Impact of Racial Disparities in Transportation Access on Older Adults in Chatham County

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Krista Westervelt (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Rebecca Adams

Abstract: 2021 University Libraries Undergraduate Research Award Winner -- Access to reliable transportation is a vital concern for adults as they age. This concern does not affect older adults evenly across racial and ethnic lines. Older adults of color have more limitations on access to transportation as they age than their white peers. Though agencies on aging may offer transit options to help older adults access services, these programs can have limitations in accessibility and spontaneity, which may contribute to segregation along racial lines. A look at the effect of transportation access on participants in one senior center in Chatham County, North Carolina reveals disparities in program accessibility. Such access differences may have negative effects on physical and mental health, potentially deepening existing disparities in aging outcomes. While various factors affect creation of more equitable services for seniors, identifying disparities in the need for and provision of transportation services could help in addressing demographic inequities.

Additional Information

Publication
Other
Language: English
Date: 2021
Keywords
transportation access, driving cessation, race, socioeconomic status, older adults, seniors, Chatham County, North Carolina

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