BACKGROUND: Active commuting to school provides regular exercise, which can improve asthma symptoms. Little is known about how children with asthma travel to school. OBJECTIVE: To identify travel patterns and parental perceptions surrounding mode of travel to school among children with asthma. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 176 children with asthma aged 5 to 15 years. Parents completed questionnaires assessing mode of travel to school, physical activity, asthma control, physician counseling, and factors influencing parental decisions. Data analysis included descriptive and bivariate statistics. RESULTS: Few (16%) children with asthma actively commute to school. Active travelers lived closer to school, and "distance" was the most frequently reported factor influencing a parent's decision regarding travel mode to school. Parents reported few concerns about pollution and little physician counseling on active travel. CONCLUSION: Few children with asthma actively travel to school. Asthma-specific concerns do not appear to guide parental decisions on travel mode to school.
BACKGROUND: Active commuting to school provides regular exercise, which can improve asthma symptoms. Little is known about how children with asthma travel to school. OBJECTIVE: To identify travel patterns and parental perceptions surrounding mode of travel to school among children with asthma. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 176 children with asthma aged 5 to 15 years. Parents completed questionnaires assessing mode of travel to school, physical activity, asthma control, physician counseling, and factors influencing parental decisions. Data analysis included descriptive and bivariate statistics. RESULTS: Few (16%) children with asthma actively commute to school. Active travelers lived closer to school, and "distance" was the most frequently reported factor influencing a parent's decision regarding travel mode to school. Parents reported few concerns about pollution and little physician counseling on active travel. CONCLUSION: Few children with asthma actively travel to school. Asthma-specific concerns do not appear to guide parental decisions on travel mode to school.
Authors: Nicolas M Oreskovic; Jeff Blossom; Alyssa I Robinson; Minghua L Chen; Doris K Uscanga; Jason A Mendoza Journal: Geospat Health Date: 2014-11 Impact factor: 1.212
Authors: Jayne Hutchinson; Stephanie L Prady; Michaela A Smith; Piran C L White; Hilary M Graham Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2015-05-05 Impact factor: 3.390