Understanding the Influence of Environment on Adults’ Walking Experiences: A Meta-Synthesis Study

Sara Dadpour, Jahanshah Pakzad and Hamidreza Khankeh
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Sara Dadpour: Department of Urban Planning & Design, Shahid Beheshti University, Daneshjoo Blvd, Evin, Tehran 19839-63113, Iran
Jahanshah Pakzad: Department of Urban Planning & Design, Shahid Beheshti University, Daneshjoo Blvd, Evin, Tehran 19839-63113, Iran
Hamidreza Khankeh: Research Center in Emergency and Disaster Health, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences (USWR), Koudakyar St., Daneshjoo Blvd, Evin, Tehran 19857-13834, Iran

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: The environment has an important impact on physical activity, especially walking. The relationship between the environment and walking is not the same as for other types of physical activity. This study seeks to comprehensively identify the environmental factors influencing walking and to show how those environmental factors impact on walking using the experiences of adults between the ages of 18 and 65. The current study is a meta-synthesis based on a systematic review. Seven databases of related disciplines were searched, including health, transportation, physical activity, architecture, and interdisciplinary databases. In addition to the databases, two journals were searched. Of the 11,777 papers identified, 10 met the eligibility criteria and quality for selection. Qualitative content analysis was used for analysis of the results. The four themes identified as influencing walking were “safety and security”, “environmental aesthetics”, “social relations”, and “convenience and efficiency”. “Convenience and efficiency” and “environmental aesthetics” could enhance the impact of “social relations” on walking in some aspects. In addition, “environmental aesthetics” and “social relations” could hinder the influence of “convenience and efficiency” on walking in some aspects. Given the results of the study, strategies are proposed to enhance the walking experience.

Keywords: walking; environment; systematic review; meta-synthesis; adults (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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