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Complexity in Built Environment, Health, and Destination Walking: A Neighborhood-Scale Analysis

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Abstract

This study investigates the relationships between the built environment, the physical attributes of the neighborhood, and the residents’ perceptions of those attributes. It focuses on destination walking and self-reported health, and does so at the neighborhood scale. The built environment, in particular sidewalks, road connectivity, and proximity of local destinations, correlates with destination walking, and similarly destination walking correlates with physical health. It was found, however, that the built environment and health metrics may not be simply, directly correlated but rather may be correlated through a series of feedback loops that may regulate risk in different ways in different contexts. In particular, evidence for a feedback loop between physical health and destination walking is observed, as well as separate feedback loops between destination walking and objective metrics of the built environment, and destination walking and perception of the built environment. These feedback loops affect the ability to observe how the built environment correlates with residents’ physical health. Previous studies have investigated pieces of these associations, but are potentially missing the more complex relationships present. This study proposes a conceptual model describing complex feedback relationships between destination walking and public health, with the built environment expected to increase or decrease the strength of the feedback loop. Evidence supporting these feedback relationships is presented.

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Notes

  1. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Science Department, New England College, Henniker, NH, USA

    Cynthia Carlson

  2. Department of Health Management and Policy, University of New Hampshire, Hewitt Hall, 4 Library Way, Durham, NH, 03824, USA

    Semra Aytur

  3. Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science Program, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA

    Kevin Gardner & Shannon Rogers

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  1. Cynthia Carlson
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  2. Semra Aytur
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  3. Kevin Gardner
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  4. Shannon Rogers
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Correspondence to Cynthia Carlson.

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Carlson, C., Aytur, S., Gardner, K. et al. Complexity in Built Environment, Health, and Destination Walking: A Neighborhood-Scale Analysis. J Urban Health 89, 270–284 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-011-9652-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-011-9652-8

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