Association between residential self-selection and non-residential built environment exposures. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Howell, Nicholas A.; Farber, Steven; Widener, Michael J.; Allen, Jeff; Booth, Gillian L.
• Is Part Of: Health & place. Volume 54(2018:Nov.)
• Page Start: 149
• Page End: 154
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Self-selection -- Walkability -- Physical activity -- Young adult -- Activity space -- Non-residential environment; Health -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Health services accessibility -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Political planning -- Periodicals; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Health Policy -- Periodicals; Health Services Accessibility -- Periodicals; Public Health -- Periodicals; Public Policy -- Periodicals; Sociology, Medical -- Periodicals; Épidémiologie -- Périodiques; Politique sanitaire -- Périodiques; Santé, Services de -- Accessibilité -- Périodiques; Health services accessibility; Health -- Social aspects; Political planning; Public health; Social medicine; Periodicals; 613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.08.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1353-8292

Abstract

Abstract: Studies employing 'activity space' measures of the built environment do not always account for how individuals self-select into different residential and non-residential environments when testing associations with physical activity. To date, no study has examined whether preferences for walkable residential neighborhoods predict exposure to other walkable neighborhoods in non-residential activity spaces. Using a sample of 9783 university students from Toronto, Canada, we assessed how self-reported preferences for a walkable neighborhood predicted their exposure to other walkable, non-residential environments, and further whether these preferences confounded observed walkability-physical activity associations. We found that residential walkability preferences and non-residential walkability were significant associated (β = 0.42, 95% CI: (0.37, 0.47)), and further that these preferences confounded associations between non-residential walkability exposure and time spent walking (reduction in association = 10.5%). These results suggest that self-selection factors affect studies of non-residential built environment exposures. Highlights: Neighborhood self-selection is associated with non-residential walkability exposure. Self-selection confounds non-residential walkability and activity relationship. Control for three indicators of neighborhood preference reduces confounding by ~ 44%.