scholarly journals Sociodemographic and Built Environment Associates of Travel to School by Car among New Zealand Adolescents: Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (23) ◽  
pp. 9138
Author(s):  
Sandra Mandic ◽  
Erika Ikeda ◽  
Tom Stewart ◽  
Nicholas Garrett ◽  
Debbie Hopkins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Active Transport ◽  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
School Level ◽  
Stepwise Logistic Regression ◽  
Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽  
Intersection Density ◽  
Car Travel

Travelling to school by car diminishes opportunities for physical activity and contributes to traffic congestion and associated noise and air pollution. This meta-analysis examined sociodemographic characteristics and built environment associates of travelling to school by car compared to using active transport among New Zealand (NZ) adolescents. Four NZ studies (2163 adolescents) provided data on participants’ mode of travel to school, individual and school sociodemographic characteristics, distance to school and home-neighbourhood built-environment features. A one-step meta-analysis using individual participant data was performed in SAS. A final multivariable model was developed using stepwise logistic regression. Overall, 60.6% of participants travelled to school by car. When compared with active transport, travelling to school by car was positively associated with distance to school. Participants residing in neighbourhoods with high intersection density and attending medium deprivation schools were less likely to travel to school by car compared with their counterparts. Distance to school, school level deprivation and low home neighbourhood intersection density are associated with higher likelihood of car travel to school compared with active transport among NZ adolescents. Comprehensive interventions focusing on both social and built environment factors are needed to reduce car travel to school.

scholarly journals Active Transport to School and School Neighbourhood Built Environment across Urbanisation Settings in Otago, New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (23) ◽  
pp. 9013
Author(s):  
Mohammad Lutfur Rahman ◽  
Tessa Pocock ◽  
Antoni Moore ◽  
Sandra Mandic
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Active Transport ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
School Level ◽  
Residential Density ◽  
Perceived Safety ◽  
Walkability Index ◽  
Intersection Density

The school neighbourhood built environment (BE) can facilitate active transport to school (ATS) in adolescents. Most previous studies examining ATS were conducted in large urban centres and focused on BE of home neighbourhoods. This study examined correlations between school-level ATS rates among adolescents, objectively measured school neighbourhood BE features, and adolescents’ perceptions of the school route across different urbanisation settings. Adolescents (n = 1260; 15.2 ± 1.4 years; 43.6% male) were recruited from 23 high schools located in large, medium, and small urban areas, and rural settings in Otago, New Zealand. Adolescents completed an online survey. School neighbourhood BE features were analysed using Geographic Information Systems. School neighbourhood intersection density, residential density and walkability index were higher in large urban areas compared to other urbanisation settings. School-level ATS rates (mean 38.1%; range: 27.8%–43.9%) were negatively correlated with school neighbourhood intersection density (r = −0.58), residential density (r = −0.60), and walkability index (r = −0.64; all p < 0.01). School-level ATS rates were also negatively associated with adolescents’ perceived safety concerns for walking (r = −0.76) and cycling (r = −0.78) to school, high traffic volume (r = −0.82), and presence of dangerous intersections (r = −0.75; all p < 0.01). Future initiatives to encourage ATS should focus on school neighbourhood BE features and minimise adolescents’ traffic safety related concerns.

scholarly journals Built Environment Correlates of the Propensity of Walking and Cycling

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8752
Author(s):  
Longzhu Xiao ◽  
Linchuan Yang ◽  
Jixiang Liu ◽  
Hongtai Yang
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Central Business District ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Bus Stop ◽  
Intersection Density ◽  
Business District ◽  
Public Health Promotion

Walking and cycling are not only frequently-used modes of transport but also popular physical activities. They are beneficial to traffic congestion mitigation, air pollution reduction, and public health promotion. Hence, examining and comparing the built environment correlates of the propensity of walking and cycling is of great interest to urban practitioners and decision-makers and has attracted extensive research attention. However, existing studies mainly look into the two modes separately or consider them as an integral (i.e., active travel), and few compare built environment correlates of their propensity in a single study, especially in the developing world context. Thus, this study, taking Xiamen, China, as a case, examines the built environment correlates of the propensity of walking and cycling simultaneously and compares the results wherever feasible. It found (1) built environment correlates of the propensity of walking and cycling differ with each other largely in direction and magnitude; (2) land use mix, intersection density, and bus stop density are positively associated with walking propensity, while the distance to the CBD (Central Business District) is a negative correlate; (3) as for cycling propensity, only distance to CBD is a positive correlate, and job density, intersection density, and bus stop density are all negative correlates. The findings of this study have rich policy implications for walking and cycling promotion interventions.

scholarly journals Built environment changes and active transport to school among adolescents: BEATS Natural Experiment Study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e034899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Mandic ◽  
Debbie Hopkins ◽  
Enrique García Bengoechea ◽  
Antoni Moore ◽  
Susan Sandretto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Active Transport ◽  
Natural Experiment ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Natural Experiments ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Randomised Controlled

IntroductionNatural experiments are considered a priority for examining causal associations between the built environment (BE) and physical activity (PA) because the randomised controlled trial design is rarely feasible. Few natural experiments have examined the effects of walking and cycling infrastructure on PA and active transport in adults, and none have examined the effects of such changes on PA and active transport to school among adolescents. We conducted the Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Study in Dunedin city, New Zealand, in 2014–2017. Since 2014, on-road and off-road cycling infrastructure construction has occurred in some Dunedin neighbourhoods, including the neighbourhoods of 6 out of 12 secondary schools. Pedestrian-related infrastructure changes began in 2018. As an extension of the BEATS Study, the BEATS Natural Experiment (BEATS-NE) (2019–2022) will examine the effects of BE changes on adolescents’ active transport to school in Dunedin, New Zealand.Methods and analysisThe BEATS-NE Study will employ contemporary ecological models for active transport that account for individual, social, environmental and policy factors. The published BEATS Study methodology (surveys, accelerometers, mapping, Geographic Information Science analysis and focus groups) and novel methods (environmental scan of school neighbourhoods and participatory mapping) will be used. A core component continues to be the community-based participatory approach with the sustained involvement of key stakeholders to generate locally relevant data, and facilitate knowledge translation into evidence-based policy and planning.Ethics and disseminationThe BEATS-NE Study has been approved by the University of Otago Ethics Committee (reference: 17/188). The results will be disseminated through scientific publications and symposia, and reports and presentations to stakeholders.Trial registration numberACTRN12619001335189.

scholarly journals Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Study: Multidisciplinary and Multi-Sector Collaboration for Physical Activity Promotion (El estudio «Entorno construido y desplazamiento activo a la escuela (BEATS)»: colaboración multidisciplinaria

Retos ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 197-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Mandic ◽  
Ashley Mountfort ◽  
Debbie Hopkins ◽  
Charlotte Flaherty ◽  
John Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Active Transport ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
Physical Activity Promotion ◽  
Recruitment Rate ◽  
City Council ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Activity Promotion

Abstract.  The Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Study examines active transport to school (ATS) in adolescents in Dunedin, New Zealand, using the ecological model for active transport which accounts for individual, social, environmental, and policy influences. This article describes the BEATS Study design, the establishment of research and community collaborations, planning and preparation for data collection, study implementation and dissemination activities and selected preliminary findings. The BEATS Study is founded on a multidisciplinary approach and multi-sector collaborations between secondary schools, the city council, the local communities, and academia. The study uses a mixed-method approach incorporating both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (focus groups/interviews) approaches with students, parents, teachers and school principals. All 12 secondary schools in Dunedin, New Zealand, are participating in the study. As of September 2014, 1,272 adolescents from nine schools (age: 15.3±1.4 years; 46.6% boys) completed the student survey. Three additional schools will be surveyed in 2015. On average, 33.0% of Dunedin adolescents use ATS. ATS rates vary greatly by school (range: 8.6% to 46.5%) and most students like the way how they travel to school (88.3%). With 100% school recruitment rate, this study provides a unique sample of students and parents across one city with a heterogeneous physical environment. The findings will enable community health promoters, policy makers and city planners to address ATS barriers, encourage active transport and create supportive built environments to promote ATS.Resumen. El estudio de entornos construidos y transporte activo a la escuela examina el transporte activo a la escuela (TAE) en adolescentes en Dunedin, Nueva Zelanda, utilizando el modelo ecológico para representar las influencias individuales, sociales, ambientales y de políticas que tienen relación con el transporte activo. En este artículo se describe el diseño del Estudio BEATS, el establecimiento de la investigación y las colaboraciones con la comunidad, la planificación y la preparación para la recopilación de datos, la implementación del estudio y las actividades de difusión, y una selección de las conclusiones preliminares. El Estudio BEATS se basa en un enfoque multidisciplinar y en colaboraciones multisectoriales entre los colegios de Secundaria, el consejo de gobierno la ciudad, las comunidades locales y el ámbito académico. El estudio utiliza métodos mixtos incorporando tanto  técnicas cuantitativas (encuesta) como cualitativas (grupos focales / entrevistas) con los estudiantes, padres, maestros y directores de los centros escolares. Los 12 colegios de Educación Secundaria en Dunedin, Nueva Zelanda, están participando en el estudio. En septiembre de 2014, 1.272 adolescentes de nueve centros (edad: 15,3 ± 1,4 años; 46,6% varones) completaron la encuesta estudiantil. Tres escuelas adicionales serán encuestadas en 2015. En promedio, el 33,0% de los adolescentes en Dunedin usan TAE. Las tasas de TAE varían en gran medida en función del colegio (rango: 8,6% a 46,5%) y a la mayoría de los estudiantes les gusta la forma en que se desplazan al centro escolar (88,3%). Con el 100% de tasa de reclutamiento de colegios, este estudio ofrece una muestra única de los estudiantes y padres de una ciudad con un entorno físico heterogéneo. Los resultados permitirán a los promotores de salud comunitarios, políticos y diseñadores urbanos hacer frente a las barreras relativas al TAE, fomentar el transporte activo y crear entornos construidos facilitadores para promover el TAE.

scholarly journals Correction to: The effect of New Zealand blackcurrant on sport performance and related biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Braakhuis ◽  
V. X. Somerville ◽  
R. D. Hurst
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Sport Performance ◽  
New Zealand Blackcurrant

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

scholarly journals Rapid Realist Review of School-Based Physical Activity Interventions in 7- to 11-Year-Old Children

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Defever ◽  
Michelle Jones
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Implementation Fidelity ◽  
Realist Review ◽  
School Level ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Physical Activity Interventions ◽  
Rapid Realist Review

Meta-analysis of physical activity interventions in school settings have revealed low efficacy and that there is a need to explore implementation fidelity. The aim of this rapid realist review was to determine, what physical activity interventions in school settings for children aged 7- to 11-years-old works, for whom, and in what circumstances. The realist synthesis was conducted following RAMESES guidelines. Relevant studies were identified following a systematic search process and data from 28 studies was extracted for evidence to form context-mechanism-outcome configurations that were clustered and refined. Using the five-level socioecological model, the program theories were classified into the levels of intrapersonal (child), interpersonal (teachers), institutional (program content, school administration, and school environment), community (home and neighborhood), and policy. The school level led to most context-mechanism-outcome configurations related to school leadership and policy, workforce structure, program characteristics, and school environment. At each level, we identified features of interventions, alongside implementation considerations that might work to promote efficacy and sustainability. The need to recognize the school environment as part of a complex system with multi-level interaction and influences was a key finding. In line with realist philosophy, the researchers encouraged primary research to confirm, refute, and refine the program theories presented.

Macro-level Criminological Perspectives and School Delinquency: A Meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 0044118X2110223
Author(s):  
Natasha Pusch
Keyword(s):  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
School Level ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Concentrated Disadvantage ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
School Differences ◽  
Academic Implications

School delinquency in public elementary, middle, and high schools has decreased in recent years, but is still a major issue that has negative mental health and academic implications for adolescents. Although research has focused on both individual-level and school-level explanations of school delinquency, it is not yet clear which macro-level criminological perspectives best explains it. Using 656 effect sizes nested within 75 studies and 30 unique datasets, this study addresses two questions using meta-analytic methods: Which macro-level criminological perspectives explain between-school differences in delinquency? Are effect sizes invariant across samples and research design? Results indicate that only concentrated disadvantage and social cohesion are significantly related to school delinquency. With the exception of concentrated disadvantage, effects are homogenous. This suggests that some school-level explanations are useful and future research should not exclude these factors. Practical implications suggest that improving social cohesion in schools may be more effective at preventing violence than target-hardening efforts.

Optimal Design of Paired Built Environment Interventions for Control of MDROs in Acute Care and Community Hospitals

2020 ◽  
pp. 193758672097658
Author(s):  
Marietta M. Squire ◽  
Gareth K. Sessel ◽  
Gary Lin ◽  
Edward N. Squire ◽  
Takeru Igusa
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
Direct Cost ◽  
Environmental Control ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Resistant Organism ◽  
Environment Design

Objectives: Our goal was to optimize infection control of paired environmental control interventions within hospitals to reduce methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE). Background: The most widely used infection control interventions are deployment of handwashing (HW) stations, control of relative humidity (RH), and negative pressure (NP) treatment rooms. Direct costs of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infections are typically not included in the design of such interventions. Methods: We examined the effectiveness of pairing HW with RH and HW with NP. We used the following three data sets: A meta-analysis of progression rates from uncolonized to colonized to infected, 6 years of MDRO treatment costs from 400 hospitals, and 8 years of MDRO incidence rates at nine army hospitals. We used these data as inputs into an Infection De-Escalation Model with varying budgets to obtain optimal intervention designs. We then computed the infection and prevention rates and cost savings resulting from these designs. Results: The average direct cost of an MDRO infection was $3,289, $1,535, and $1,067 for MRSA, CRE, and VRE. The mean annual incidence rates per facility were 0.39%, 0.034%, and 0.011% for MRSA, CRE, and VRE. After applying the cost-minimizing intervention pair to each scenario, the percentage reductions in infections (and annual direct cost savings) in large, community, and small acute care hospitals were 69% ($1.5 million), 73% ($631K), 60% ($118K) for MRSA, 52% ($460.5K), 58% ($203K), 50% ($37K) for CRE, and 0%, 0%, and 50% ($12.8K) for VRE. Conclusion: The application of this Infection De-Escalation Model can guide cost-effective decision making in hospital built environment design to improve control of MDRO infections.

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