Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study examines associations between area deprivation and perceived neighbourhood safety with active transport to school among preadolescents living in urban Quebec.
METHODS: A sample of 809 preadolescents aged 9 to 13 years and one each of their parents living in urban Quebec were recruited by a polling firm for a telephone interview about the Opération WIXX multimedia communication campaign. Opération WIXX was launched in 2012 by Québec en forme to promote physical activity among preadolescents. Logistic regression models predicted active transportation to school (as reported by both the child and his or her parent) from area-level material and social deprivation and from parental and children’s perceptions of neighbourhood safety while controlling for socio-demographic variables.
RESULTS: Child and parental reports of active commuting to school were highly concordant (Kendall’s tau=0.70, p<0.001). Children whose parents felt at ease to let their children actively commute to school (OR=1.75, 95% CI 1.25–2.45; p=0.001) and who lived in areas characterized by the highest material (OR=2.02, 95% CI 1.09–3.76; p=0.026) and social (OR=3.69, 95% CI 2.12–6.42; p<0.001) deprivation were more likely to report actively commuting to school. Parents who felt at ease to let their children actively commute to school (OR=1.60, 95% CI 1.15–2.21; p=0.005) and who lived in neighbourhoods characterized by a higher social deprivation (OR=1.70, 95% CI 1.04–2.79; p=0.036, OR=2.01, 95% CI 1.23–3.29; p=0.006, OR=2.72, 95% CI 1.59–4.63; p<0.001) were more likely to report that their child actively commuted to school.
CONCLUSION: Active commuting to school is associated with parental perceptions of safety and area deprivation.
Keywords: Active transport, deprivation, perceived safety, children
Résumé
OBJECTIF : L’objectif de cette étude est d’examiner l’influence de la défavorisation et de la sécurité perçue du quartier sur la pratique du transport actif vers l’école chez les préadolescents vivant en milieu urbain au Québec.
MÉTHODE : Un échantillon de 809 dyades de préadolescents âgés de 9-13 ans et un de leurs parents vivant en milieu urbain au Québec a été recruté par une firme de sondage pour répondre à une entrevue téléphonique en lien avec la campagne multimédia Opération WIXX. La campagne multimédia Opération WIXX a été lancée par Québec en Forme en 2012 pour promouvoir l’activité physique chez les préadolescents. Des modèles de régression logistique ont été utilisés pour prédire la pratique du transport actif vers l’école (auto-rapporté par les préadolescents et un de leurs parents) en fonction de la sécurité perçue du quartier par le parent et du préadolescent et des indices de défavorisation matérielle et sociale du quartier. Les analyses ont été ajustées pour les variables sociodémographiques.
RÉSULTATS : La concordance entre les réponses des enfants et des parents concernant la pratique du transport actif vers l’école était élevée (Kendall’s tau=0,70, p<0,001). Les enfants dont les parents percevaient leur quartier comme étant sécuritaire (OR=1,75, IC95% 1,25–2,45; p=0,001) et qui vivaient dans des quartiers caractérisés par une défavorisation matérielle (OR=2,02, IC95% 1,09–3,76; p=0,026) et sociale (OR=3,69, IC95% 2,12–6,42; p≪0,001) supérieure avaient une probabilité plus élevée de se rendre à l’école en utilisant des modes de transport actif. Les parents percevant leur quartier comme étant sécuritaire (OR=1,60, IC95% 1,15–2,21; p=0,005) et qui vivaient dans des quartiers caractérisés par une défavorisation sociale supérieure (OR=1,70 IC95% 1,04–2,79; p=0,036, OR=2,01 IC95% 1,23–3,29; p=0,006, OR=2,72 IC95% 1,59–4,63; p<0,001) avaient une probabilité plus élevée de rapporter que leurs enfants se rendent à l’école en utilisant des modes de transport actif.
CONCLUSION : Le transport actif vers l’école est associé à la sécurité perçue du quartier rapportée par les parents et à la défavorisation du quartier.
Motsclés: transport actif, défavorisation du quartier, sécurité perçue du quartier, les enfants
Footnotes
Acknowledgements: Nicoleta Cutumisu is supported by an IRSPUM-CRCHUM fellowship. Data collection reported in this project was supported by Québec en forme.
Conflict of Interest: None to declare.
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