title: Objective and subjective measures of neighborhood environment (NE): relationships with transportation physical activity among older persons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined the associations of subjective and objective measures of the neighbourhood environment with the transportation physical activity of community-dwelling older persons in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  A modified version of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) measures of the built environment characteristics were related to the frequency of walking for transportation purpose in a study sample of older persons living in high-density apartment blocks within a public housing estate in Singapore. Relevant measured variables to assess the complex relationships among built environment measures and transportation physical activity were examined using structural equation modelling and multiple regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The subjective measures of residential density, street connectivity, land use mix diversity and aesthetic environment and the objective GIS measure of Accessibility Index have positively significant independent associations with transportation physical activity, after adjusting for demographics, socio-economic and health status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjective and objective measures are non-overlapping measures complementing each other in providing information on built environment characteristics. For elderly living in a high-density urban neighborhood, well connected street, diversity of land use mix, close proximity to amenities and facilities, and aesthetic environment were associated with higher frequency of walking for transportation purposes.
authors.affiliation: Gerontology Research Programme, Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ma Shwe Zin
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nyunt
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sustainable Asian Cities, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Faysal Kabir
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Shuvo
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Care, National University Health System, Kent Ridge, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jia Yen
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Eng
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Alexandra Hospital, south-western, Singapore.
authors.forename: Keng Bee
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Yong Loo School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore.|Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scherer
authors.affiliation: Center for Liveable Cities, Ministry of National Development, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Li Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hee
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Institute, National University Heart Center, Kent Ridge, Singapore.|Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science, Technology & Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Siew Pang
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Gerontology Research Programme, Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore. pcmngtp@nus.edu.sg.|Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Hospital, National University of Singapore, 5 Lower Road, Kent Ridge, 119074, Singapore. pcmngtp@nus.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Tze Pin
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004779:Environment Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012846:Singapore; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014186:Transportation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data