Abstract:
Background: While transport is a well-recognised determinant of health, the extent to which streetscapes and transport options support the health of people is highly variable across multiple intersecting dimensions. This study explored the perspectives of disabled people and older residents in Auckland, New Zealand, on how transport systems influence their lived experiences and aspirations for wellbeing and meaningful social participation.
Methods: Drawing on Kaupapa Māori consistent and Talanga Pacific methodologies, this community-based participatory research study involved qualitative interviews conducted in seven languages incorporating Go-along and Photovoice methods. The 62 participants living with disability and/or aged over 60 years resided in four case study sites: Māngere (South Auckland) including Kaumātua (older Māori) at Te Puea Marae; Pacific communities (Samoan, Tongan, Tuvaluan, Tokelauan and Kiribati) in West Auckland; a multi-ethnic community in Glen Innes (Central Auckland), and European and Asian people in Howick (East Auckland). A thematic analysis was undertaken of the interviews.
Results: Participants who could access their communities often expressed a love for or strong connections to those neighbourhoods, finding the places, relationships, and resources supportive of their wellbeing. Difficulties in navigating barriers in streetscapes and limited transport options were reported often, but the access challenges and their impacts varied between sites and communities. Participants in more economically deprived neighbourhoods saw the legacy of historic and recent infrastructure changes as disruptive and damaging, with major consequences for their safety and physical, cultural and emotional wellbeing. Participants with higher levels of education, computer literacy and systems knowledge expressed greater confidence in navigating barriers and advocating for themselves, demonstrating the influences of power, affluence and privilege. Families were an important source of transport and for those with less social power, financial constraints, and language and technological barriers, families were often the only option. Interactive community workshops that followed interviews highlighted the enthusiasm of under-served communities to engage with policy makers to stimulate transformative changes in transport systems.
Conclusions: The ‘lived experiences’ of people of diverse cultures, social and geographical contexts, provide critical insights regarding how transport systems can enable or challenge community and personal wellbeing. They also highlight the need for more robust processes that engage with disadvantaged communities to address prevalent structural injustices in transport. The project’s next phases integrate these findings with research engaging transport professionals to consider how the design, implementation and evaluation of transport systems can be more responsive to the needs of these communities.