Active travel, public transport and the built environment in youth: Interactions with perceived safety, distance to school, age and gender

Venurs Loh; Shannon Sahlqvist; Jenny Veitch; Anthony Walsh; Ester Cerin; Jo Salmon; Suzanne Mavoa; Anna Timperio

doi:10.1016/j.jth.2024.101895

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Active travel, public transport and the built environment in youth: Interactions with perceived safety, distance to school, age and gender

Journal article

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Active travel, public transport and the built environment in youth: Interactions with perceived safety, distance to school, age and gender

Venurs Loh, Shannon Sahlqvist, Jenny Veitch, Anthony Walsh, Ester Cerin, Jo Salmon, Suzanne Mavoa and Anna Timperio

Journal of Transport & Health, Vol.38, pp.1-13

2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2024.101895

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Abstract

Active transport

Adolescents

Neighbourhood

Public transport

School

Sustainable travel

Introduction This study examined interactive effects of the built environment, perceived safety, age and gender on active travel and public transport use among adolescents for school journeys. Method This study used cross-sectional data from 440 adolescents (mean age 15.4 ± 1.5 years, 58% girls) in Melbourne, Australia. Adolescents self-reported their school travel modes, perceptions of traffic and personal safety. Exclusive active travel and public transport use to/from school were determined. Objective built environment features around home and school (1 km buffer) were generated. Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate main and interactive associations. Results Overall, 18% travelled exclusively by active travel and 32% by public transport. Distance to school was negatively associated with exclusive active school travel (OR = 0.44, 95%CI: 0.34, 0.56). Distance to school moderated the association between some built environment attributes (land use mix, residential density around home, distance to public transport stops) and odds of active school travel. There was a positive association between residential density around school and active school travel among those who perceived their traffic environment to be safer. Boys were more likely than girls to use public transport if they lived further from school. A negative association between distance to a public transport stop from home and the odds of public transport use was observed among those who perceived their environment to be less safe. Conclusion The findings highlight the complexity of influences on mode choice for the school journey. Distance to school remains one of the most important predictors of active travel/public transport use. Supportive built environment attributes, such as a diverse mix of land use around home had facilitating effects on active travel among adolescents who lived closer to school. Multilevel interventions that target both the environment and perceived safety are needed to promote active travel and public transport use among adolescents.

Details

Title: Active travel, public transport and the built environment in youth: Interactions with perceived safety, distance to school, age and gender
Authors: Venurs Loh (Corresponding Author) - Deakin University
Shannon Sahlqvist - Deakin University
Jenny Veitch - Deakin University
Anthony Walsh - Deakin University
Ester Cerin - Australian Catholic University
Jo Salmon - Deakin University
Suzanne Mavoa - The University of Melbourne
Anna Timperio - Deakin University
Publication details: Journal of Transport & Health, Vol.38, pp.1-13
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date published: 2024
DOI: 10.1016/j.jth.2024.101895
ISSN: 2214-1413
Data Availability: Data will be made available on request.
Grants: Innovative methods for assessing and intervening on children’s sedentary behaviour and health, 1026216, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - NHMRC
Grant note: The NEArbY study received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 HL111378. VL is supported by an Executive Dean Postdoctoral Fellowship. JV was supported by an Australian Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship (ID 101928) during the study. AT was supported by a National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship (ID 100046) during the conduct of this study. EC is supported by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT14010085).
Organisation Unit: School of Health - Public Health
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991212678102621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Transportation

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