Study on the influence on physical, mental and social health for new town elderly dwellers

Abstract

Healthy Japan 21 reported decreasing in walking time of elderly people and necessity of developing accessible environment for elderly people. Study on physical activity and environmental have been reported from Western country. These studies reported that neighborhood environment characteristics, such as residential density, walking facilities, diversity of land use were associated with physical activity. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of subjective walking environment on the physical, mental and social health of elderly people in a relatively walking environment in Senboku New Town Sakai City. In this study, physical, mental, social health and subjective neighborhood environments were assessed by basic the health check list and neighborhood environment walkability scale. As a result, physical, mental and social health was associated with subjective walkable neighborhood environment. The subjective walking environment evaluation was different between high active elderly and inactive elderly. Especially, accessibility to shops and stations affected physical, psychological and social health of elderly people.