Introduction

Transportation plays an important role in the social connectedness and quality of life among older adults (Black et al., 2015). Despite the increasing number of culturally and linguistically diverse older adults in the U.S. (Scommegna, 2016), studies that comprehensively investigate factors influencing their transportation use are sparse and fragmented.

Methods

Guided by the socio-ecological lens, we explored multi-level barriers and facilitators of transportation among diverse older adults with a specific focus on older immigrants and refugees living in a Midwestern U.S. metropolitan city. The research team conducted eight 90-min focus groups in six languages (English, Nepali, Khmer, Somali, Russian and Mandarin) with diverse older volunteers N = 70 (Male = 40%, Women = 60%). The mean age of participants was 76.81 (SD = 8.51). Data analysis followed the Rapid and Rigorous Qualitative Data Analysis (RADaR) technique (Watkins, 2017) and thematic analysis (Nowell et al., 2017) with an interactive team approach.

Results

Four major transportation determinants emerged: (1) transportation service: affordability, accessibility, availability and acceptability, lack of transportation options, service coordination; (2) built environment: safety and walkability; (3) social environment: language barriers and lack of information; and (4) individual attributes: being able to drive, walk, and “ask someone for a ride”.

Conclusion

The interconnectedness of multi-level determinants provides implications for a systematic approach to improving transportation services for diverse older adults supporting a more age-friendly community.

中文翻译：

---

“我们想走，但别无选择”：探索各种老年人之间的障碍和交通便利

介绍

交通运输在老年人的社交联系和生活质量中起着重要作用（Black等，2015）。尽管美国的文化和语言多样化的老年人越来越多（Scommegna，2016），但全面调查影响其交通使用的因素的研究却很少且分散。

方法

在社会生态学视角的指导下，我们探索了不同年龄段的成年人之间的多层次障碍和交通便利因素，特别关注了居住在美国中西部大城市的老年移民和难民。该研究小组以六种语言（英语，尼泊尔语，高棉语，索马里语，俄语和普通话）对八个90分钟的焦点小组进行了调查，他们的年龄较大，志愿者人数分别为N  = 70（男性= 40％，女性= 60％）。参与者的平均年龄为76.81（SD  = 8.51）。数据分析遵循了快速严格的定性数据分析（RADaR）技术（Watkins，2017）和主题分析（Nowell等人，2017），采用了交互式团队方法。

结果

出现了四个主要的运输决定因素：（1）运输服务：可负担性，可及性，可用性和可接受性，缺乏运输选择，服务协调；（2）建筑环境：安全性和步行性；（3）社会环境：语言障碍和信息匮乏；（4）个人属性：能够开车，走路和“问某人兜风”。

结论

多层次决定因素的相互联系为采取系统的方法改善为支持年龄更友好的社区的各种老年人提供的运输服务提供了启示。