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  • Analysis of Changes in Time Use and Activity Participation in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: Implications for Well-Being
Title: Analysis of Changes in Time Use and Activity Participation in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: Implications for Well-Being
This research aims to investigate the well-being implications of changes in activity-travel and time-use patterns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study uses American Time Use Survey (ATUS) data from 2019 and 2020 to assess changes in activity-travel and time-use patterns. It applies two methods—a well-being scoring method and a time-poverty analysis method—to evaluate the impacts of these changes on society. The results show that individuals experienced diminished well-being during the pandemic even when their time-poverty statistics showed an improvement; this is because the pandemic did not allow individuals to pursue activities in a way that would enhance well-being. In general, well-being is positively associated with the pursuit of discretionary activities in the company of others in favored out-of-home locations. This explains why people have rapidly embraced traveling again in a post-pandemic era. At the same time, people desire more discretionary time (less time poverty); because the elimination of the commute contributes to this, workers are reluctant to return fully to the workplace. Planning processes need to account for a new normal in which activity-travel patterns will be increasingly shaped by the human desire to accumulate positive life experiences.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1828010 2053373 2128856
PAR ID:
10432702
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Sage
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
Volume:
0
Issue:
0
ISSN:
0361-1981
Page Range / eLocation ID:
036119812311650
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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