Mental Health and Transport

TRL performed a review to identify and understand the interplay between mental health and transportation. Despite increased attention to mental health issues in recent years, there has been insufficient consideration of the effects of mental health on daily life. The impact of mental health on travel behavior, and the effect of transportation systems on mental wellbeing is inadequately documented. The review highlighted the extent of the relationships, with evidence that mental health can influence driving behavior and choice of travel mode, along with evidence of how transportation systems' impacts on mental health. The review also revealed limitations in the literature, including the scarcity of research in the United Kingdom and the prevalence of research focusing on clinical studies. The lack of community-based studies hampers insight into mental health issues in transportation, and delays any development of effective solutions and interventions. The authors engaged with members of the public with histories of anxiety or depression, or both, to explore their use of transportation in the UK. The findings were used in designing a survey incorporating a choice experiment. Findings from the choice experiment highlighted a number of differences among people with anxiety, people experiencing both anxiety and depression, and persons with neither condition. The findings included: persons with high anxiety levels are less inclined to choose travel modes where they are likely to experience crowding; persons with anxiety are less concerned by delays in automobile traffic; persons with mental health difficulties favor automobiles over rail travel.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Edition: Draft Project Report
  • Features: Appendices; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 120p

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01690290
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: PPR866
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Dec 28 2018 2:03PM