Transport poverty is a new concept that includes limitations for individuals in their ability to travel, for example traveling to and from work, grocery shopping, and pleasure travel. It encompasses all types of transportation, for instance personal vehicles or public transportation (Trafikanalys, 2018). Piotr Zają (2016) highlights the intimate connection between transportation and public health, and how sustainable and healthy transportation infrastructure can improve the quality of life for the world’s population.
Purpose: The purpose of the current literature study is to compile how transport poverty affects possibillity to good health from an equality perspective.
Method: A systematic literature review was conducted. A total of 20 scientific articles were included from the databases Cinahl and PubMed. The search queries encompassed following terms: transport affordability, public health, mobility disadvantage, exclusion, access to transportation, and transportation poverty. The included articles had both qualitative and quantitative study designs and were conducted in Canada, Australia, USA, Korea, Nepal, Japan, Tajikistan, Malaysia, and Germany.
Results: The study resulted in 19 different themes and subthemes (Figure 1). Out of these, five were categorized as overarching themes: Accessibility and access to transportation, Health and well-being, Social justice and health disparities, Aging and transportation, Limitations of transportation for people with disabilities.
Conclusion: Transport poverty affects the possibility of good health. When planning and designing transport solutions, it is therefore important to ensure accessibility and access to transport for all social groups to create better conditions for equal health.