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Environment, beliefs and behaviour
Journal of Transport & Health 3 (2016) 3
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of Transport & Health journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jth
Editorial
Environment, beliefs and behaviour
There are substantial benefits for individuals and society in pursuing active travel options such as walking and cycling in day to day life. Whilst some environments are actively hostile to cycling and walking (Godwin, 2016), it is clearly possible to create those are that highly conducive to these activities, as the study looking at older cyclists in Sweden demonstrates (Ryan, 2016). This study, which is highlighted as Editors’ Choice this week, shows that where you have appropriately designed environments that support cycling, and societal norms and expectations that align with this, older people will continue to cycle and it remains an important source of mobility. However, the provision of infra-structure alone may not be sufficient to generate substantial behaviour change. In this issue of JTH we include a number of thought provoking articles that illuminate some of the complexities around initiating and sustaining behaviour changes (Crane et al., 2016; Heinen and Ogilvie, 2016). There may be substantial mismatches not only between attitudes, beliefs and behaviours, but also between attitudes, beliefs and reality (Morckel, 2016). Perception can be everything. As so often shown, effective public health interventions need to target environment but also beliefs, attitudes and habits if changes are to be made (NICE, 2012). However, transport is more than cycling and walking. Driving is clearly here to stay, and this edition highlights a number of areas where there is significant scope to improve both road safety and the health of drivers. Pilkington et al. (2016) highlights the risks of mobile phone use whilst driving, and Michalaki et al. (2016) uses data to explore how motorway driving might be made safer. Whilst there is often concern at the potential damage that motor vehicles can inflict on others, Boyce Wesley highlights the occupational hazards associated with those who are driving trucks for a living (Boyce, 2016). Once again, the wide-ranging nature of the articles in this edition (Scheepers et al., 2016; Petrunoff et al., 2016; O'Neill, 2016) highlights the fruitful and important nature of studying the links between transport and health, and the need for this particular journal.
References Boyce, W.S., 2016. Does truck driver health and wellness deserve more attention? http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2016.02.001. Crane, M.A., Rissel, C., Greaves, S., Standen, C., Wen, L.M., 2016. Neighbourhood expectations and engagement with new cycling infrastructure in Sydney, Australia: findings from a mixed method before-and-after study. J. Transp. Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.10.003. Godwin, Ariel, 2016. Bicycling and Walking in the Central Deep South: Why is it Rare. Heinen, E., Ogilvie, D., 2016. Variability in baseline travel behaviour as a predictor of changes in commuting by active travel, car and public transport: a natural experimental study. J. Transp. Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.11.002. Michalaki, P., Quddus, M., Pitfield, D., Huetson, A., 2016. A time-series analysis of motorway collisions in England considering road infrastructure, socio-demographics, traffic and weather characteristics. J. Transp. Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.10.005. Morckel, V.C., 2016. Examining the relationships between perceived neighborhood mobility characteristics, perceived incivilities, travel attitudes, and physical activity amongst university faculty and staff. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2016.01.004. NICE Guidelines [PH41], 2012. Physical Activity: Walking and Cycling. London. 〈https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph41/chapter/1-Recommendations〉 (accessed 16.02.16). O'Neill, D., 2016. Towards an understanding of the full spectrum of travel-related injuries among older people. J. Transp. Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.11.001. Petrunoff, N., Rissel, C., Wen, L.M., 2016. The effect of active travel interventions conducted in work settings on driving to work: a systematic review. J. Transp. Health. http: //dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.12.001. Pilkington, P., Janet, I., Amrit, B., 2016. Mobile phone use while driving: underestimation of a global threat. J. Transp. Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.11.003. Ryan, Jean, 2016. Cycling and Cycling Cessation in Later Life: Findings From the City of Malmo. Scheepers, C.E., Wendel-Vos, G.C.W., van Kempen, E.E.M.M., de Hollander, E.L., van Wijnen, H.J., Maas, J., Hertog, F.R.J., Staatsen, B.A.M., Stipdonk, H.L., Int Panis, L.L.R., van Wesemael, P.J.V., Schuit, A.J., 2016. Perceived accessibility is an important factor in transport choice? Results from the AVENUE Project . http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. jth.2016.01.003.
Associate Editor, Professor Selena Gray n Department of Health and Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK Received 19 February 2016; accepted 19 February 2016
n
Tel.: þ44 775 3322318; fax: þ44 117 3288849.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2016.02.009 2214-1405/& 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of Transport & Health journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jth
Editorial
Environment, beliefs and behaviour
There are substantial benefits for individuals and society in pursuing active travel options such as walking and cycling in day to day life. Whilst some environments are actively hostile to cycling and walking (Godwin, 2016), it is clearly possible to create those are that highly conducive to these activities, as the study looking at older cyclists in Sweden demonstrates (Ryan, 2016). This study, which is highlighted as Editors’ Choice this week, shows that where you have appropriately designed environments that support cycling, and societal norms and expectations that align with this, older people will continue to cycle and it remains an important source of mobility. However, the provision of infra-structure alone may not be sufficient to generate substantial behaviour change. In this issue of JTH we include a number of thought provoking articles that illuminate some of the complexities around initiating and sustaining behaviour changes (Crane et al., 2016; Heinen and Ogilvie, 2016). There may be substantial mismatches not only between attitudes, beliefs and behaviours, but also between attitudes, beliefs and reality (Morckel, 2016). Perception can be everything. As so often shown, effective public health interventions need to target environment but also beliefs, attitudes and habits if changes are to be made (NICE, 2012). However, transport is more than cycling and walking. Driving is clearly here to stay, and this edition highlights a number of areas where there is significant scope to improve both road safety and the health of drivers. Pilkington et al. (2016) highlights the risks of mobile phone use whilst driving, and Michalaki et al. (2016) uses data to explore how motorway driving might be made safer. Whilst there is often concern at the potential damage that motor vehicles can inflict on others, Boyce Wesley highlights the occupational hazards associated with those who are driving trucks for a living (Boyce, 2016). Once again, the wide-ranging nature of the articles in this edition (Scheepers et al., 2016; Petrunoff et al., 2016; O'Neill, 2016) highlights the fruitful and important nature of studying the links between transport and health, and the need for this particular journal.
References Boyce, W.S., 2016. Does truck driver health and wellness deserve more attention? http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2016.02.001. Crane, M.A., Rissel, C., Greaves, S., Standen, C., Wen, L.M., 2016. Neighbourhood expectations and engagement with new cycling infrastructure in Sydney, Australia: findings from a mixed method before-and-after study. J. Transp. Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.10.003. Godwin, Ariel, 2016. Bicycling and Walking in the Central Deep South: Why is it Rare. Heinen, E., Ogilvie, D., 2016. Variability in baseline travel behaviour as a predictor of changes in commuting by active travel, car and public transport: a natural experimental study. J. Transp. Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.11.002. Michalaki, P., Quddus, M., Pitfield, D., Huetson, A., 2016. A time-series analysis of motorway collisions in England considering road infrastructure, socio-demographics, traffic and weather characteristics. J. Transp. Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.10.005. Morckel, V.C., 2016. Examining the relationships between perceived neighborhood mobility characteristics, perceived incivilities, travel attitudes, and physical activity amongst university faculty and staff. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2016.01.004. NICE Guidelines [PH41], 2012. Physical Activity: Walking and Cycling. London. 〈https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph41/chapter/1-Recommendations〉 (accessed 16.02.16). O'Neill, D., 2016. Towards an understanding of the full spectrum of travel-related injuries among older people. J. Transp. Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.11.001. Petrunoff, N., Rissel, C., Wen, L.M., 2016. The effect of active travel interventions conducted in work settings on driving to work: a systematic review. J. Transp. Health. http: //dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.12.001. Pilkington, P., Janet, I., Amrit, B., 2016. Mobile phone use while driving: underestimation of a global threat. J. Transp. Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.11.003. Ryan, Jean, 2016. Cycling and Cycling Cessation in Later Life: Findings From the City of Malmo. Scheepers, C.E., Wendel-Vos, G.C.W., van Kempen, E.E.M.M., de Hollander, E.L., van Wijnen, H.J., Maas, J., Hertog, F.R.J., Staatsen, B.A.M., Stipdonk, H.L., Int Panis, L.L.R., van Wesemael, P.J.V., Schuit, A.J., 2016. Perceived accessibility is an important factor in transport choice? Results from the AVENUE Project . http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. jth.2016.01.003.
Associate Editor, Professor Selena Gray n Department of Health and Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK Received 19 February 2016; accepted 19 February 2016
n
Tel.: þ44 775 3322318; fax: þ44 117 3288849.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2016.02.009 2214-1405/& 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.