Angstgerelateerde uitsluiting van mobiliteit. Deel 2 – Onderzoek bij Vlaamse 65-plussers (RA-MOW-2009-001).

The ability to move from one place to another (mobility) is necessary to meet personal,
social, employment and recreational needs. People or households without that ability are
often the victim of social exclusion. Moreover, not only the ability to move but also the
opportunity to do this independently is very important for the quality of life. One possible
source of mobility exclusion is fear. We investigated which types of mobility related fears
are relevant for senior citizens in Flanders and if these people limit their mobility because
of fear.
Based on part 1 of this research project - the literature study - we made a questionnaire
about personal characteristics, different types of mobility related fears and different
avoidance behaviours. This questionnaire yielded useful responses of 624 senior citizens.
Data analysis consisted of chi-square tests, factor analysis and regressions.
In general, our respondents are not very fearful while moving from one place to another.
They reported the most fear for trucks, drunken and reckless road-users, slippery roads,
being the victim of a collision and acts of crime (robbery, threat). Mobility related fear
can be divided in seven factors, with different sources of fear on the background. These
factors are: difficult circumstances, lack of physical control, the unknown, overt threats,
social judgment, loss of time and being a passenger. Our respondents fear overt threats
the most. Women, respondents with physical restraints and respondents with financial
restraints are more fearful than other respondents.
From the questions about avoidance behaviours we conclude that our respondents are
not very limited in mobility because of fear. Nevertheless, we pay attention to the
reported avoidance behaviours and the types of fear which cause them because of
possible policy-relevant insights. Concerning avoidance behaviour it's also the case that
women and respondents with physical restraints are important victims.
The recommendations we do are especially meaningful for the policy of equal chances.
The people we found to have more fear and to show more avoidance behaviour have to
get the necessary attention there. Furthermore, we recommend additional research on
other sources of mobility exclusion, which go beyond fear, on transport dependency of
senior citizens and on methodology for optimal involvement of this specific target group
in research.