Active travel and socioeconomic segregation in Temuco, Chile: The association of personal factors and perceived built environment

Abstract

Improvement of active travel would contribute to enhancing the minimum rate of physical activity; thus improving public health. Although the importance of social and built environmental variables in promoting active travel has been highlighted, there have been few studies on how both domains simultaneously affect active travel. The impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on the relationships between active travel and its contributing features was also highlighted in the relevant studies. In this sense, compared to low SES neighborhoods (NLSES), the high SES neighborhoods (NHSES) have a far superior infrastructure for active transport. This study aims to examine the associations between active travel and the factors that influence it using data from two different neighborhood types, namely NLSES and NHSES in Temuco, a medium-sized southern city in Chile. The objectives were examined using a questionnaire, two types of regression analysis, and an open-ended question. The results of the qualitative approach showed that personal insecurity is the most significant barrier to walking in NLSES. In addition, the results of the quantitative approach demonstrated the associations of several socio-demographic, personal, social, and built environmental factors with active travel in both NLSES and NHSES, including monthly income, access to a bicycle, attitude toward walking, specific lifestyles, role models, social cohesion, encouragement, perceived accessibility, and perceived access to bus stations. These findings could be used by urban and transport policymakers of this city to enhance active travel based on each neighbourhood type in this city.