Girls' perception of physical environmental factors and transportation: reliability and association with physical activity and active transport to school

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  • Evenson, Kelly
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Epidemiology
  • Birnbaum, Amanda S
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Public Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
  • Bedimo-Rung, Ariane L
    • Other Affiliation: Epidemiology Program, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Public Health, New Orleans, LA, USA
  • Sallis, James F
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Voorhees, Carolyn C
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Public and Community Health, University of Maryland – College Park, College Park, MD, USA
  • Ring, Kimberly
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Biostatistics
    • Other Affiliation: Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Elder, John P
    • Other Affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
Abstract
  • Abstract Background Preliminary evidence suggests that the physical environment and transportation are associated with youth physical activity levels. Only a few studies have examined the association of physical environmental factors on walking and bicycling to school. Therefore, the purpose of this study was (1) to examine the test-retest reliability of a survey designed for youth to assess perceptions of physical environmental factors (e.g. safety, aesthetics, facilities near the home) and transportation, and (2) to describe the associations of these perceptions with both physical activity and active transport to school. Methods Test and retest surveys, administered a median of 12 days later, were conducted with 480 sixth- and eighth-grade girls in or near six U.S. communities. The instrument consisted of 24 questions on safety and aesthetics of the perceived environment and transportation and related facilities. Additionally, girls were asked if they were aware of 14 different recreational facilities offering structured and unstructured activities, and if so, whether they would visit these facilities and the ease with which they could access them. Test-retest reliability was determined using kappa coefficients, overall and separately by grade. Associations with physical activity and active transport to school were examined using mixed model logistic regression (n = 610), adjusting for grade, race/ethnicity, and site. Results Item-specific reliabilities for questions assessing perceived safety and aesthetics of the neighborhood ranged from 0.31 to 0.52. Reliabilities of items assessing awareness of and interest in going to the 14 recreational facilities ranged from 0.47 to 0.64. Reliabilities of items assessing transportation ranged from 0.34 to 0.58. Some items on girls' perceptions of perceived safety, aesthetics of the environment, facilities, and transportation were important correlates of physical activity and, in some cases, active transport to school. Conclusion This study provides some psychometric support for the use of the questionnaire on physical environmental factors and transportation for studying physical activity and active transport to school among adolescent girls. Further work can continue to improve reliability of these self-report items and examine their association of these factors with objectively measured physical activity.
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Resource type
  • Article
Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Rights holder
  • Kelly R Evenson et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
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Journal title
  • International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Journal volume
  • 3
Journal issue
  • 1
Page start
  • 28
Language
  • English
Is the article or chapter peer-reviewed?
  • Yes
ISSN
  • 1479-5868
Bibliographic citation
  • International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2006 Sep 14;3(1):28
Publisher
  • BioMed Central Ltd
Access right
  • Open Access
Date uploaded
  • September 5, 2012

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