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How do Environmental Factors Influence the Walking Activities of Elderly People? - A Study Using GPS Data of Bundang New-town in Korea -

근린환경은 노인들의 보행경로와 외부활동에 영향을 미치는가? - 분당신도시 거주 노인들의 GPS데이터를 활용한 실증분석 -

  • Jeong, Yeon-Jun (Dept. of Urban & Transportation Engineering, Kongju National University) ;
  • Lee, Kyung-Hwan (Dept. of Urban & Transportation Engineering, Kongju National University)
  • 정연준 (공주대학교 도시.교통공학과) ;
  • 이경환 (공주대학교 도시융합시스템공학과)
  • Received : 2022.06.27
  • Accepted : 2022.08.12
  • Published : 2022.09.30

Abstract

As the world approaches a super-aged society, urban-level responses towards the elderly are being actively carried out in the forms of an Age-Friendly City and a Healthy City. Through several preceding studies, the pedestrian-friendly neighborhood environment affected the health of residents was revealed. This study aims to analyze factors that influence the walking activities of elderly people. The spatial scope was set to Yatap-3-dong in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, and the subject was set to 25 elderly people living in that area. The elderly's gait activity data was collected using GPS, and the factors influencing gait activity were derived through expert evaluations, interviews, and observational surveys. The analysis results of 413 of the 600 trips or 68.8% of the elderly were derived from the GPS survey and the trip log survey showed that the elderly had high walking dependence. The average walking distance of the elderly per week was 9,419.0 m, and the average walking time was 248.1 minutes. The comparative analysis results of the space frequently used by the elderly and the control group from expert evaluation revealed that the elderly often used streets and public spaces with high pedestrian safety, connectivity, and was sensually comfortable. In the 28 routes or 6.78% of the walking trips taken by the elderly, not only were detours confirmed, but they walked an additional 285.1 m. An accompanying survey and interview results showed that the elderly considered their safety from vehicles, crime, social activity opportunities, slopes, stairs, and scenery when choosing walking routes. This study was significant in that it laid the foundation for the design of an age-friendly neighborhood environment by empirically analyzing the characteristics of elderly walking activities and deriving walking influence factors.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

이 논문은 주저자(정연준)의 2018년도 석사학위 논문을 수정보완하여 작성한 것이며, 2015~2018년도 한국연구재단 연구비 지원에 의한 결과의 일부임. 과제번호: 2015R1D1A1A01061088

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