INTERCONNECTIVITY AND ITS IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH

Abstract

Interconnectivity between important urban organs is established through comprehensive land transportation system connecting destinations. It enables urban dwellers to commute and form travelling habit that takes place on daily basis. Travelling routine becomes a part of physical activity through walking and it shapes the intensity of regular physical activity in a systematic way. In Singapore Master Plan and Land Transport Master Plan, there is yet an explicit language connecting the plan elements to human health. Presence of sidewalks, variability of destinations, availability of public transportation, and exposure to air pollution are some of the environmental aspects that influence the physical activity. Therefore, this study attempts to ascertain the connection between interconnectivity and selected public health indicators, including total physical activity time, incidence of asthma, high total cholesterol, and depression. The study also looks into utilitarian and leisure walking that someone does and determines the important factors of the built environment that induce more walking.

After a review of the relevant literature and quantitative analysis of a survey, it was found that ‘good street connectivity’, ‘accessible public transit’, ‘presence of sheltered walkway’ are some of the statistically significant predictor of ‘total physical activity’ time. ‘Low exposure to air pollution’ is a significant predictor of incidence of asthma and ‘accessible green or open space’ is a significant predictor of incidence of depression. Similarly, ‘Accessible healthy food source’ is a significant predictor of incidence of ‘high total cholesterol’. In addition, the ‘presence of landscaping’, ‘cleanliness of street’, and ‘sheltered walkways’ are important pull-factors of walking. This relationship implies that there is a need for better coordination between relevant authorities like URA, LTA, and HDB in designing and promoting a healthy city.