Exploring Travel Behavior of Elderly Women in Rural and Small Urban North Dakota

Abstract

Many studies focus on the mobility patterns of elderly people. However, few studies have explored the mobility of elderly women in rural and small urban areas. Compared with their peers in large urban areas, these women tend to face greater challenges because of limited services and mobility options. Using data from 1,021 respondents to a survey conducted in North Dakota, this study examines the determinants of the travel behavior of elderly women. In particular, a multilevel conceptual ecological model was applied to identify how individual-level social environment and physical environment factors influence their travel patterns. Ordered probit models were estimated for the frequencies of nine types of trips. It was found that individual factors (e.g., self-efficacy and physical limitations), social environment factors (e.g., clubs and family), and physical environment factors (e.g., rural versus small urban areas) significantly affect the mobility of elderly women in North Dakota. The implications of these results for policies that aim to enhance the mobility of elderly women in rural and small urban locations are discussed.

The mobility of older people – an introduction

“…The mobility of older people in rural areas in some of the same parts of the world has been studied (e.g. Hough et al, 2008;Ziegler and Schwanen, forthcoming) but has attracted less attention. Very little is known about older people outside the Western world.…”

To drive or to use the bus? An exploratory study of older people in Malta

“…As a result, this framework has been a key foundation for several studies analysing older people's mobility (e.g. Hough et al, 2008;Winters et al, 2015). Correspondingly, using previous literature, Mercado and Newbold (2009) summarised the key determinants of mode choice in later life as being age, gender, mobility tools, health, social issues and other factors such as financial status, education level and urban structure.…”

“…Böcker et al, 2016;Li et al, 2012). Older women tend to rely more on their husbands to drive them so the loss of spouse usually limits their mobility (Hough et al, 2008). Such loss is a key determinant for social isolation if alternatives, namely access to a car as passengers and public transport systems are not available (Hensher, 2007).…”

“…Older people living in rural and suburban areas also tend to drive more since they usually suffer from public transport deficiencies and a higher need to travel longer distances to access basic services (e.g. Hough et al, 2008;Lee et al, 2014). Given this, one may summarise the key factors that most studies used as determinants for mode choice as age, gender, health, income, driving licence and car ownership, social factors, neighbourhood design, geographic context and access to transport services.…”

Can rural older drivers meet their needs without a car? Stated adaptation responses from a GPS travel diary survey

“…In its Special Report 277, the TRB Committee to Review the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS) Survey Programs found that while these national surveys were useful, the surveys did not meet the needs of all users, in particular, at a local level. Hough (2007) argued ''the studies that have been conducted using NHTS data do not adequately address the travel behaviors of the rural states''.…”