Integrating activity spaces in health research: Comparing the VERITAS activity space questionnaire with 7-day GPS tracking and prompted recall

Abstract

BackgroundAccounting for daily mobility allows assessment of multiple exposure to environments. This study compares spatial data obtained (i) from an interactive map-based questionnaire on regular activity locations (VERITAS) and (ii) from GPS tracking. Methods234 participants of the RECORD GPS Study completed the VERITAS questionnaire and wore a GPS tracker for 7 days. Analyses illustrate the spatial match between both datasets. ResultsFor half of the sample, 85.5% of GPS data fell within 500 m of a VERITAS location. The median minimum distance between a VERITAS location and a GPS coordinate ranged from 0.4 m for home to slightly over 100 m for a recreational destination. ConclusionsThere is a spatial correspondence between destinations collected through VERITAS and 7-day GPS tracking. Both collection methods offer complementary ways to assess daily mobilities, useful to study environmental determinants of health and health inequities.