Public transit and depression among older adults: using agent-based models to examine plausible impacts of a free bus policy.
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
Journal
Journal of epidemiology and community health
ISSN: 1470-2738
Titre abrégé: J Epidemiol Community Health
Pays: England
ID NLM: 7909766
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
11 2020
11 2020
Historique:
received:
07
10
2019
revised:
15
04
2020
accepted:
12
05
2020
pubmed:
15
6
2020
medline:
3
9
2021
entrez:
15
6
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
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. 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. 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. 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.
Sections du résumé
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.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32535549
pii: jech-2019-213317
doi: 10.1136/jech-2019-213317
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
875-881Informations de copyright
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Competing interests: None declared.