Public transit and depression among older adults: using agent-based models to examine plausible impacts of a free bus policy.
J Epidemiol Community Health
; 74(11): 875-881, 2020 11.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32535549
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Daily transport is associated with mental health. A free bus policy (FBP) may be effective in promoting the use of public transit in older adults and be associated with reductions in depressive symptoms.METHODS:
We developed an agent-based model and grounded it using empirical data from England to examine the impact of an FBP on public transit use and depression among older adults. We also used the model to explore whether the impact of the FBP bus use and depression is modified by the type of income segregation or by simultaneous efforts to improve attitudes towards the bus, to reduce waiting times or to increase the cost of driving via parking fees or fuel price.RESULTS:
Our model suggests that improving attitudes towards the bus (eg, campaigns that promote bus use) could enhance the effect of the FBP, especially for those in proximity to public transit. Reducing wait times could also significantly magnify FPB impacts, especially in those who live in proximity to public transit. Contrary to expectation, neither fuel costs nor parking fees significantly enhanced the impact of the FBP. The impact of improving attitudes towards the bus and increasing bus frequency was more pronounced in the lower-income groups in an income segregation scenario in which destination and public transit are denser in the city centre.CONCLUSION:
Our results suggest that the beneficial mental health effects of an FBP for older adults can be magnified when combined with initiatives that reduce bus waiting times and increased spatial access to transit.Palavras-chave
ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE; AGEING; CHILD HEALTH; CHRONIC DI; DIET; ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH; EPIDEMIOLOGY; EXERCISE; Epidemiological methods; Epidemiology of ageing; GEOGRAPHY; HEALTH POLICY; Health inequalities; INEQUALITIES; MENTAL HEALTH; METHODOLOGY; Neighbourhood/place; POLICY; PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS; PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY; SOCIAL EPIDEMIOLOGY; SOCIAL SCIENCE
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Meios de Transporte
/
Depressão
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Aspecto:
Equity_inequality
Limite:
Aged
/
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Epidemiol Community Health
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos