the pre-post move differences in the outcomes in the whole sample and across sub-groups with different physical activity levels, neighborhood conditions, and neighborhood preferences before the move. RESULTS: After the move, total physical activity increased significantly in the whole sample and all sub-groups except those who were previously sufficiently active; lived in communities with high walkability, social interactions, or neighborhood cohesion; or had moderate preference for walkable neighborhoods. Walking in the community increased in the whole sample and all subgroups except those who were previously sufficiently active, moved from high-walkability communities, or had little to no preference for walkable neighborhoods. Social interactions and neighborhood cohesion increased significantly after the move in the whole sample and all sub-groups. CONCLUSION: This study explored potential health benefits of a walkable community in promoting physically and socially active lifestyles, especially for populations at higher risk of obesity. The initial result is promising, suggesting the need for more work to further examine the relationships between health and community design using pre-post assessments.

Environmental supports for walking/biking and traffic safety: income and ethnicity disparities.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigates the influence of income, ethnicity, and built environmental characteristics on the percentages of workers who walk/bike as well as on pedestrian/cyclist crash rates. Furthermore, income and ethnicity disparities are also explored. METHODS: This study chose 162 census tracts in Austin as the unit of analysis. To explore income and ethnicity differences in built environments, this study examined the associations of the poverty rate, the percentage of white population, and the percentage of Hispanic population to each built environmental variable. Path models were applied to examine environmental supports of walking/biking and pedestrian/cyclist safety. RESULTS: Areas with high poverty rates had more biking trips and experienced more cyclist crashes, while areas with a high percentage of white population generated more walking trips and fewer pedestrian crashes. Sidewalk completeness and mixed land uses promoted walking to work but increased the crash risk for pedestrians as well. In terms of biking behaviors, road density and transit stop density both increased biking trips and cyclist crashes. CONCLUSIONS: Environmental designs that both encourage walking/biking trips and generate more safety threats should attract more attention from policy makers. Policies should also be more devoted to enhancing the mobility and health for areas with high poverty rates.