Walk score™ as a global estimate of neighborhood walkability

Lucas J Carr; Shira I Dunsiger; Bess H Marcus

doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2010.07.007

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Walk score™ as a global estimate of neighborhood walkability

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Walk score™ as a global estimate of neighborhood walkability

Lucas J Carr, Shira I Dunsiger and Bess H Marcus

American journal of preventive medicine, Vol.39(5), pp.460-463

11/2010

DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2010.07.007

PMCID: PMC4845902

PMID: 20965384

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Abstract

Walk Score recently has been demonstrated as a valid and reliable tool for estimating access to nearby facilities, a critical component of the physical activity environment. It has not yet been determined whether Walk Score relates to other critical components of the physical activity environment, including street connectivity, access to public transit, residential density, and crime. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between Walk Score and objective/subjective measures of the physical activity environment. Walk Scores were calculated for residential addresses of 296 participants of two RCTs (2006-2009). Street connectivity, residential density, access to public transit provisions, and crime were objectively measured (GIS) and cross-referenced with Walk Scores and participant's perceptions of the environment (e.g., perceived crime, access to physical activity facilities, perceived neighborhood walkability). Pairwise Pearson correlations were calculated in March 2010 to compare Walk Score to subjective/objective measures of neighborhood walkability. Significant positive correlations were identified between Walk Score and several objective (e.g., street connectivity, residential density and access to public transit provisions) and subjective (e.g., summed score of the physical activity environment) measures of the physical activity environment. However, positive correlations also were observed between Walk Score and crime. Collectively, these findings support Walk Score as a free, easy-to-use, and quick proxy of neighborhood density and access to nearby amenities. However, positive associations between Walk Score and reported crime highlight a limitation of Walk Score and warrant caution of its use.

Geographic Information Systems

Safety

Rhode Island

Transportation - statistics & numerical data

Humans

Middle Aged

Male

Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Crime - statistics & numerical data

Residence Characteristics - statistics & numerical data

Environment Design

Female

Perception

Walking - statistics & numerical data

Details

Title: Subtitle: Walk score™ as a global estimate of neighborhood walkability
Creators: Lucas J Carr - Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA. carrl@ecu.edu
Shira I Dunsiger
Bess H Marcus
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: American journal of preventive medicine, Vol.39(5), pp.460-463
DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2010.07.007
PMID: 20965384
PMCID: PMC4845902
NLM abbreviation: Am J Prev Med
ISSN: 0749-3797
eISSN: 1873-2607
Publisher: Netherlands
Grant note: R21NR009864 / NINR NIH HHS R21 NR009864 / NINR NIH HHS T32 HL076134 / NHLBI NIH HHS T32 HL076134-01A2 / NHLBI NIH HHS T32HL076134 / NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL069866-01A1 / NHLBI NIH HHS HL69866 / NHLBI NIH HHS R21 NR009864-01A1 / NINR NIH HHS R01 HL069866 / NHLBI NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 11/2010
Academic Unit: Health, Sport, and Human Physiology
Record Identifier: 9984002474402771

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