Active mobilities of care: a scoping review

Caregiving is a necessary practice that sustains the well-being of individuals, households, and society at large. An important component of caregiving is the travel required to fulfil caregiving and domestic responsibilities, termed mobilities of care. The regularity and necessity of such trips present opportunity to integrate physical activity and associated health gains through active modes of travel. However, the complexity, coordination demands, and social meanings of care-related travel can impact the uptake of walking, cycling, and other active modes. We conducted a scoping review to synthesise the literature on active mobilities of care. A systematic search of multidisciplinary databases identified 107 eligible articles, predominantly published in transport and mobility journals, focused on urban contexts, with diverse methodological approaches. We organise and discuss the literature across four interrelated themes: movement, determinants, meaning, and experience. Care trips were short, complex, and gendered, with studies largely focusing on single outcomes such as escorted walking trips to school. While important, physical infrastructure was insufficient to enable active travel independently; use of active mode was shaped by access to materials such as mobility equipment, logistical challenges, and the ability to meet practical needs such as safety and convenience. Caregivers’ motivations combined with responsible parenting ideals further highlighted how mobilities of care are imbued with social meaning, producing conflicting perceptions about active travel. We call for future research to embrace the multi-destination and networked nature of care travel by improving measurement of where, when, and how care trips are coordinated, as well as an exploration of health and social outcomes. Future studies may move beyond a focus on increasing active travel to consider equity by exploring meanings, access to material supports, and experiences, as well as contexts in which active modes are used out of necessity and may impose physical or social burdens.