“We want to go, but there are no options”: Exploring barriers and facilitators of transportation among diverse older adults

Abstract Introduction Transportation plays an important role in the social connectedness and quality of life among older adults (Black et al., 2015). Despite the increasing number of culturally and linguistically diverse older adults in the U.S. (Scommegna, 2016), studies that comprehensively investigate factors influencing their transportation use are sparse and fragmented. Methods Guided by the socio-ecological lens, we explored multi-level barriers and facilitators of transportation among diverse older adults with a specific focus on older immigrants and refugees living in a Midwestern U.S. metropolitan city. The research team conducted eight 90-min focus groups in six languages (English, Nepali, Khmer, Somali, Russian and Mandarin) with diverse older volunteers N = 70 (Male = 40%, Women = 60%). The mean age of participants was 76.81 (SD = 8.51). Data analysis followed the Rapid and Rigorous Qualitative Data Analysis (RADaR) technique (Watkins, 2017) and thematic analysis (Nowell et al., 2017) with an interactive team approach. Results Four major transportation determinants emerged: (1) transportation service: affordability, accessibility, availability and acceptability, lack of transportation options, service coordination; (2) built environment: safety and walkability; (3) social environment: language barriers and lack of information; and (4) individual attributes: being able to drive, walk, and “ask someone for a ride”. Conclusion The interconnectedness of multi-level determinants provides implications for a systematic approach to improving transportation services for diverse older adults supporting a more age-friendly community.