저소득층 노인의 이동성 격차와 근린환경 연구 동향 분석

A Scoping Review on Low-income Older Adults’ Socioeconomic and Environmental Inequalities in Mobility

Older adults’ mobility is a critical determinant of health, social participation, and quality of life, yet significant disparities exist across socioeconomic groups. This scoping review analyzed 43 peer-reviewed articles (2005-2025) from Web of Science to synthesize existing research on how income level and neighborhood environments jointly influence mobility among older adults. Low-income older adults exhibited substantially lower mobility levels than high-income counterparts across multiple dimensions: daily travel distances were only 30% as long, activity spaces were smaller, and reliance on walking and public transportation was greater. Physical environment improvements demonstrate differential effects by income level, suggesting that infrastructure alone cannot address mobility inequities without considering economic constraints and perceived safety. Methodological analysis revealed several key limitations: all studies employed cross-sectional designs preventing causal inference, 74.4% relied on self-reported measures, and geographic coverage was heavily skewed toward North America (41.9%) and urban areas (46.5%), with no African studies identified. While 51% used traditional regression analysis, emerging approaches including multilevel modeling (21%), machine learning (16%), and spatial statistics (12%) offer promise for capturing mobility’s complexity. This review underscores the need for longitudinal research designs, standardized measurement tools tailored to older adults’ environmental needs, and more inclusive sampling of vulnerable populations. Policy implications emphasize integrated interventions combining universal environmental improvements with targeted economic support, particularly for rural and disabled older adults who remain systematically underrepresented in current research.