Assessing Accessible Travel Satisfaction in Old Communities: A SEM Study

Abstract

China faces a significant population of individuals with disabilities, and the aging demographic exacerbates this challenge. There is an urgent need for accessible environments for vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, the elderly, and pregnant women. Consequently, this study aimed to explore the factors influencing satisfaction with accessible travel in old communities in Nanchang City. Adopting a perspective encompassing vulnerabilities across all age groups, we employed interviews, on-site surveys, questionnaires, and literature reviews to construct a model of satisfaction with accessible travel. This model comprises five evaluation dimensions: pedestrian pathways, public spaces, signage guidance, social support, and software provision, encompassing twenty-seven influencing factors. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to validate the model. The research findings indicated that social support (0.697), pedestrian pathways (0.480), and public spaces (0.291) exerted a significant overall effect on satisfaction within the model, whereas the influence of software provision (0.225) and signage guidance (0.249) was comparatively smaller. Vulnerable groups within the community prioritized operational maintenance (0.818) and cultural advocacy (0.791) within social support. They also emphasized aspects of pedestrian pathways such as elevation treatment (0.809) and pavement design (0.803), as well as rest facilities (0.804) and service facilities (0.790) within public spaces. Finally, based on the weighted ranking of factors among latent variables, we propose corresponding optimization strategies and development proposals. This paper contributes to providing theoretical, practical, and technical support for the design of community accessibility that caters to socially vulnerable groups across “universal and all-ages” groups. It plays a proactive role in enhancing the quality of life for these vulnerable groups and promoting the improvement of accessibility environments in old communities.