Does active commuting improve psychological wellbeing?
Longitudinal evidence from eighteen waves of the British Household Panel Survey
Adam Martin, Yevgeniy Goryakin, Marc Suhrcke
Abstract
Highlights
The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between active travel and psychological wellbeing.
- Impact of commuting behaviour on wellbeing was explored using individual fixed effects analyses.
- Compared to driving, wellbeing was higher when using active travel or public transport.
- Use of active travel reduced the likelihood of two specific GHQ12 psychological symptoms.
- Switching from car driving to active travel improved wellbeing.
- Wellbeing increased with travel time for walkers, but decreased for drivers.
Objective
The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between active travel and psychological wellbeing.
Method
This study used data on 17,985 adult commuters in eighteen waves of the British Household Panel Survey (1991/2–2008/9). Fixed effects regression models were used to investigate how travel mode choice, commuting time and switching to active travel impacted on overall psychological wellbeing and how (iv.) travel mode choice impacted on specific psychological symptoms included in the General Health Questionnaire.
Results
After accounting for changes in individual-level socioeconomic characteristics and potential confounding variables relating to work, residence and health, significant associations were observed between overall psychological wellbeing (on a 36-point Likert scale) and (i.) active travel (0.185, 95% CI: 0.048 to 0.321) and public transport (0.195, 95% CI: 0.035 to 0.355) when compared to car travel, (ii.) time spent (per 10 minute change) walking (0.083, 95% CI: 0.003 to 0.163) and driving (−0.033, 95% CI: −0.064 to −0.001), and (iii.) switching from car travel to active travel (0.479, 95% CI: 0.199 to 0.758). Active travel was also associated with reductions in the odds of experiencing two specific psychological symptoms when compared to car travel.
Conclusion
The positive psychological wellbeing effects identified in this study should be considered in cost–benefit assessments of interventions seeking to promote active travel
Full article click here (Open Access)
Original source Michael Evans