Assessing Census Tracts for Active Living Potential Measurement
Author Information
Author(s): Riva Mylène, Apparicio Philippe, Gauvin Lise, Brodeur Jean-Marc
Primary Institution: Université de Montréal
Hypothesis
Census tracts may not be sound units of analysis for measuring the active living potential of environments associated with walking.
Conclusion
Census tracts may not accurately measure active living potential, which could misestimate associations with walking.
Supporting Evidence
- 83% of variation in accessibility to services is between census tracts.
- 55% of census tracts are characterized by multiple types of environments.
- Types of environments explained 72.8% of the total variation in active living potential indicators.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether the areas we use to study health are good enough. It found that the areas called census tracts might not be the best choice for understanding how our neighborhoods affect walking.
Methodology
The study used K-means clustering to design homogeneous zones based on population density, land use mix, and accessibility to services.
Potential Biases
Census tracts may mask significant variations in active living potential due to their heterogeneous nature.
Limitations
There is a seven-year time lag between the datasets used, which may affect the accuracy of the findings.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on the Island of Montreal, Canada, with a population of 1,812,723 residents.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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