Perceived environment and public open space use: a study with adults from Curitiba, Brazil

Fermino, Rogério César; Reis, Rodrigo Siqueira; Hallal, Pedro Curi; Júnior, José Cazuza de Farias

doi:10.1186/1479-5868-10-35

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics, perceived environment and public open space use by adults from Curitiba, Brazil, 2009 (n = 1,461)

From: Perceived environment and public open space use: a study with adults from Curitiba, Brazil

	All (n = 1,461)		Men (n = 530)		Women (n = 931)		p
	n	%	n	%	n	%
Age (yrs)
18–39.9	604	41.5	238	44.9	366	39.5	0.045 ^a
≥ 40	852	58.5	292	55.1	560	60.5	0.045 ^a
Economic level
Low	551	37.9	174	33.0	377	40.7	0.004 ^a
High	902	62.1	353	67.0	549	59.3	0.004 ^a
Perceived health
Negative	420	28.7	126	23.8	294	31.6	0.002 ^a
Positive	1041	71.3	404	76.2	637	68.4	0.002 ^a
Neighborhood aesthetics
Trees in the streets
No	312	21.4	103	19.5	209	22.5	0.179^a
Yes	1147	78.6	426	80.5	721	77.5	0.179^a
Interesting things to see
No	757	51.9	263	49.7	494	53.1	0.211^a
Yes	702	48.1	266	50.3	436	46.9	0.211^a
Natural attractions
No	756	51.8	264	49.8	492	52.9	0.256^a
Yes	704	48.2	266	50.2	438	47.1	0.256^a
Beautiful buildings and houses
No	357	24.5	131	24.8	226	24.3	0.843^a
Yes	1102	75.5	398	75.2	704	75.7	0.843^a
Traffic safety
Heavy traffic makes it difficult to walk
No	552	37.8	200	37.7	352	37.8	0.966^a
Yes	908	62.2	330	62.3	578	62.2	0.966^a
Low traffic speed
No	685	46.9	240	45.3	445	47.8	0.345^a
Yes	775	53.1	290	54.7	485	52.2	0.345^a
Drivers exceed the speed limit
No	991	67.9	357	67.4	634	68.2	0.749^a
Yes	469	32.1	173	32.6	296	31.8	0.749^a
Tracks and signs facilitate the crossing of streets
No	901	61.7	331	62.5	570	61.3	0.660^a
Yes	559	38.3	199	37.5	360	38.7	0.660^a
Crimes safety
People walking in the street
No	596	40.8	199	37.6	397	42.7	0.058^a
Yes	863	59.2	330	62.4	533	57.3	0.058^a
Crimes in the neighborhood
No	779	53.4	277	52.3	502	54.0	0.528^a
Yes	681	46.6	253	47.7	428	46.0	0.528^a
Safe to walking during the day
No	243	16.7	68	12.8	175	18.8	0.003 ^a
Yes	1216	83.3	462	87.2	754	81.2	0.003 ^a
Safe to walking during the night
No	1143	78.3	381	71.9	762	81.9	<0.001 ^a
Yes	317	21.7	149	28.1	168	18.1	<0.001 ^a
Number of positive attributes of the environment
0–5 items	411	28.2	125	23.8	286	30.8
6-7 items	560	38.5	208	39.5	352	37.9	0.004 ^b
≥8 items (higher quality)	484	33.3	193	36.7	291	31.3
Public open space use
No use	572	39.2	186	35.1	386	41.5	0.101^b
Use a few times a year/month	419	28.7	165	31.1	254	27.3
Use between 1–3 times/wk	307	21.0	119	22.5	188	20.2
Use ≥4 times/wk	163	11.2	60	11.3	103	11.1

a: χ² to heterogeneity; b: χ² to linear trend.

Back to article page

ISSN: 1479-5868

Contact us

Submission enquiries: Access here and click Contact Us
General enquiries: info@biomedcentral.com