Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Room 2374, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada.
Prev Med. 2014 Mar;60:10-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.12.005. Epub 2013 Dec 11.
To estimate the proportion of children living within walking distance who walk to school in Toronto, Canada and identify built and social environmental correlates of walking.
Observational counts of school travel mode were done in 2011, at 118 elementary schools. Built environment data were obtained from municipal sources and school field audits and mapped onto school attendance boundaries. The influence of social and built environmental features on walking counts was analyzed using negative binomial regression.
The mean proportion observed walking was 67% (standard deviation=14.0). Child population (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.36), pedestrian crossover (IRR 1.32), traffic light (IRR 1.19), and intersection densities (IRR 1.03), school crossing guard (IRR 1.14) and primary language other than English (IRR 1.20) were positively correlated with walking. Crossing guard presence reduced the influence of other features on walking.
This is the first large observational study examining school travel mode and the environment. Walking proportions were higher than those previously reported in Toronto, with large variability. Associations between population density and several roadway design features and walking were confirmed. School crossing guards may override the influence of roadway features on walking. Results have important implications for policies regarding walking promotion.
估计加拿大多伦多能够步行上学的儿童比例，并确定与步行相关的建成环境和社会环境因素。
2011 年，在 118 所小学对学校出行方式进行了观察性计数。建成环境数据来自市来源和学校实地审计，并映射到学校入学区域。使用负二项回归分析社会和建成环境特征对步行计数的影响。
观察到的平均步行比例为 67%（标准差=14.0）。儿童人口（发病率比 (IRR) 1.36）、行人横道（IRR 1.32）、交通信号灯（IRR 1.19）和交叉口密度（IRR 1.03）、学校护导员（IRR 1.14）和主要语言非英语（IRR 1.20）与步行呈正相关。护导员的存在降低了其他特征对步行的影响。
这是第一项大规模观察性研究，调查了学校出行模式和环境。步行比例高于多伦多以前的报告，且差异较大。人口密度与几种道路设计特征和步行之间的关联得到了证实。学校护导员可能会影响道路特征对步行的影响。研究结果对促进步行的政策具有重要意义。
