Date of Award:

12-2026

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

Committee Chair(s)

Brent Chamberlain

Committee

Brent Chamberlain

Committee

Keunhyun Park

Committee

Keith Christensen

Committee

Yochai Eisenberg

Committee

Jeff C. Sheen

Abstract

This research explored how access to everyday destinations influences neighborhood and social satisfaction among individuals with disabilities. It examined how factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, accessibility, and frequency of visits to places contribute to how people experience their neighborhoods and social lives. The study also investigated how satisfaction with one’s neighborhood can mediate the connection between accessibility and overall social satisfaction. First, the study compared different ways of measuring access to places and found that some simpler methods provide similar results to more complicated ones. Next, a survey of 262 Utah residents with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities showed that people who visited places of worship, outdoor recreation, restaurants, and grocery stores tended to be more satisfied with their neighborhood and social lives. However, the perceived distance to destinations mattered less than how often people used it. Satisfaction with the neighborhood appears to be the link between a person’s surrounding environment and their social satisfaction. Finally, the research was applied to regional transportation planning, where it showed that living close to a destination does not always mean people with disabilities can reach it comfortably and independently, and that people with disabilities should be included in planning decisions.

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