Jackson, S;
Firth, J;
Firth, J;
Veronese, N;
Gorely, T;
Grabovac, I;
Yang, L;
(2019)
Social isolation and physical activity mediate associations between free bus travel and wellbeing among older adults in England.
Journal of Transport and Health
, 13
pp. 274-284.
10.1016/j.jth.2019.03.006.
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Abstract
Background: Aims of this study were: (i) to examine relationships between free bus travel and wellbeing, and (ii) to assess the extent to which these associations can be explained by two key potential mediators: social isolation and physical activity. Methods: Data were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (n = 5861). Linear regression models tested associations between (i) concessionary bus pass (CBP) ownership and (ii) frequency of CBP use and three measures of wellbeing (quality of life, life satisfaction, depressive symptoms), adjusting for age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status and limiting long-standing illness. Mediation analyses tested the role of (i) social isolation and (ii) physical activity in each association between CBP ownership/use and wellbeing. Results: Ownership and use of a CBP was significantly associated with better quality of life (both p < 0.001), higher life satisfaction (both p < 0.01) and fewer depressive symptoms (both p < 0.01). Mediation models revealed significant indirect associations of CBP ownership (all p < 0.001) and use (all p < 0.05) via social isolation on wellbeing. There were also significant indirect associations of CBP ownership (all p < 0.01) and use (all p < 0.001) via physical activity on wellbeing. Social isolation explained 7.7–20.1% of the total association between free bus travel and wellbeing, and physical activity explained 9.0–17.4%. Conclusions: Ownership and use of a CBP are associated with better quality of life, higher life satisfaction, and fewer depressive symptoms in older adults in England. Associations between free bus travel and wellbeing are partly explained by an increase in physical activity and a reduction in social isolation.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Social isolation and physical activity mediate associations between free bus travel and wellbeing among older adults in England |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jth.2019.03.006 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2019.03.006 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Bus travel,Public transport, Older adults, Wellbeing, Social isolation, Physical activity, Depression, Quality of life, Public health |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Behavioural Science and Health |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10073109 |
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