title: Exploring the Objective and Perceived Environmental Attributes of Older Adults' Neighborhood Walking Routes: A Mixed Methods Analysis.
abstract: Walking is a central form of physical activity among older adults that is associated with the physical environment at various scales. This mixed-methods study employs a concurrent nested design to explore objective and perceived environmental characteristics of older adults' local walking routes. This was achieved by integrating quantitative Geographic Information System (GIS) data with qualitative data obtained using the Stanford Discovery Tool (DT). Fifty-nine community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults (14 men and 45 women aged 50+) were recruited in a snowball approach through community centers in the city of Haifa (Israel). Four neighborhood environment themes were identified: pedestrian infrastructure, access to destinations, aesthetics, and environmental quality. Both geometrical traits (i.e., distance, slope) and urban features (i.e., land-uses, greenery) of the route may impact the experience of walking. The findings thus highlight the importance of micro-scale environmental elements in shaping environmental perceptions, which may consequently influence the choice of being active.
authors.forename: Mika R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Perla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Doron
authors.forename: Neta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: HaGani
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Benvenisti
authors.forename: Abby C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Sandra J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: Jylana L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sheats
authors.forename: Randi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garber
authors.forename: Hadas
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Motro
authors.forename: Shlomit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ergon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001107:Architectural Accessibility / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004779:Environment Design / Q000592:standards; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012938:Social Perception; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology
keywords: GIS; content analysis; neighborhood; walking