Abstract

Problem, research strategy, and findings

Most Americans live in communities in which automobiles are central to participation in economic, social, and cultural activities. Outside of dense central cities, the ability to continue driving as one ages is fundamental to the quality of life among older adults. Driving rates decline significantly with age. Researchers have studied the myriad reasons former drivers stop driving, but few have examined associations between these transitions and characteristics of the neighborhoods in which older adults live or to which they move. We used longitudinal data from a national sample of 20,000 observations from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine relationships between residential location, driving reduction, and driving cessation. Longitudinal data allow analysis of changes in behavior, a major advantage over cross-sectional data; however, the timing and sequencing of behavioral changes remain difficult to isolate. Cities provide opportunities for older adults to travel by automobile and other modes that are less available outside cities. Older adults are more likely to reduce or give up driving if they reside in dense, urban, transit-oriented neighborhoods than other neighborhood types. Very few older adults move from suburban to urban neighborhoods; when they do, they are rarely more likely to reduce or stop driving.

Takeaway for practice

The findings underscore the importance of planning to accommodate aging in place. To do this in urban neighborhoods, policies must foster high-quality urban neighborhoods that not only attract younger adults (as is currently the trend) but also retain them as they age through the life cycle.

中文翻译：

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车钥匙

摘要

问题、研究策略和发现

大多数美国人生活在以汽车为核心参与经济、社会和文化活动的社区中。在人口稠密的中心城市之外，继续驾驶一岁的能力是老年人生活质量的基础。驾驶率随着年龄的增长而显着下降。研究人员研究了前司机停止驾驶的无数原因，但很少有人研究这些转变与老年人居住或迁往的社区特征之间的关联。我们使用来自密歇根大学健康与退休研究 (HRS) 的 20,000 次全国样本的纵向数据来检查居住地点、减少驾驶和停止驾驶之间的关系。纵向数据允许分析行为的变化，与横截面数据相比的主要优势；然而，行为变化的时间和顺序仍然难以区分。城市为老年人提供了乘坐汽车和其他城市以外不太可用的方式出行的机会。与其他社区类型相比，如果老年人居住在人口密集、城市、公交导向的社区，他们更有可能减少或放弃驾驶。很少有老年人从郊区搬到城市社区；当他们这样做时，他们很少有可能减少或停止驾驶。以公交为导向的街区比其他街区类型要多。很少有老年人从郊区搬到城市社区；当他们这样做时，他们很少有可能减少或停止驾驶。以公交为导向的街区比其他街区类型要多。很少有老年人从郊区搬到城市社区；当他们这样做时，他们很少有可能减少或停止驾驶。

外卖练习

调查结果强调了规划就地适应老龄化的重要性。要在城市街区​​做到这一点，政策必须培育高质量的城市街区，不仅能吸引年轻人（正如目前的趋势），而且还能在他们的生命周期中随着年龄的增长而留住他们。