ERIC Number: EJ868931
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Dec
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0145-482X
EISSN: N/A
A Survey of Daily Trips of Persons Who Are Visually Impaired Living in Communities in Japan
Shimizu, Michiko
Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, v103 n11 p766-772 Dec 2009
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan (2006), there are 379,000 persons with visual impairments (both those who are blind and those with low vision) in Japan. Of these persons, 30% travel almost daily, 30% travel two to three days per week, 22% travel two to three days per month, and 11% travel several days a year; in addition, 44% need personal assistance when they travel in the community. Information collected by the Japanese government about the number of persons who are visually impaired and their daily travel has remained fairly stable over the past 30 years, although a number of factors have increased the choices and resources that are available to these travelers. The Japanese government conducts the Nationwide Person Trip Survey (NPTS) every three years to investigate the travel behavior of the general public, but it reports little information about travelers who are visually impaired. The statistics do not answer questions such as these: (1) Which modes of travel are used by persons who are visually impaired?; (2) Do those who travel daily do so alone?; (3) Do those who travel alone always do so?; and (4) Does the frequency of travel differ according to the severity of the visual impairment? The survey reported in this article was undertaken to answer these questions about daily travel by visually impaired persons living in the community. (Contains 5 figures.)
Descriptors: Travel, Visual Impairments, Foreign Countries, Physical Mobility, Visually Impaired Mobility, Incidence, Community Surveys, Questionnaires, Mail Surveys
American Foundation for the Blind. 11 Penn Plaza Suite 300, New York, NY 10001. Tel: 800-232-5463; Tel: 212-502-7600; e-mail: afbinfo@afb.net; Web site: http://www.afb.org/store
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Japan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A