Walkability and well-being among older adults: a perception-driven structural model for age-friendly urban planning in India

The rapid growth of the older adult population (aged 60 years and above) underscores the urgent need for walkable urban environments that support their mobility, independence, and well-being. Although walkability is known to influence physical activity, social participation, and quality of life, empirical evidence explaining how perception-based dimensions of the built environment shape these outcomes remains limited, particularly in non-Western and developing country contexts. This study develops and validates a structural model linking five perceptual dimensions, safety, security, comfort, convenience, and aesthetics, with walkability outcomes among older adults. A cross-sectional survey of 333 older adults in Udupi District, India, was conducted via a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Adopting a positivist paradigm, Structural Equation Modelling using SmartPLS 4 was employed to test 33 direct hypotheses and three mediating effects involving five perceptual dimensions: safety, security, comfort, convenience, and aesthetics, along with community engagement programs. The results revealed that community engagement programs significantly enhance perceived security, comfort, convenience, and aesthetics but not safety. Comfort positively influences both increased physical activity levels and increased socialization and mediates the relationship between community engagement programs and these outcomes. Convenience has a significant positive effect on quality of life and mediates the relationship between community engagement programs and quality of life. Aesthetics positively affect increased physical activity levels and increased socialization, whereas safety has a significant positive relationship with increased socialization. The study presents a validated, perception-driven structural model explaining walkability outcomes for older adults. Although context specific, the findings offer transferable theoretical and practical insights, providing actionable guidance for age-friendly, community-centered urban planning and policy development.