“We explored the relationship between the odds of traveling more than 15 miles from home, demographics and location and social involvement with how residents viewed their own health, finding that the key variable was the number of different places people go outside their local area. This links to greater social participation and better health.”
The researchers conducted an online survey of 3,014 nationally representative residents in the north of England. Barriers to travel have previously been identified as contributing to economic losses and a low sense of well-being in the region, but the impact on health had not previously been analyzed.
The team used a research technique called “path analysis”, which uncovers the direct and indirect effects of barriers to people traveling outside their local area.
The study found that the relationship between travel barriers, social participation and health is stronger in people over the age of 55. In this group, constraints are associated with the number of different places people can travel to, less contact with friends, and participation in clubs. and society.
