Child Pedestrians: The Role of Parental Beliefs and Practices in Promoting Safe Walking in Urban Neighborhoods

Gielen, Andrea Carlson; DeFrancesco, Susan; Bishai, David; Mahoney, Patricia; Ho, Shiu M.; Guyer, Bernard

doi:10.1093/jurban/jth139

Cited by 69 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…[1][2][3] This concern contributes to parents' restriction of their children's independent mobility, 1 outdoor play, and active transport in their local neighborhood. 1,4,5 Compared with previous generations, children now spend less time playing outdoors 6,7 and more time engaged in indoor sedentary leisure pursuits at home. 7,8 This suggests that physical activity opportunities are being missed since time spent outdoors is positively associated with physical activity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Safety-Related Features of the Road Environment Associated with Smaller Declines in Physical Activity among Youth?

et al. 2009

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This study examined how objective measures of the local road environment related to safety were associated with change in physical activity (including active transport) among youth. Few longitudinal studies have examined the impact of the road environment on physical activity among children/adolescents in their neighborhoods. Participants were children aged 8-9 years (n = 170) and adolescents aged 13-15 years (n=276) Walking/cycling to local destinations was parent-reported for children and self-reported by adolescents. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during nonschool hours was recorded using accelerometers. Road environment features in each participant's neighborhood (area within 800 m radius of their home) were measured objectively using a Geographical Information System. Linear regression analyses examined associations between road features and changes in active transport (AT) and MVPA over 2 years. Children's AT increased but MVPA levels decreased in both age groups; on average, younger girls recorded the greatest declines. The number of traffic/pedestrian lights was associated with ΔAT among younger girls (B=0.45, p=0.004). The total length of walking tracks (in meters) was associated with ∆AT among younger girls (B=0.0016, p=0.015) and adolescent girls (B=0.0016, p=0.002). For adolescent boys, intersection density was associated with ∆AT (B=0.03, p=0.030). Slow points were associated with ∆MVPA among younger boys before school (B=1.55, p=0.021), while speed humps were associated with ∆MVPA among adolescent boys after school (B=0.23, p=0.015). There were many associations for adolescent girls: for example, the total length of local roads (B=0.49, p=0.005), intersection density (B=0.05, p=0.036), and number of speed humps (B=0.33, p=0.020) were associated with ∆MVPA during nonschool hours. Safety-related aspects of the built environment are conducive to physical activity among youth and may help stem age-related declines in physical activity. Passive road safety interventions may promote AT and physical activity among less active girls, in particular.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Safety-Related Features of the Road Environment Associated with Smaller Declines in Physical Activity among Youth?

et al. 2009

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“…These results have been consistent across studies of children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. [9][10][11][12][13] Neighborhoods with high violence are thought to encourage isolation and therefore inhibit the social support needed to cope with stressful events. 14,15 Adolescents and adults living in violent neighborhoods have a greater risk for mental health disorders.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neighborhood Violence and its Association with Mothers’ Health: Assessing the Relative Importance of Perceived Safety and Exposure to Violence

Johnson

Solomon²,

Shields

et al. 2009

J Urban Health

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This paper presents a cross-sectional study examining the influence of neighborhood violence on multiple aspects of mothers' health. While the influence of neighborhood violence on health is important to understand for all populations, mothers are especially important as they play a key role in protecting their children from the consequences of violence. Three hundred and ninety-two Baltimore City mothers of children 5 years and younger completed a self-administered survey that included questions about perceptions of their safety as well as their personal experiences with neighborhood violence. Separate models were run to compare the relationship between each measurement of neighborhood violence and five diverse health-related determinants and outcomes: self-reported health status, smoking, exercise, average hours of sleep a night, and sleep interruption. Controlling for mother's age, child's age, maternal education, and marital status, mothers with high exposure to neighborhood violence were twice as likely to report poorer health, smoking, never exercising, and poor sleep habits. Maternal perception of neighborhood safety was not related to any of the assessed health-related determinants and outcomes. This study emphasizes the importance of measuring exposure to neighborhood violence rather than solely assessing perceived safety. Neighborhood violence was a common experience for mothers in this urban sample, and should be considered by health professionals in trying to understand and intervene to improve the health of mothers and their children.

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“…6,29,[31][32][33] We also found a significant increase in crosswalk usage by adults, but not by seniors. These findings contrast Morrison et al 30 who reported increased use in senior populations after the installation of a zebra crosswalk.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 46%

The Impact of a Signalized Crosswalk on Traffic Speed and Street-Crossing Behaviors of Residents in an Underserved Neighborhood

et al. 2015

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Infrastructure improvements such as pedestrian crosswalks that calm traffic and increase access to physical activity opportunities could alleviate important barriers to active living in underserved communities with outdated built environments. The purpose of this study was to explore how the built environment influences streetcrossing behaviors and traffic speeds in a low-income neighborhood with barriers to active living in Columbia, Missouri. In 2013, a signalized pedestrian crosswalk and 400-ft-long median was constructed along a busy 5-lane, high-speed arterial highway linking low-income housing with a park and downtown areas. Data collection occurred prior to June 2012, and after June 2013, completion of the project at the intervention site and control site. Direct observation of street-crossing behaviors was performed at designated intersections/crosswalks or non-designated crossing points. Traffic volume and speed were captured using embedded magnetic traffic detectors. At the intervention site, designated crossings increased at the new crosswalk (pG0.001), but not at nondesignated crossings (p=0.52) or designated crossings at intersections (p=0.41). At the control site, there was no change in designated crossings (p=0.94) or non-designated crossings (p=0.79). Motor vehicles traveling above the speed limit of 35 mph decreased from 62,056 (46 %) to 46,256 (35 %) (pG0.001) at the intervention site and increased from 57,891 (49 %) to 65,725 (59 %) (pG0.001) at the control site. The installation of a signalized crosswalk facilitated an increase in safe street crossings and calmed traffic volume and speed in an underserved neighborhood. We believe these findings have significant public health implications that could be critical to advocacy efforts to improve infrastructure projects in similar communities.

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Child Pedestrians: The Role of Parental Beliefs and Practices in Promoting Safe Walking in Urban Neighborhoods

Abstract: ABSTRACT

Cited by 69 publications

References 9 publications

Are Safety-Related Features of the Road Environment Associated with Smaller Declines in Physical Activity among Youth?

Are Safety-Related Features of the Road Environment Associated with Smaller Declines in Physical Activity among Youth?

Neighborhood Violence and its Association with Mothers’ Health: Assessing the Relative Importance of Perceived Safety and Exposure to Violence

The Impact of a Signalized Crosswalk on Traffic Speed and Street-Crossing Behaviors of Residents in an Underserved Neighborhood

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