Citation

Curto A, de Nazelle A, Donaire-Gonzalez D, Cole-Hunter T, Garcia-Aymerich J, Martinez D, Anaya E, Rodriguez D, Jerrett M, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ. Eur. J. Public Health 2016; 26(4): 717-723.

Affiliation

ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain mnieuwenhuijsen@creal.cat.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/eurpub/ckv235

PMID

26748099

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Public bicycle-sharing initiatives can act as health enhancement strategies among urban populations. The aim of the study was to determine which attitudes and perceptions of behavioural control toward cycling and a bicycle-sharing system distinguish commuters with a different adherence to bicycle commuting.  METHODS: The recruitment process was conducted in 40 random points in Barcelona from 2011 to 2012. Subjects completed a telephone-based questionnaire including 27 attitude and perception statements. Based on their most common one-way commute trip and willingness to commute by bicycle, subjects were classified into Private Bicycle (PB), public bicycle or Bicing Bicycle (BB), Willing Non-bicycle (WN) and Non-willing Non-bicycle (NN) commuters. After reducing the survey statements through principal component analysis, a multinomial logistic regression model was obtained to evaluate associations between attitudinal and commuter sub-groups.  RESULTS: We included 814 adults in the analysis [51.6% female, mean (SD): age 36.6 (10.3) years]. BB commuters were 2.0 times [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-3.7] less likely to perceive bicycle as a quick, flexible and enjoyable mode compared to PB. BB, WN and NN were 2.5 (95% CI = 1.46-4.24), 2.6 (95% CI = 1.53-4.41) and 2.3 times (95% CI = 1.30-4.10) more likely to perceive benefits of using public bicycles (bicycle maintenance and parking avoidance, low cost and no worries about theft and vandalism) than did PB.  CONCLUSION: Willing non-bicycle and public-bicycle commuters had more favourable perception toward public-shared bicycles compared to private cyclists. Hence, public bicycles may be the impetus for those willing to start bicycle commuting, thereby increasing physical activity levels.

Language: en