Association Between Public Transportation Use and Loneliness Among Urban Elderly People Who Stop Driving

Abstract

Aim: To examine the association between public transportation use and loneliness in urban elderly who stop driving. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed 31 community-dwelling older adults who had stopped driving. Public transportation use was assessed by using frequency and divided into two groups. The users group was participants who used public transportation more than once a week and the nonusers group was participants who used public transportation less than once a week. Loneliness was measured using the Japanese version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale version 3 (UCLA.LS.ver3), with a higher score indicating greater loneliness. The independent t test was used to compare the UCLA.LS.ver3 scores between users and nonusers group. A multiple linear regression model was used with the UCLA.LS.ver3 score as the objective variable and public transportation use as the explanatory variable. Results: The UCLA.LS.ver3 score was significantly higher in the nonusers group than in the users group (nonusers group: 12.7 ± 1.9; users group: 10.1 ± 2.9, p = .017). After adjustments, public transportation use was significantly associated with lower loneliness (β = −2.55, p = .029). Conclusion: Public transportation use might have important role to prevent loneliness in older adults who stop driving.

Planning, Aging, and Loneliness: Reviewing Evidence About Built Environment Effects

“…Several studies find loneliness is associated with obstacles to convenient transport, particularly transit, walking, and cycling (Domènech-Abella et al 2020b;Hagan 2020;Matsuda et al 2019). Based on in-depth interviews with eleven older users of a rural community bus service in western Northern Ireland, Hagan (2020) shows how the door-to-door dial-a-lift rural community bus-which brings service much closer than traditional bus stops-helps reduce loneliness.…”

Aging in the Right Place for Older Adults Experiencing Housing Insecurity: An Environmental Assessment of Temporary Housing Program

“…Additionally, traffic calming features that facilitate slow traffic, low noise, a variability of the volume of pedestrians, and easy access to public transportation were found to be positive neighborhood attributes. Having supportive features, like transportation, available facilitate older adults’ engagement in communities and access to services and supports, which contributes to improved mental health and social connectivity [ 49 , 50 , 51 ]. Having access to outdoor spaces, walking trails, and public amenities with outdoor seating that are well-maintained and close to nature contributes to a welcoming surrounding neighborhood environment [ 37 ].…”

Defining Your “Life Territory”: The Meaning of Place and Home for Community Dwellers and Nursing Home Residents—A Qualitative Study in Four European Countries

“…Agency, or the capacity of older adults to make choices about important aspects of their lives, is strongly impacted by the ability to access and avail of local services and maintain social connections. Indeed, lack of access to public transport has been reported to contribute to social isolation among older people [ 16 ]. In our study, it became evident that “relocated” people may lose their sense of belonging and identity with their surrounding environment, if they are unable to recreate memories and suffuse the new dwelling with the meaning and memories that contribute to the sense of “home”.…”