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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Andrea C. Gielen, ScD, ScM, CHES1, Susan DeFrancesco, JD, MPH2, Patricia Mahoney, MA3, David M. Bishai, MD, MPH, PhD4, and Bernard Guyer, MD, MPH4. (1) Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Center for Injury Research and Policy, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410/955-2397, agielen@jhsph.edu, (2) Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Control, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, (3) Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, (4) Department of Population and Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205
Improving the walkability of neighborhoods is being promoted because of the health benefits of physical activity. Safety must be addressed simultaneously, especially for young children who are at high risk for pedestrian injury. Parents play a critical role in protecting their children, yet little is known about their practices or perceptions. This study describes parents’ child pedestrian safety practices, knowledge, risk perceptions, and beliefs about walkability. Surveys from 723 parents with elementary school age children were collected from four urban neighborhoods that varied by income and child pedestrian injury rates. A majority of parents reported teaching their children about safe street crossing (86%) and safe routes to school (96%), and limiting where their child plays (81%). Nevertheless, 50% thought it was likely that a child in their neighborhood would be hit by a car, and 15% reported that their child had played in the street. Only 57% reported closely supervising their child outdoors, and 45% did not know the recommended age at which children can safely cross a street alone. When asked why people might not want to walk in their neighborhood, the most frequently endorsed items were drug dealers (48%), crime or violence (44%), and too much traffic (28%). Overall, 34% said their neighborhood was not a nice place to walk. Parent perceptions of risks to their children, their knowledge about child pedestrian safety, and the availability of safe play areas need to be addressed in planning walkability programs for neighborhoods with young children.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Physical Activity, Injury Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.