Effects of Large-Scale Municipal Safe Routes to School Infrastructure on Student Active Travel and Physical Activity: Design, Methods, and Baseline Data of the Safe Travel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools (STREETS) Natural Experiment

Deanna M Hoelscher; Leigh Ann Ganzar; Deborah Salvo; Harold W Kohl 3rd; Adriana Pérez; Henry Shelton Brown; Sarah S Bentley; Erin E Dooley; Amir Emamian; Casey P Durand

doi:10.3390/ijerph19031810

Effects of Large-Scale Municipal Safe Routes to School Infrastructure on Student Active Travel and Physical Activity: Design, Methods, and Baseline Data of the Safe Travel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools (STREETS) Natural Experiment

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Feb 5;19(3):1810. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031810.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, School of Public Health in Austin, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Austin, TX 78701, USA.
² Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
³ Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA.
⁵ Public Works Department, City of Austin, Austin, TX 78704, USA.
⁶ Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health in Houston, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

Abstract

Past evaluations of Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs have been relatively small in scope and have lacked objective measurements of physical activity. A 2016 Mobility Bond in Austin, Texas, USA, allocated USD 27.5 million for infrastructure changes to facilitate active commuting to schools (ACS). The Safe TRavel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools (STREETS) study aims to determine the health effects of these infrastructure changes. The purpose of this paper is to describe the STREETS study design, methods, and selected baseline results. The STREETS study is comprised of two designs: (1) a serial cross-sectional design to assess changes in ACS prevalence, and (2) a quasi-experimental, prospective cohort to examine changes in physical activity. Differences between study arms (Austin SRTS and comparison) were assessed for school demographics, ACS, and school programs. At baseline, 14.3% of school trips were made by ACS, with non-significant differences between study arms. Only 26% of schools implemented ACS-related programs. Some significant differences across SRTS and comparison schools were identified for several school- and neighborhood-level characteristics. Substantial changes are needed across area schools and neighborhoods to promote optimum ACS. STREETS study longitudinal findings will be critical for informing optimal future implementations of SRTS programs.

Keywords: Safe Routes to School; active commuting; children; natural experiment; physical activity.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Bicycling
Cross-Sectional Studies
Environment Design
Exercise*
Humans
Prospective Studies
Residence Characteristics
Students
Texas
Transportation / methods
Walking*

Grants and funding

R01 HD097669/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States