Using Virtual Street Audits to Understand the Walkability of Older Adults' Route Choices by Gender and Age.

Katherine Brookfield,Sara Tilley

doi:10.3390/ijerph13111061

Katherine Brookfield, Sara Tilley

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13111061

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Abstract

Walking for physical activity can bring important health benefits to older adults. In this population, walking has been related to various urban design features and street characteristics. To gain new insights into the microscale environmental details that might influence seniors’ walking, details which might be more amenable to change than neighbourhood level factors, we employed a reliable streetscape audit tool, in combination with Google Street View™, to evaluate the ‘walkability’ of where older adults choose to walk. Analysis of the routes selected by a purposive sample of independently mobile adults aged 65 years and over living in Edinburgh, UK, revealed a preference to walk in more walkable environments, alongside a willingness to walk in less supportive settings. At times, factors commonly considered important for walking, including wayfinding and legibility, user conflict, kerb paving quality, and lighting appeared to have little impact on older adults’ decisions about where to walk. The implications for policy, practice, and the emerging technique of virtual auditing are considered.

Highlights

Walking is the most common form of physical activity amongst older adults [1] and the most common mode of transport [2]
Engaging with a purposive sample of independently mobile older adults aged 65 years and over, we found a preference to walk in more walkable environments alongside, on occasion, a willingness to walk in less supportive settings
As determined through the application of the FASTVIEW audit tool, was generally good across all 19 routes occasionally, and on certain measures, wayfinding and legibility, user conflict, kerb paving quality, and lighting, it could be poor. This may suggest that older adults prefer to walk in more walkable environments, as determined by the FASTVIEW tool, but are willing to walk in less supportive settings

Summary

Introduction

Walking is the most common form of physical activity amongst older adults [1] and the most common mode of transport [2]. Evidence suggests that regular walking might provide important health benefits for this population [3]. Walking more than 4 h a week may, for instance, reduce the risk of hospitalisation for cardiovascular disease events in both older men and women [3]. Evidence suggests that older adults’ walking behaviours are related to objective and perceived environmental characteristics [4]. At the neighbourhood level, mixed land uses [5], proximity to recreational uses [6], and density [7] have been associated with walking. Various factors including pedestrian infrastructure [7,8], pedestrian crossings, street lighting, and traffic volume [2]

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Conclusion