Page 188 - GHES-3-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Transport and health of pregnant women

Table 8. Factors of transport exclusion among respondents Potoglou et al. (2010) reported that the general perception
of terrorist attacks on public transport can impact the
Factors responsible for transport exclusion Frequency (%) general perception of personal safety and security when
Lack of money 339 (95.0) traveling. These concerns are compounded by evidence of
Transport cost 257 (72.0) sexual harassment of women, especially in crowded buses
Availability of suitable means of transportation 160 (44.8) (Adlakha & Parra, 2020; Bivina & Parida, 2020; Hussin
Discrimination (by drivers and other commuters) 264 (73.9) et al., 2021).
Accessibility 182 (51.0) Out of the eleven pre-selected factors, lack of money
Fear-based exclusion (bad road and safety) 282 (79.0) emerged as the most important factor of transport
Environment 308 (86.3) exclusion among the respondents. Financial difficulty is
Physically challenged 245 (68.6) characterized by low income and lack of employment in
Affordability 215 (60.2) Nigeria, where approximately 87 million live below the
poverty line in 2023 (NBS, 2023), and this may cause
Unemployed 210 (58.8) a lack of money among the respondents to meet daily
Physical appearance (pregnancy) 300 (84.0) mobility needs. This finding emphasized other studies that
have established interrelations between financial poverty,
untidy seating arrangements in the bus, which may pose mobility, and the possibility for social participation (SEU,
some experience of discomfort to pregnant women who 2003), as the cost involved in mobility poses an impediment
require more comfortable and expectedly well-ventilated to access to certain areas of life and services (Schwanen
space to travel. This observation aligns with the findings et al., 2015). Moreover, cost and affordability were also
of a study in Sweden, where overcrowding was established found to be important factors of transport exclusion,
as one of the factors passengers was most unsatisfied with, which are influenced by the lack of money or inadequate
though it was considered less important than reliability finance. These have been established by previous studies
and frequency (Borjesson & Rubensson, 2019). by Lucas et al. (2016) and Mattioli (2017), who stressed
Accessibility, defined as the ease of reaching that transport affordability is a challenge to individuals
transportation means, was considered the most important and groups with low income, as they are vulnerable to
influencing mobility choices among the selected pregnant transport challenges such as affordability (Koukoufikis &
women. While most studies have focused on the ability Uihkin, 2022).
of transport means to facilitate access to social services Discrimination by drivers and other commuters,
(Wrigley et al., 2003), the ease of accessing transportation especially because of the size and status of some of the
itself is equally vital. Difficulty in accessing transport mode pregnant women, was considered another factor of
of choice may hamper the ease of access to social services transport exclusion among the respondents. While this
required for functional societal inclusion. This aligns finding was not significantly represented in the literature,
with the finding of the SEU in Britain (SEU, 2003), which it coincides with part of the findings that situate women
reported that inaccessibility to transport or inadequate among the transport-excluded groups in society, especially
mobility, especially for underprivileged groups, could in relation to their patterns of travel, access to forms of
limit their access to every well-being issue, including travel, personal safety, and access to transport infrastructure
health. However, Kenyon et al. (2002) pointed out that (Adlakha & Parra, 2020; Borker, 2022; Hussin et al., 2021).
this inaccessibility may be caused by inadequate means
of travel, which often compel reliance on alternatives like 6. Conclusion
motorcycles, as observed in this study. This study provides an overview of several factors of

The safety and security of transport modes are ranked transport exclusion among pregnant women in selected
closely behind accessibility as determinants of choice. This areas in the southwestern part of Nigeria using evidence
prioritization likely reflects Nigeria’s heightened cases of from a field survey. Aggregated results revealed that visit
insecurity and road traffic crashes. This finding attests to health centers has the highest frequency as the need
to the general global perspectives of issues of security for transport, while motorcycles were the most preferred
and safety associated with personal transport and public transport mode. Results further highlighted that the choice
transport. For instance, Borjesson’s (2012) study reported of transport mode was made based on ease of accessibility
that transport environments are less secure for women to the transport mode. The study revealed a statistically
than men, while Stafford (2003) linked public transport use significant relationship between the choice of means of
to exposure to crime and antisocial behavior. In addition, transport and factors influencing their choice.

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 180 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.5203