The Potential for Healthy, Sustainable, and Equitable Transport Systems in Africa and the Caribbean: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review and Meta-Study

Anna Brugulat-Panés (), Lee Randall, Thiago Hérick de Sá, Megha Anil, Haowen Kwan, Lambed Tatah, James Woodcock, Ian R. Hambleton, Ebele R. I. Mogo, Lisa Micklesfield, Caitlin Pley, Ishtar Govia, Sostina Spiwe Matina, Caroline Makokha, Philip M. Dambisya, Safura Abdool Karim, Georgina Pujol-Busquets, Kufre Okop, Camille M. Mba, Lisa J. Ware, Felix Assah, Betty Nembulu, Gudani Mukoma, Warren Covelé Lucas, Nadia Bennett, Marshall K. Tulloch-Reid, Alice Charity Awinja, Tanmay Anand and Louise Foley
Additional contact information
Anna Brugulat-Panés: MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK
Lee Randall: SAMRC/Wits Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science—PRICELESS—SA, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
Thiago Hérick de Sá: Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
Megha Anil: Department of Cardiology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London EC1A 7BE, UK
Haowen Kwan: Department of Nephrology, Broomfield Hospital, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Essex SS16 5NL, UK
Lambed Tatah: MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK
James Woodcock: MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK
Ian R. Hambleton: George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre, Caribbean Institute for Health Research, The University of the West Indies, Bridgetown BB11000, Barbados
Ebele R. I. Mogo: MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK
Lisa Micklesfield: SAMRC-Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
Caitlin Pley: School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
Ishtar Govia: Caribbean Institute for Health Research, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Sostina Spiwe Matina: SAMRC-Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
Caroline Makokha: Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu P.O. Box 1578-40100, Kenya
Philip M. Dambisya: Health Policy and Systems Division, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
Safura Abdool Karim: School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa
Georgina Pujol-Busquets: Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Sport Research Centre, Division of Physiological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
Kufre Okop: Research Centre for Health Through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport (HPALS), ESSM, FIMS International Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
Camille M. Mba: MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK
Lisa J. Ware: SAMRC-Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
Felix Assah: Health of Populations in Transition (HoPiT) Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé VF7W+4M9, Cameroon
Betty Nembulu: SAMRC-Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
Gudani Mukoma: SAMRC-Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
Warren Covelé Lucas: Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Sport Research Centre, Division of Physiological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
Nadia Bennett: Caribbean Institute for Health Research, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Marshall K. Tulloch-Reid: Caribbean Institute for Health Research, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Alice Charity Awinja: Adaptive Management Research Consultants (AMREC) Kisumu, Kisumu P.O. Box 5022-40141, Kenya
Tanmay Anand: School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
Louise Foley: MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-27

Abstract: The Human Mobility Transition model describes shifts in mobility dynamics and transport systems. The aspirational stage, ‘human urbanism’, is characterised by high active travel, universal public transport, low private vehicle use and equitable access to transport. We explored factors associated with travel behaviour in Africa and the Caribbean, investigating the potential to realise ‘human urbanism’ in this context. We conducted a mixed-methods systematic review of ten databases and grey literature for articles published between January 2008 and February 2019. We appraised study quality using Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklists. We narratively synthesized qualitative and quantitative data, using meta-study principles to integrate the findings. We identified 39,404 studies through database searching, mining reviews, reference screening, and topic experts’ consultation. We included 129 studies (78 quantitative, 28 mixed-methods, 23 qualitative) and 33 grey literature documents. In marginalised groups, including the poor, people living rurally or peripheral to cities, women and girls, and the elderly, transport was poorly accessible, travel was characterised by high levels of walking and paratransit (informal public transport) use, and low private vehicle use. Poorly controlled urban growth (density) and sprawl (expansion), with associated informality, was a salient aspect of this context, resulting in long travel distances and the necessity of motorised transportation. There were existing population-level assets in relation to ‘human urbanism’ (high levels of active travel, good paratransit coverage, low private vehicle use) as well as core challenges (urban sprawl and informality, socioeconomic and gendered barriers to travel, poor transport accessibility). Ineffective mobility systems were a product of uncoordinated urban planning, unregulated land use and subsequent land use conflict. To realise ‘human urbanism’, integrated planning policies recognising the linkages between health, transport and equity are needed. A shift in priority from economic growth to a focus on broader population needs and the rights and wellbeing of ordinary people is required. Policymakers should focus attention on transport accessibility for the most vulnerable.

Keywords: Africa; Caribbean; human mobility transition; urban planning; equity; sustainable transport; mixed methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/5303/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/5303/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5303-:d:1099474

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().