The importance of social capital for young People's active transport and independent mobility in rural Otago, New Zealand

Tessa Porskamp; Christina Ergler; Eva Pilot; Preeti Sushama; Sandra Mandic

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102216

The importance of social capital for young People's active transport and independent mobility in rural Otago, New Zealand

Health Place. 2019 Nov:60:102216. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102216. Epub 2019 Oct 4.

Authors

Tessa Porskamp¹, Christina Ergler², Eva Pilot³, Preeti Sushama³, Sandra Mandic⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health, Ethics and Society, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Peter Debyeplein 1, 6229HA, Maastricht, the Netherlands; School of Geography, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand; Maastricht Centre for Global Health, Maastricht University, Peter Debyeplein 1, 6229HA, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Active Living Laboratory, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand. Electronic address: tessa.porskamp@gmail.com.
² School of Geography, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand. Electronic address: christina.ergler@otago.ac.nz.
³ Department of Health, Ethics and Society, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Peter Debyeplein 1, 6229HA, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Maastricht Centre for Global Health, Maastricht University, Peter Debyeplein 1, 6229HA, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
⁴ Active Living Laboratory, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand; Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.

PMID: 31590078
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102216

Abstract

Social capital influences adolescents' licenses for active transport and independent mobility, through parental decision making and safety concerns, and may contribute to increasing adolescents' physical activity. Drawing on 20 parental interviews and 11 focus groups (73 adolescents) from rural New Zealand, this paper shows the importance of social capital and social trust for active transport and independent mobility in an under researched rural context. Change over time in social capital, social trust and parental safety concerns limited adolescents' active transport and independent mobility. Health policy should incorporate social capital measures to increase adolescents' active transport, independent mobility and physical activity.

Keywords: Active transport; Adolescents; Independent mobility; New Zealand; Parents; Rural setting; Social capital; Social trust.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Exercise*
Humans
Rural Population / statistics & numerical data*
Social Capital*
Travel / statistics & numerical data