Abstract
BackgroundLong commutes by car are stressful. Most research studying health effects of commuting have summarized cross-sectional data for large regions. This study investigated whether the levels of stress and individual characteristics among 30–60 min car commuters were similar across different places within the county of Scania, Sweden, and if there were changes over time.MethodsThe study population was drawn from a public health survey conducted in 2000, with follow-ups in 2005 and 2010. The study population was selected from the 8206 study participants that completed the questionnaire at all three time points. Commuting questions in the 2010 questionnaire assessed exposure concurrently for that year and retrospectively for 2000 and 2005. In total, 997 persons aged 18–65 and working 15–60 h/week had commuted by car 30–60 min at least at one time point. Geographically weighted proportions of stress among 30–60 min car commuters were calculated for each year and classified into geographically continuous groups based on Wards algorithm. Stress levels, sociodemographic characteristics and commuting characteristics were compared for areas with high and low stress in relation to the rest of the county. This novel methodology can be adapted to other study settings where individual-level data are available over time.ResultsSpatial heterogeneity in stress levels was observed and the locations of high and low stress areas changed over time. Local differences in stress among participants were only partly explained by sociodemographic characteristics. Stressed commuters in the high stress area in 2000 were more likely to maintain their commuting mode and time than those not stressed. Stressed commuters in the high stress area in 2000 were also more likely to have the same workplace location in 2010, while stressed commuters in the high stress area in 2010 were more likely to have the same residential location as in 2000.ConclusionThe relationship between commuting mode and time and stress is variable in place and time. Better understanding of commuting contexts such as congestion is needed in research on the health effects of commuting.
Highlights
Spatial heterogeneity Grouping observations based on geographically weighted proportions of stress among 30–60 min car commuters indicated spatial heterogeneity in the levels of selfreported stress among 30–60 min car commuters in each year (Fig. 2)
In the area with the highest stress level based on analysis of geographically weighted proportion (GWP), the simple proportion of 30–60 min car commuters reporting stress was 37 %
The overall stress level among 30–60 min car commuters decreased from 2000 to 2010, but geographical differences in the levels of stress were apparent across the 3 years
Summary
Most research studying health effects of commuting have summarized cross-sectional data for large regions. This study investigated whether the levels of stress and individual characteristics among 30–60 min car commuters were similar across different places within the county of Scania, Sweden, and if there were changes over time. The regular travel between home and work, accounts for a significant block of time in everyday life. The distance and time associated with the journey to work has been increasing in many regions [1, 2]. In health research, commuting has been shown to be associated with stress [4,5,6]. Commuting makes recurrent and enduring demands on individuals which require them to readjust their behaviors over long periods of time to cope [7]. Stress experienced due to the commute contributes to the everyday stress experienced at the workplace and at home [9]
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