Physical and spatial assessment of school neighbourhood built environments for active transport to school in adolescents from Dunedin (New Zealand)

Tessa Pocock; Antoni Moore; Michael Keall; Sandra Mandic

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.10.003

Physical and spatial assessment of school neighbourhood built environments for active transport to school in adolescents from Dunedin (New Zealand)

Health Place. 2019 Jan:55:1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.10.003. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Authors

Tessa Pocock¹, Antoni Moore², Michael Keall³, Sandra Mandic⁴

Affiliations

¹ Active Living Laboratory, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. Electronic address: tessa.pocock@postgrad.otago.ac.nz.
² School of Surveying, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. Electronic address: tony.moore@otago.ac.nz.
³ Department of Public Health, University of Otago, PO Box 7343, Wellington 6242, New Zealand. Electronic address: michael.keall@otago.ac.nz.
⁴ Active Living Laboratory, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. Electronic address: sandra.mandic@otago.ac.nz.

PMID: 30446347
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.10.003

Abstract

Adolescent active transport to school (ATS) is influenced by demographic, social, environmental and policy factors. Yet, the relationship between school neighbourhood built environment (SN-BE) and adolescents' ATS remains largely unexplored. This observational study examined associations between observed, objectively-measured and perceived SN-BE features and adolescents' ATS in Dunedin (New Zealand). Adolescents' perception of safety of walking to school was the strongest correlate of ATS among adolescents living ≤ 2.25 km of school, whereas assessed micro- and macro-scale SN-BE features were not significantly correlated with ATS. Adolescents' perceptions of walking safety should be considered as a part of comprehensive efforts to encourage ATS.

Keywords: Active transport; Adolescents; Built environment; Environmental audit; GIS; School.

Publication types

Observational Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Built Environment / statistics & numerical data*
Female
Geographic Information Systems
Humans
Male
New Zealand
Residence Characteristics*
Safety
Schools / statistics & numerical data*
Transportation*
Walking