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Journal articles on the topic 'Pedestrian crosswalks. Traffic signs and signals'
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1
Fricker, Jon D., and Yunchang Zhang. "Modeling Pedestrian and Motorist Interaction at Semi-Controlled Crosswalks: The Effects of a Change from One-Way to Two-Way Street Operation." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2673, no. 11 (June 14, 2019): 433–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0361198119850142.
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A large number of crosswalks are indicated by pavement markings and signs, but are not signal-controlled. In this paper, such a location is called “semi-controlled.” At locations where such a crosswalk has moderate amounts of pedestrian and vehicle traffic, pedestrians and motorists often engage in a non-verbal “negotiation” to determine who should proceed first. This paper describes the detailed analysis of video recordings of more than 3,400 pedestrian–motorist interactions at semi-controlled crosswalks. The study also took advantage of a conversion from one-way operation in spring 2017 to two-way operation in spring 2018 on the street chosen for data collection and analysis. This permitted before and after studies at the same location. The pedestrian models used mixed effects logistic regression and binary logistic regression to identify factors that influence the likelihood of a pedestrian crossing under specified conditions. The complementary motorist models used generalized ordered logistic regression to identify factors that impact a driver’s likelihood of decelerating, which was found to be a more useful factor than likelihood of yielding to pedestrian. The data showed that 56.5% of drivers slowed down or stopped for pedestrians on the one-way street. This value rose to 63.9% on the same street after it had been converted to two-way operation. Moreover, two-way operation eliminated the effects of the presence of other vehicles on driver behavior. Relationships were found that can lead to policies and control strategies designed to improve the operation of such a crosswalk.
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Thomson, Jessica L., Melissa H. Goodman, and Alicia S. Landry. "Assessment of neighborhood street characteristics related to physical activity in the Lower Mississippi Delta." Health Promotion Perspectives 9, no. 1 (January 23, 2019): 24–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.15171/hpp.2019.03.
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Background: Physical activity levels were low for pregnant and postpartum participants in a diet and physical activity intervention. To explore micro level characteristics of participants’neighborhoods related to physical activity, an ancillary study was conducted. Methods: This cross-sectional study encompassed the neighborhood street segments of women participating in a diet and physical activity intervention that was conducted in the Lower Mississippi Delta. A neighborhood was defined as all street segments within one-fourth walking mile of a participant’s home address. Street segments were measured using the Rural Active Living Assessment’s Street Segment Assessment tool. In the field and on foot, raters measured street segments using neighborhood maps with segments identified. Results: Mean street segment length was 0.22 miles (SD = 0.14). All segments had flat terrain with residential (98%), open spaces (74%), and public/civic (34%) as the most prevalent land uses. Almost three-fourths of segments did not have any sidewalks (69%), sidewalk buffers or defined shoulders (73%), crosswalks or pedestrian signage (69%), or posted speed limits (74%).However, 88% had stop signs and almost all (96%) had street lighting and were paved multi lane roads (95%) with low traffic volume (90%). Most residential structures present were single family detached homes (95%) and the most common public/civic and commercial structures were churches (24%) and convenience stores (9%), respectively. Almost all of the street segments were rated as walk able (99%) and aesthetically pleasing (94%). Conclusion: Neighborhood street segments surrounding Delta Healthy Sprouts participants’homes were walk able and aesthetically pleasing. However, safety features such as sidewalks,pedestrian signage, and posted speed limit signs were lacking. To address these inadequate pedestrian safety features, infrastructure changes are needed for small rural towns.
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Hassouna, Fady M. A. "Evaluation of Pedestrian Walking Speed Change Patterns at Crosswalks in Palestine." Open Transportation Journal 14, no. 1 (April 29, 2020): 44–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874447802014010044.
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Background: Pedestrians and vehicles are the two most important elements in designing roads and highways. However, for a long time, the designer focused on vehicle issues and did not give sufficient attention to pedestrian safety. Recently though, pedestrians have become the subject of much research and many studies. Moreover, most transportation codes include specific considerations and standards for pedestrians. One of the main pedestrian issues considered in facilities and traffic signal design is pedestrian walking speed. It is, therefore, necessary to evaluate the walking speed change patterns at crosswalks and the appropriate design walking speed for pedestrians, which can then be used to design pedestrian facilities and traffic signals. Methods: In this study, the crossing speeds of 4,301 pedestrians were collected from six different locations in Nablus, the second-most populous city in Palestine. Three of these locations were at unsignalized crosswalks, and the other three locations were at signalized crosswalks. Results: The collected data considered the factors of pedestrians’ age, gender and the type of traffic control at the crosswalk. After analyzing the collected data and performing the Z-test and ANOVA Test for each of the factors, the results showed that male pedestrians walk faster than female pedestrians. Conclusion: The study also concluded that age significantly influenced pedestrian crossing speed. Moreover, the values of pedestrian crossing speed at unsignalized crosswalks were insignificantly higher than those at signalized crosswalks. Finally, the average and 15th percentile crossing speeds were determined, since these values are critical to design pedestrian facilities and traffic signals.
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Park, Seunghoon, and Dongwon Ko. "A Multilevel Model Approach for Investigating Individual Accident Characteristics and Neighborhood Environment Characteristics Affecting Pedestrian-Vehicle Crashes." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 9 (April 29, 2020): 3107. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093107.
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Walking is the most basic movement of humans and the most fundamental mode of transportation. To promote walking, it is necessary to create a safe environment for pedestrians. However, pedestrian-vehicle crashes still remain relatively high in South Korea. This study employs a multilevel model to examine the differences between the lower-level individual characteristics of pedestrian crashes and the upper-level neighborhood environmental characteristics in Seoul, South Korea. The main results of this study are as follows. The individual characteristics of pedestrian-vehicle crashes are better at explaining pedestrian injury severity than built environment characteristics at the neighborhood level. Older pedestrians and drivers suffer more severe pedestrian injuries. Larger vehicles such as trucks and vans are more likely to result in a high severity of pedestrian injuries. Pedestrian injuries increase during inclement weather and at night. The severity of pedestrian injuries is lower at intersections and crosswalks without traffic signals than at crosswalks and intersections with traffic signals. Finally, school zones and silver zones, which are representative policies for pedestrian safety in South Korea, fail to play a significant role in reducing the severity of pedestrian injuries. The results of this study can guide policymakers and planners when making decisions on how to build neighborhoods that are safer for pedestrians.
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Wang, Shuihua, Hangrong Pan, Chenyang Zhang, and Yingli Tian. "RGB-D image-based detection of stairs, pedestrian crosswalks and traffic signs." Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation 25, no. 2 (February 2014): 263–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvcir.2013.11.005.
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Idewu, Wakeel, Dogucan Mazicioglu, and Hana Naghawi. "Determining Confusion for Traditional and Experimental Pedestrian Signals in Rural and Suburban Areas in the United States." Modern Applied Science 12, no. 9 (August 14, 2018): 87. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/mas.v12n9p87.
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Walking is a mode of travel used by billions of people daily. Facilities that promote walking such as crosswalks often involve sharing space with conflicting vehicular traffic. These areas are not immune to receiving pedestrians that either do not obey or do not understand today’s pedestrian signals, which are used to communicate periods of safe crossing. Therefore, improving comprehension would subsequently improve safety and crash rates. The Traditional Pedestrian Signal in the United States displays an illuminated man and a hand to indicate a cautionary-crossing period, a transition period, and a crossing-prohibited period. This signal type was evaluated and compared to a relatively new Experimental Pedestrian Signal. The Experimental Pedestrian Signal presented in this paper utilized the figure of a walking man changing only by the colors green, yellow, and red. Both signals were analyzed to identify the phases that best communicated the intended action. Video files depicting a Traditional and Experimental Signal were administered with a questionnaire to test the comprehension of rural and suburban participants. The results indicated that the Experimental Pedestrian Signal was not better understood than the current Traditional Signal, although a vast majority of participants preferred the Experimental Signal. The lowest comprehension occurred during the transition phase for both pedestrian signal types. The results also suggest that the interpretation of the yellow color varies by location and may invoke mixed responses if incorporated in pedestrian signals. A more appropriate solution may be to combine both symbolic and color cues into future pedestrian signals.
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Huang, Herman, Charles Zegeer, and Richard Nassi. "Effects of Innovative Pedestrian Signs at Unsignalized Locations: Three Treatments." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 1705, no. 1 (January 2000): 43–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/1705-08.
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Three types of devices that have been used in conjunction with marked crosswalks in an attempt to improve pedestrian safety were evaluated: an overhead crosswalk sign in Seattle, Washington; pedestrian safety cones (which read, “State Law: Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalk in Your Half of Road”) in New York State and in Portland, Oregon; and pedestrian-activated overhead signs (which read, “Stop for Pedestrians in Crosswalk”) in Tucson, Arizona. The signs were used under varying traffic and roadway conditions. The effects of these three treatments on pedestrian and motorist behavior were evaluated. The variables of interest were whether pedestrians had the benefit of motorists yielding to them; whether pedestrians had to run, hesitate, or abort their crossing; and whether pedestrians crossed in the crosswalk. The New York cones and Seattle signs were effective in increasing the numbers of pedestrians who had the benefit of motorists yielding to them. At one location in Tucson, the overhead sign increased motorist yielding to pedestrians. The signs in Seattle and Tucson were effective in reducing the number of persons who had to run, hesitate, or abort their crossing. None of the treatments had a clear effect on whether people crossed in the crosswalk. By themselves, these devices cannot ensure that motorists will slow down and yield to pedestrians. It is essential to use these and other devices along with education and enforcement, but creation of friendlier pedestrian environments (e.g., by means of implementing geometric improvements) for the purpose of reducing vehicle speeds may be more important.
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Jordan, Gihon. "Child Pedestrian–Car Crashes Near Schools Are a Small Percentage of Total Child Pedestrian Crashes in Philadelphia." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 1636, no. 1 (January 1998): 132–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/1636-21.
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An analysis was conducted of 2,167 pedestrian-car crashes reported by the Philadelphia Police Department in 1994. Age, sex, location, type and severity of injury, and neighborhood of victim and driver were taken directly from the police reports. The pedestrian’s actions were coded into 43 categories using the description in the police report. The unique aspect of this research is that the distance to the nearest school was measured and included in the database. The impetus to create this database was a politician’s demand that School 15 mph flasher signs be installed at the over 500 schools in Philadelphia. Only three schools in Philadelphia had school flashers when these data were collected in 1994. Most schools had School Crossing signs and School 15 mph speed limit signs where appropriate. There were about 600 school crossing guards in 1994. The data indicate that few children are injured by cars near schools during opening, recess, and closing times. More children are injured en route to or from school, but not near the school. A greater number are injured while playing after returning home from school than are injured during the trip to or from school combined. Thus, an implementation of in-school child traffic safety education, installation of new strong yellow-green School Crossing signs, and targeted and advertised enforcement of motor vehicle laws would be better responses to child traffic safety than the wholesale installation of flashing school speed limit signs. The data also confirm that dart-outs, other nonintersection crossings, traffic signals, and playing in the street are the principal crash types for children. Philadelphia has a very high rate of unlicensed, unregistered, and uninsured drivers (estimated at over 40 percent). Enforcement is lax, and the traffic court dismisses most moving violation cases. Children deserve to be made safer 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Flashers cannot do that because only a small percentage of crashes occur near schools during school hours and because flashers are ineffective in reducing speeds and car-pedestrian crashes near schools.
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Park, Seung-Hoon, and Min-Kyung Bae. "Exploring the Determinants of the Severity of Pedestrian Injuries by Pedestrian Age: A Case Study of Daegu Metropolitan City, South Korea." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 7 (March 31, 2020): 2358. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072358.
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Pedestrian-vehicle crashes can result in serious injury to pedestrians, who are exposed to danger when in close proximity to moving vehicles. Furthermore, these injuries can be considerably serious and even lead to death in a manner that varies depending on the pedestrian’s age. This is because the pedestrian’s physical characteristics and behaviors, particularly in relation to roads with moving vehicles, differ depending on the pedestrian’s age. This study examines the determinants of pedestrian injury severity by pedestrian age using binary logistic regression. Factors in the built environment, such as road characteristics and land use of the places where pedestrian crashes occurred, were considered, as were the accident characteristics of the pedestrians and drivers. The analysis determined that the accident characteristics of drivers and pedestrians are more influential in pedestrian-vehicle crashes than the factors of the built environmental characteristics. However, there are substantial differences in injury severity relative to the pedestrian’s age. Young pedestrians (aged under 20 years old) are more likely to suffer serious injury in school zones; however, no association between silver zones and injury severity is found for elderly pedestrians. For people in the age range of 20–39 years old, the severity of pedestrian injuries is lower in areas with more crosswalks and speed cameras. People in the age range of 40–64 years old are more likely to be injured in areas with more neighborhood streets and industrial land use. Elderly pedestrians are likely to suffer fatal injuries in areas with more traffic signals. This study finds that there are differences in the factors of pedestrian injury severity according to the age of pedestrians. Therefore, it is suggested that concrete and efficient policies related to pedestrian age are required to improve pedestrian safety and reduce pedestrian-vehicle crashes.
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Kim, Eunjee, Hyorim Kim, Yujin Kwon, and Gwanseob Shin. "Visibility of an in-ground signal when texting while walking." Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 64, no. 1 (December 2020): 1933–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1071181320641466.
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An increase in pedestrian accidents associated with smartphone use has been one of the main issues in road traffic safety research and administration. Recently, traffic lights and safety signs embedded in the ground have been introduced, but without sufficient scientific consideration. A laboratory experiment evaluated the visibility of an in-ground signal while varying its contrast and position. Twenty-three participants performed a signal detection task when conducting texting while walking on a treadmill. The signals were displayed randomly onto the ground one at a time at three different positions with three different contrasts levels and moved towards a participant. In results, the approaching signals were detected 1.7 m ~ 2.9 m in front of participants, and there were significant differences in the visibility between contrast levels and positions (p<.01). The findings suggest the importance of proper contrast level and placement when installing in- ground signals for improving their visibility by smartphone users.
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Nkurunziza, David, and Rahman Tafahomi. "Assessment of pedestrian mobility on road networks in the City Of Kigali." Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 26, no. 2 (November 2, 2020): 179–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gjpas.v26i2.10.
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This paper analyzed and assessed the pedestrians’ mobility issues that are affecting their free movement and safety in the City of Kigali by outlining the major challenges in the City and providing alternative solutions and measures for improving the mobility and safety of pedestrians. The methodology of the paper was designed based on qualitative method with application of structured and unobtrusive. Referring to the paper findings about the mobility challenges of pedestrians within the City of Kigali, it is noted that the mobility of the pedestrians and their safety is still low and typical problems including road crossing viewed as the second challenges about pedestrians mobility, walking along very close to the road networks due to insufficient footpaths, lacking of enough road signs, lacking of information about pedestrian behavior on road networks, and improper functioning of existing traffic signals as the first challenge. The paper found that the majority of road networks in the City of Kigali did not provide walkways, traffics signals designs and availability is very poor and some of them not functioning, zebra crossing facilities were not provided adequately, pedestrians shelter on bus stop are almost absent and ignored, vehicles travelling speed is still high and does not allow pedestrians to move freely, and the mobility of physically challenged people has been forgotten and there is a need of introducing the pedestrian overpass bridges in clouded zones of the city center, Nyabugogo, Kicukiro and Remera-Giporoso areas of the City of Kigali.
Keywords: Mobility, Pedestrian Safety, Road Networks, Traffic Signals, Pedestrians.
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Knoblauch, Richard L., Martin T. Pietrucha, and Marsha Nitzburg. "Field Studies of Pedestrian Walking Speed and Start-Up Time." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 1538, no. 1 (January 1996): 27–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0361198196153800104.
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Today's traffic environment is not well adapted to the needs of the older pedestrian. Unfortunately, except in the case of children, little is known about the characteristics and behavior of pedestrians. Although the simple fact that older pedestrians walk more slowly than younger ones is easily supported by field data, existing data on walking speeds and start-up time (i.e., the time from the onset of a Walk signal until the pedestrian steps off the curb) have many shortcomings. A series of field studies was conducted to quantify the walking speed and start-up time of pedestrians of various ages under different conditions. Sixteen crosswalks in four urban areas were studied. Data were collected on walking speeds and start-up times relative to site and environmental factors, including street width, posted speed, curb height, grade, number of vehicle travel lanes, signal cycle length, pedestrian-signal type, street functional classification, crosswalk type, and channelization. Data on a subject group of pedestrians who appeared to be 65 years of age or older and a control group of pedestrians under age 65 were collected. Results indicate a broad range of walking speeds among pedestrians. The 15th-percentile walking speed for younger pedestrians (ages 14 to 64) was 1.25 m/sec (4.09 ft/sec); for older pedestrians (ages 65 and over) it was 0.97 m/sec (3.19 ft/sec). For design purposes values of 1.22 m/sec (4 ft/sec) for younger pedestrians and 0.91 m/sec (3 ft/sec) for older pedestrians are appropriate. Results also indicated that walking rates are influenced by a variety of factors, including the functional classification and vehicle volumes on the street being crossed, the street width, weather conditions, the number of pedestrians crossing in a group, the signal cycle length, the timing of the various pedestrian-signal phases, whether right turn on red is allowed, pedestrian signals, medians, curb cuts, crosswalk markings, stop lines, and on-street parking. However, for each of these factors, the effect on crossing speeds, although statistically significant, is not meaningful for design.
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Jourdan, Dawn. "Introduction." Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding 1, no. 2 (July 6, 2017): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.15763/ijsw.v1i2.15.
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The second issue of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding is dedicated to the topic of visibility. As simply put by the Texas Transportation Institute:
Seeing the road and everything around it while driving is not a preferred option, rather it is an essential component of safe driving. Driving is a visual activity, and as we make our way down a road, we all look at a wide range of visual inputs—the roadway, the surrounding terrain, other vehicles, roadside buildings and advertisements and traffic control devices such as signs, markings, and signals—to help us get where we are going. How we distinguish those visual inputs and maneuver the vehicle safely varies from person to person and can depend on quite a number of random, uncontrollable things—the weather, time of day, driver age, health and experience, as well as unexpected distractions inside or outside the vehicle—all can have an effect.https://tti.tamu.edu/group/visibility/, last visited 6/12/17. As businesses know, their businesses must be visible to be viable. Clear signage enhances their visibility in the marketplace.
Regardless of sign type or intended audience, being able to see and read the message on a sign is critical. In this issue of the International Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, Bullough explores the literature on visibility as it relates to the conspicuity and legibility of signage. This article provides contexts for what we know about the typographic and symbolic characteristics of signs, as well as the environments in which they are placed.
Pedestrians rely on signs to help them navigate exterior and interior environments. Apardian and Alum demonstrate the importance of different high-visibility pedestrian warning signs at midblock crossings for pedestrian safety. Symonds explores the importance of clear wayfinding strategies inside airports while Ward and his students provides an analysis of the critical wayfinding elements on college campuses.
Visibility is also critical for motorists as they traverse US roadways. Auffrey and Hilderbrant provide an accounting of the lost opportunities of those businesses whose signs cannot be viewed by passersby. Utilizing 3M’s Visual Analysis Software, the researchers demonstrate the average probability that a sign is being viewed by motorists and make recommendations for improving visibility.
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Jourdan, Dawn. "Introduction." Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding 1, no. 2 (July 6, 2017): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.15763/issn.2470-9670.2017.v1.i2.a15.
Full textAbstract:
The second issue of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding is dedicated to the topic of visibility. As simply put by the Texas Transportation Institute:
Seeing the road and everything around it while driving is not a preferred option, rather it is an essential component of safe driving. Driving is a visual activity, and as we make our way down a road, we all look at a wide range of visual inputs - the roadway, the surrounding terrain, other vehicles, roadside buildings and advertisements and traffic control devices such as signs, markings, and signals - to help us get where we are going. How we distinguish those visual inputs and maneuver the vehicle safely varies from person to person and can depend on quite a number of random, uncontrollable things - the weather, time of day, driver age, health and experience, as well as unexpected distractions inside or outside the vehicle - all can have an effect.https://tti.tamu.edu/group/visibility/, last visited 6/12/17. As businesses know, their businesses must be visible to be viable. Clear signage enhances their visibility in the marketplace.
Regardless of sign type or intended audience, being able to see and read the message on a sign is critical. In this issue of the International Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, Bullough explores the literature on visibility as it relates to the conspicuity and legibility of signage. This article provides contexts for what we know about the typographic and symbolic characteristics of signs, as well as the environments in which they are placed.
Pedestrians rely on signs to help them navigate exterior and interior environments. Apardian and Alum demonstrate the importance of different high-visibility pedestrian warning signs at midblock crossings for pedestrian safety. Symonds explores the importance of clear wayfinding strategies inside airports while Ward and his students provides an analysis of the critical wayfinding elements on college campuses.
Visibility is also critical for motorists as they traverse US roadways. Auffrey and Hilderbrant provide an accounting of the lost opportunities of those businesses whose signs cannot be viewed by passersby. Utilizing 3M's Visual Analysis Software, the researchers demonstrate the average probability that a sign is being viewed by motorists and make recommendations for improving visibility.
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Di Stasi, Leandro L., Alberto Megías, Antonio Cándido, Antonio Maldonado, and Andrés Catena. "The Influence of Traffic Signal Solutions on Self-Reported Road-Crossing Behavior." Spanish Journal of Psychology 17 (2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2014.105.
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AbstractInjury to pedestrians is a major safety hazard in many countries. Since the beginning of the last century, modern cities have been designed around the use of motor vehicles despite the unfavourable interactions between the vehicles and pedestrians. This push towards urbanization resulted in a substantial number of crashes and fatalities involving pedestrians every day, all over the world. Thus, improving the design of urban cities and townships is a pressing issue for modern society. The study presented here provides a characterization of pedestrian safety problems, with the emphasis on signalized crosswalks (i.e. traffic signal) design solutions. We tested the impact of seven different traffic light configurations (steady [green, yellow, and red], flashing [green, yellow, and red], and light off) on pedestrian self-reported road-crossing behavior, using a 11-point scale -ranging from 0 (“I never cross in this situation”) to 10 (“I always cross in this situation”). Results showed that mandatory solutions (steady green vs. steady red) are the best solutions to avoid unsafe pedestrian behaviors while crossing controlled intersections (frequency of crossing: Mgreen = 9.4 ± 1 vs. Mred = 2.6 ± 2). These findings offer important guidelines for the design of future traffic signals for encouraging a pedestrian/transit-friendly environment.
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Lee, Chanam, Chunkeun Lee, Orion T. Stewart, Heather A. Carlos, Anna Adachi-Mejia, Ethan M. Berke, and Mark P. Doescher. "Neighborhood Environments and Utilitarian Walking Among Older vs. Younger Rural Adults." Frontiers in Public Health 9 (June 4, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.634751.
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Introduction: Walking has the potential to promote health across the life span, but age-specific features of the neighborhood environment (NE), especially in rural communities, linked with walking have not been adequately characterized. This study examines the relationships between NE and utilitarian walking among older vs. younger adults living in US rural towns.Methods: Data for this cross-sectional study came from telephone interviews in 2011–2012 with 2,140 randomly sampled younger (18–64 years, n = 1,398) and older (65+ years, n = 742) adults, collecting personal and NE perception variables. NE around each participant's home was also measured objectively using geographic information system techniques. Separate mixed-effects logistic regression models were estimated for the two age groups, predicting the odds of utilitarian walking at least once a week.Results: Perceived presence of crosswalks and pedestrian signals was significantly related to utilitarian walking in both age groups. Among older adults, unattended dogs, lighting at night, and religious institutions were positively while steep slope was negatively associated with their walking. For younger adults, traffic speed (negative, –), public transportation (positive, +), malls (–), cultural/recreational destinations (+), schools (+), and resource production land uses such as farms and mines (–) were significant correlates of utilitarian walking.Conclusion: Different characteristics of NE are associated with utilitarian walking among younger vs. older adults in US rural towns. Optimal modifications of NE to promote walking may need to reflect these age differences.
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Ferrari, Gerson, André Oliveira Werneck, Danilo Rodrigues da Silva, Irina Kovalskys, Georgina Gómez, Attilio Rigotti, Lilia Yadira Cortés Sanabria, et al. "Is the perceived neighborhood built environment associated with domain-specific physical activity in Latin American adults? An eight-country observational study." International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 17, no. 1 (October 1, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-01030-6.
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Abstract Background Characteristics of the neighborhood built environment are associated with physical activity (PA). However, few studies with representative samples have examined environmental correlates of domain-specific PA in Latin America. We examined the associations of the perceived neighborhood built environment with domain-specific PA in a large sample of adults from eight Latin American countries. Methods This study examined data from 8185 adults (aged 18–65 years) from eight Latin American countries. The Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Survey - Abbreviated (NEWS-A) scale was used to assess perceptions of land use mix–diversity, land use mix-access, street connectivity, walking/cycling facilities, aesthetics, safety from traffic, and safety from crime. Perceived proximity from home to public open spaces (metropolitan parks, playgrounds, public squares) and to shopping centers was also measured. Transport-related and leisure-time PA were assessed using the long form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Both logistic and linear regression models were estimated on pooled data. Results Perceptions of higher land use mix-access (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.22,1.61), the existence of many alternative routes in the neighbourhood (1.12; 1.04,1.20), slow speed of traffic (1.19; 1.03,1.35) and few drivers exceeding the speed limits (1.09; 1.03,1.15) were associated with greater odds of reporting at least 10 min/week of transport-related PA. Perceptions of higher levels of land use mix-diversity, better aesthetics and greater safety from crime, the presence of crosswalks and pedestrian signals, and greater proximity of shopping centers were associated with more min/week of transport-related PA. Perceptions of higher land use mix-diversity (1.12; 1.05,1.20), higher land use mix-access (1.27; 1.13,1.43), more walking/cycling facilities (1.18; 1.09,1.28), and better aesthetics (1.10; 1.02,1.18) were associated with greater odds of engaging in at least 10 min/week of leisure-time PA versus none. Perceptions of higher land use mix-diversity were associated with more min/week of leisure PA. Conclusions Different perceived neighborhood built environment characteristics were associated with domain-specific PA among adults from Latin America countries. Interventions designed to modify perceptions of the neighbourhood built environment might influence initiation or maintenance of domain-specific PA. Trial registration ClinicalTrials. Gov NCT02226627. Retrospectively registered on August 27, 2014.