2402 - Investigation of Well-Being, Travel Behaviour, Built Environment and Lifestyle Preferences

Abstract

Background The objective of the paper is to investigate how subjective well-being (measured by life satisfaction, general health status and stress level) is associated with travel behaviour, the built environment and lifestyle preferences. Travel behaviour research is interested in well-being as a means to evaluate the social value of travel, compare modes of travel and guide transportation policy. Travel is theorized to impact well-being directly through people's experience of their travel, and indirectly by facilitating access to healthy or fulfilling activities. Since the built environment and lifestyle preferences influence travel choices, they are also important considerations for travel behaviour and well-being. Methods The study used a 2016 travel activity survey of Nova Scotia residents including questions on subjective well-being. The survey data was combined with GIS-based built environment measures derived at the census Dissemination Area level. The study developed ordered probit regression models to explore the factors affecting life satisfaction, health status and stress level. A random-parameters modelling approach is used to investigate heterogeneous effects. Results The models offer several insights on the relationships between subjective well-being and travel behaviour. We find that trips with different purposes relate to well-being in different ways; for example, greater time spent on mandatory activities is linked to higher stress levels. Regular physical activeness is found to benefit life satisfaction and health status and may reduce stress levels. On the other hand, travel time shows a negative relationship with health status and a positive relationship on average with stress levels. The results also show significant heterogeneity within the population. For example, there is a significant variance in relation to stress levels, indicating that different people relate differently to spending time in an automobile. Number of vehicles owned relates positively to life satisfaction and health status, even when income levels are controlled for. The models also provide evidence of well-being's links to the built environment and lifestyle preferences. For instance, they show that residential proximity to parks relates positively to life satisfaction, and that community-mindedness is linked to higher life satisfaction and health status on average. Conclusions The study provides important behavioural insights with relevance for transportation and land use policymakers.