Methodology

The home interview process is a pivotal component of the study, focusing on capturing participants’ lived experiences related to home and neighborhood accessibility. Conducted by trained research assistants, these interviews explore how the design of participants’ living environments supports or challenges their accessibility needs. Discussions delve into personal narratives and preferences, emphasizing individual perceptions of mobility-related barriers or facilitators. These insights provide rich qualitative data, directly informing housing and urban policy aimed at enhancing inclusivity. The interviews are conducted during a home visit, ensuring comfort and context relevance, and last approximately 2–3 hours, making them thorough yet considerate of participants’ time 

The home audit systematically evaluates the physical and structural aspects of participants’ homes to determine their alignment with accessibility standards. Research assistants perform detailed assessments, measuring features such as door widths, bathroom layouts, and other mobility-critical elements. These evaluations offer an empirical basis for understanding the extent to which homes accommodate the needs of individuals with mobility-related disabilities. This structured process not only highlights areas requiring improvement but also generates quantifiable data to support evidence-based recommendations for housing policies 

Data synthesis integrates the qualitative findings from the interviews with the quantitative measurements from the home audits. This approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of person-environment fit by combining subjective experiences with objective evaluations. The integration process identifies patterns, disparities, and actionable insights, bridging gaps between lived realities and existing accessibility frameworks. The synthesized data will be instrumental in formulating targeted interventions and policy recommendations to improve housing inclusivity and support a broader spectrum of accessibility needs