323005
Understanding reasons communities care about active travel to school
The research team receives informal and formal input from schools and communities around the country about why they choose to hold a walking promotion event such as Walk to School Day (WTSD) or establish a SRTS program. The team discussed examples of reasons articulated by schools and communities for promoting walking to school and then analyzed WTSD organizer survey results from 2007 to 2014 using factor analysis to identify broad patterns in reasons for holding events.
Between 2007 and 2014, there has been a five percent (from 35% to 40%) increase in the identification of creating a “sense of community” as a reason given by survey respondents for participation WTSD while in that same time period there has been a decrease in priority for concerns about traffic congestion and air pollution as motivators. Informally, researchers also identified absenteeism reduction and community violence prevention as new trends.
Public health professionals are better able to facilitate the adoption of walk-to-school supportive policies when they know the wide range of reasons why communities may have interest in doing so and can use them to leverage broad support.
Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and preventionImplementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Program planning
Learning Objectives:
List at least three reasons why communities report promoting walking to school.
Explain the value of understanding communities’ interests in promoting walking to school.
Explain the relationship between promotional events and changes to policies and infrastructure.
Keyword(s): Physical Activity, School-Based Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Associate Director for the National Center for Safe Routes to School (SRTS), the US Dept of Transportation's Clearinghouse for the Federal SRTS Program. Since 2003, has overseen the administration and analysis of annual Walk to School event organizer survey. Work focuses on program evaluation, technical assistance to state and local programs working to promote safe walking/bicycling to school and training development. In the field of children's active commuting since 2002.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.