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Published on: November 5, 2015
Commute time and social capital in the U.S
Lilah M Besser1, Michele Marcus, Howard Frumkin
1Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. lilahbesser@gmail.com
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|March 4, 2008
Summary
Longer commute times are linked to reduced social capital. This study found that individuals with commutes over 20 minutes took fewer social trips, impacting community connections.
Area of Science:
- Urban planning and public health
- Sociology and transportation studies
Background:
- Declining social capital in America may be linked to increased commute times.
- Urban sprawl contributes to longer commuting patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between commute duration and social capital.
- To analyze socially-oriented trips as a proxy for social capital.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the 2001 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data from 2007.
- Analyzed data from 54,747 full-time working adults.
- Calculated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for commute time and social trips.
Main Results:
- Commute times exceeding 20 minutes showed a significant association with fewer socially-oriented trips.
- Individuals commuting over 90 minutes had the strongest association with reduced social trips (adjusted OR=1.50).
Conclusions:
- Longer commute times are associated with decreased access to social capital.
- Fewer socially-oriented trips indicate a potential decline in community engagement due to commuting.
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