Does cycle commuting reduce the risk of mental ill-health? An instrumental variable analysis using distance to nearest cycle path.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Previous studies have linked cycling with improved mental wellbeing but these studies tend to use cross-sectional survey data that have small sample sizes and self-reported health measures, and are potentially susceptible to omitted-variable bias and reverse causation. We use an instrumental variable approach and an objective measure of mental ill-health taken from linked administrative data to ask: 'Does cycle commuting reduce the risk of mental ill-health?'

Methods

Our study links data on commuting in Edinburgh and Glasgow from the Scottish population census with mental health prescriptions from the National Health Service Prescribing Information System records. We use road distance from home to nearest cycle path as an instrumental variable for cycle commuting.

SUBMITTER: Berrie L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10859133 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature