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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Study protocol

Commuting and health in Cambridge: a study of a 'natural experiment' in the provision of new transport infrastructure

Authors: David Ogilvie, Simon Griffin, Andy Jones, Roger Mackett, Cornelia Guell, Jenna Panter, Natalia Jones, Simon Cohn, Lin Yang, Cheryl Chapman

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

Background

Modifying transport infrastructure to support active travel (walking and cycling) could help to increase population levels of physical activity. However, there is limited evidence for the effects of interventions in this field, and to the best of our knowledge no study has convincingly demonstrated an increase in physical activity directly attributable to this type of intervention. We have therefore taken the opportunity presented by a 'natural experiment' in Cambridgeshire, UK to establish a quasi-experimental study of the effects of a major transport infrastructural intervention on travel behaviour, physical activity and related wider health impacts.

Design and methods

The Commuting and Health in Cambridge study comprises three main elements: a cohort study of adults who travel to work in Cambridge, using repeated postal questionnaires and basic objective measurement of physical activity using accelerometers; in-depth quantitative studies of physical activity energy expenditure, travel and movement patterns and estimated carbon emissions using household travel diaries, combined heart rate and movement sensors and global positioning system (GPS) receivers; and a longitudinal qualitative interview study to elucidate participants' attitudes, experiences and practices and to understand how environmental and social factors interact to influence travel behaviour, for whom and in what circumstances. The impacts of a specific intervention - the opening of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway - and of other changes in the physical environment will be examined using a controlled quasi-experimental design within the overall cohort dataset.

Discussion

Addressing the unresolved research and policy questions in this area is not straightforward. The challenges include those of effectively combining different disciplinary perspectives on the research problems, developing common methodological ground in measurement and evaluation, implementing robust quantitative measurement of travel and physical activity behaviour in an unpredictable 'natural experiment' setting, defining exposure to the intervention, defining controls, and conceptualising an appropriate longitudinal analytical strategy.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Commuting and health in Cambridge: a study of a 'natural experiment' in the provision of new transport infrastructure
Authors
David Ogilvie
Simon Griffin
Andy Jones
Roger Mackett
Cornelia Guell
Jenna Panter
Natalia Jones
Simon Cohn
Lin Yang
Cheryl Chapman
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-703

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