Citation

Silva AAPD, Fermino RC, Souza CA, Lima AV, Rodriguez-Añez CR, Reis RS. Rev. Saude Publica 2018; 52: 93.

Affiliation

Washington University in St. Louis. Brown School. Prevention Research Center. Saint Louis, MO, United States of America.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Faculdade de Higiene e Saude Publica)

DOI

10.11606/S1518-8787.2018052000189

PMID

30517519

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the moderator effect of socioeconomic status in the association between the perceived environment and active commuting to school.

METHODS: A total of 495 adolescents and their parents were interviewed. Perceived environment was operationalized in traffic and crime safety and assessed with the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale. Active commuting was self-reported by the adolescents, categorized in walking, bicycling or skating at least one time/week. Socioeconomic status was used as moderator effect, reported from adolescents' parents or guardians using Brazilian standardized socioeconomic status classification. Analyses were performed with Poisson regression on Stata 12.0.

RESULTS: Prevalence of active commuting was 63%. Adolescents with low socioeconomic status who reported "it is easy to observe pedestrians and cyclists" were more likely to actively commute to school (PR = 1.18, 95%CI 1.03-1.13). Adolescents with low socioeconomic status whose parents or legal guardians reported positively to "being safe crossing the streets" had increased probability of active commuting to school (PR = 1.10, 95%CI 1.01-1.20), as well as those with high socioeconomic status with "perception of crime" were positively associated to the outcome (PR = 1.33, 95%CI 1.03-1.72).

CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic status showed moderating effects in the association between the perceived environment and active commuting to school.

Language: en