Traveling Far from Home is Good for Health

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Highlights:

• People who travel 15 miles or more from home regularly report greater overall health
• Those who travel to more places are more likely to see friends and relatives. This increase in social activity is linked to better health
• There is a clear need for investment in medium and long-distance transportation options, such as better-served highways and access to trains and buses

People who travel outside their local area feel healthier than those who stay closer to home, according to a new study done by UCL experts.

Travel Improves Overall Health

The frequency with which people travel and the variety of areas visited are critical factors, with those who travel more than 15 miles away from home more likely to report being in overall good health.

‘Travel frequency of people and the variety of places they visit are important factors, with those who go more than 15 miles (about 24 kilometers) away from home being more likely to report being in generally excellent health.’

More Social Activity Linked with Better Health

Those who visit a wider range of locations are more likely to see friends and family. This increase in social activity is therefore associated with improved health.

According to the researchers, the findings demonstrate the need of investing in medium and long-distance transportation options, such as better-served highways and access to trains and buses.

Transportation Accessibility Influences Health

The researchers examined travel in the north of England, where residents have poorer health outcomes than the rest of the country and many rural and suburban areas have inadequate transportation accessibility.

They specifically examined the relationships between perceived constraints to travel outside of the local area, such as a lack of suitable public transportation, and self-rated health, taking into account trip frequency, the number of different places visited, distance travelled, car use, and public transportation use.

Lead author Dr Paulo Anciaes (UCL Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources) said, "We expected to find that restrictions on travel through a lack of access to suitable public transport or a private car would be linked to residents' perception of their health because of the lack of social participation. We explored the links between constraints to travel more than 15 miles from home, demographics and location and social participation in how residents perceived their health, finding that the key variable is the number of different places people visit outside their local area. This links to more social participation and better health."

The researchers performed an online survey of 3,014 nationally representative northern English residents. Travel restrictions have previously been highlighted as contributing to economic disadvantage and a worse sense of well-being in the region, but the influence on health has not previously been investigated. The team employed a study technique known as 'path analysis', which uncovers the direct and indirect consequences of travel limits outside of people's immediate surroundings.

The study discovered that the relationships between travel limits, social participation, and health are higher among people over the age of 55. Constraints on the number of various places people can go to are associated with less regular contact with friends and engagement in clubs and organizations among this group.

Dr Anciaes explained, "Those aged over 55 are more likely to face other constraints to travel such as limited mobility. They are also more likely to suffer from loneliness. In the north of England, rural and suburban areas with limited access options are more likely to experience population loss as young people move to the cities in search of work and good travel options. Meanwhile, older generations are left behind in these areas with limited transport options. The range of places they can visit is low, leading to less social participation and lower levels of general health. The results of this study emphasise the need for public policies that reduce constraints to travel in the region, by providing better options for private and public transport that allows for more frequent and longer trips."

Source: Medindia

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