An Integrated Analysis of Worker's Physically Active Activity and Active Travel Choice Behavior

摘要

Employing 2009 NHTS Texas add-on sample data, this study examines individual's active choicedecisions with a specific market focus on adult workers. This is achieved by examining worker'stwo choice behaviors: active activity and active travel. The first choice behavior is developed asan ordered-response model based on the number of physically active recreational activitiespursued during the workday. The second model is developed as a binary-response model thatexamines worker's active travel choices; whether or not the worker used any active mode oftravel during the same workday. The current study contributes to the field by improving ourunderstanding and knowledge of factors influencing worker's physically active activity-travelbehavior. The study provides several insights regarding the role (and constraints) of employmentin individual's active choices while demonstrating that transportation and public health policymakers can mutually benefit from encouraging workers to be physically active (from an activityand/or travel perspective). Using a flexible and robust copula modeling methodology, we explorethe ‘true' correlation (or dependence) between the two behavior choices that might occur due tothe presence of unobserved factors, in addition to the examination of various observed factors,suggesting a simultaneous low or simultaneously high propensity toward being physically activeacross workers. Overall, the study unifies and reveals the integrated nature of the public healthand transportation fields thereby providing a distinct view of active/inactive choice behavior.