Public Transit May Boost Mental Health

A new study based on an analysis of the residents of Turin, Italy, a city of over 900,000, reveals that walkable access to public transit and urban services benefits mental health, particularly for women and seniors.

2 minute read

December 4, 2015, 5:00 AM PST

By Irvin Dawid


Kid on Bus

Tribute/ Homenaje / flickr

Last weekend I was enjoying a coffee at the outdoor seating of Castro Coffee on the widened Castro Street in San Francisco. 

 Castro Sidewalks  A rendering of the expanded sidewalks on Castro Street.

Credit: Castro Street Improvement Project

An elderly Asian women asked if she could join me due to the limited seating, and we soon struck up some small talk. She lived nearby in her 47-year-old son's home, and she told me of all the transit—bus, light rail, and streetcar lines near her home, particularly which ones took her to Japantown. She called the buses her "limousines" because they would drop her off right in front of her home.

Along comes this study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health that completely validates everything she said. Access to multiple transit lines and living within walking distance to a vibrant business district appears to be contributing to this senior's mental (as well as physical) health.

"For the study, a group of Italy-based researchers gathered long-term data on Turin residents," writes Eric Jaffe, CityLab’s New York bureau chief...."Of the environmental factors, density and transit access proved “protective” of mental health, especially for women (of all ages) and older people (age 50 to 64)."

These populations were prescribed fewer antidepressant drugs when they lived in places reached more quickly by bus or train, in places with taller average building heights, compared with counterparts in more remote or sparse areas. That connection held up even when social factors were taken into account.

A look through Planetizen posts tagged 'mental health' shows no lack of articles showing a nexus with green spaces or trees, yet the Turin study showed no such connection "between mental health and public green space," writes Jaffe. "That’s surprising considering the vast evidence supporting this link." [See 'related' below.]

Conclusion from the study's abstract:

Therefore, this research suggests that good accessibility to public transport, as well as a dense urban structure (versus sprawl), could contribute to reduced risk of depression, especially for women and elderly, by increasing opportunities to move around and have an active social life.

Hat tip to Metro Transportation Library.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015 in CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

6 hours ago - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

7 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

July 10 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA