Validity and reliability of the Neighborhood Walkability Scale Abbreviated (NEWS-A) in elderly people of Valparaiso, Chile

Ageing in place is related to the ability of seniors to perform daily activities autonomously in interaction with their physical and social environment. This case study presents the validation of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale Abbreviated (NEWS-A) in a sample of 291 seniors from a neighborhood of Valparaiso, Chile, estimated with 95% of confidence and a 5% margin error, to determine the perception that they have about the urban surroundings where they live, using the survey technique. The dimensions that are part of the scale were evaluated with a confirmatory factorial analysis. In this case the results indicate that the social aspects of the neighborhood, such as the fear of crime, are more important than the physical aspects, in terms of contribution to the neighborhoods walkability. The basis of the survey is that the ageing of Chilean population is related to social and economic transformations and changes in the epidemiological profile, which is an important challenge to public policy, due to the sustained increasing of this age group.