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Table 4 Bivariate and multivariate (Model 2) relationships of area-level characteristics and active transportation to school (N = 3 997)

From: Multi-level examination of correlates of active transportation to school among youth living within 1 mile of their school

Area-level characteristic

% Engaged in active transportation

Bivariate model

Multivariate model 2

RR (95% CI)

RR (95% CI)

School Characteristics

Bicycle storage available in a safe location

  No

68.3

1.00

1.00

  Yes

61.1

0.89 (0.74 - 1.01)

0.94 (0.77 - 1.09)

Has walk/bike to school days and/or walking school bus programs

  No

64.3

1.00

1.00

  Yes

58.8

0.90 (0.77 - 1.02)

0.91 (0.74 - 1.06)

Identification of safe walking/biking routes to school

  No

64.4

1.00

1.00

  Yes

60.1

0.93 (0.80 - 1.05)

0.95 (0.79 - 1.09)

Neighborhood Characteristics

Sidewalk leading to school

  No

57.1

1.00

1.00

  Yes

62.8

1.11 (0.79 - 1.37)

1.10 (0.74 - 1.39)

% of roads with sidewalks

  1 (1.45 - 47.20)

58.1

1.00

1.00

  2 (47.21 - 64.30)

58.3

1.06 (0.87 - 1.23)

1.11 (0.87 - 1.32)

  3 (64.31 - 84.49)

64.2

1.12 (0.93 - 1.27)

1.14 (0.88 - 1.35)

  4 (84.50 – 100)

70.4

1.16 (0.97 - 1.32)

1.03 (0.76 - 1.27)

  P trend

 

0.071

0.86

Speed limit of school’s road (km/h)

  ≤40

59.5

1.00

1.00

  50

62.3

1.15 (0.92 - 1.34)

1.27 (0.90 - 1.50)

  ≥60

69.6

1.23 (0.94 - 1.43)

1.32 (0.96 - 1.53)

  P trend

 

0.12

0.13

% of roads with speed limit ≤60 km/h

  1 (<90)

60.9

1.00

1.00

  2 (90 – 93.99)

65.1

1.10 (0.89 - 1.27)

1.06 (0.82 - 1.27)

  3 (94 – 99.99)

60.1

1.06 (0.85 - 1.24)

1.08 (0.84 - 1.29)

  4 (100)

63.8

1.03 (0.83 - 1.21)

1.05 (0.81 - 1.25)

  P trend

 

0.94

0.78

Total length of roads (km)

  1 (10.7 – 29.2)

55.6

1.00

1.00

  2 (29.3 – 37.0)

60.8

1.10 (0.92 - 1.27)

0.99 (0.72 - 1.25)

  3 (37.1 – 41.7)

60.8

1.16 (0.97 - 1.33)

1.10 (0.79 - 1.37)

  4 (41.71 – 73.7)

73.7

1.32 (1.15 - 1.46)

1.27 (0.94 - 1.52)

  P trend

 

0.0005

0.070

Street connectivity

  1 (lowest connectivity)

55.8

1.00

1.00

  2

66.0

1.20 (1.02 - 1.36)

1.07 (0.81 - 1.30)

  3

60.7

1.16 (0.97 - 1.32)

0.96 (0.65 - 1.25)

  4 (highest connectivity)

70.2

1.24 (1.06 - 1.39)

0.91 (0.56 - 1.25)

  P trend

 

0.020

0.45

Litter in neighborhood

  No problem

62.1

1.00

1.00

  Minor problem

61.6

1.03 (0.89 - 1.15)

1.05 (0.88 - 1.19)

  Moderate problem

62.9

0.99 (0.77 - 1.18)

1.11 (0.82 - 1.33)

  Major problem

91.8

1.48 (1.24 - 1.57)

1.48 (1.17 - 1.58)

  P trend

 

0.13

0.055

Vacant or shabby housing

  No problem

62.7

1.00

1.00

  Minor problem

59.7

0.98 (0.81 - 1.13)

0.91 (0.71 - 1.10)

  Moderate problem

72.4

1.07 (0.81 - 1.28)

0.76 (0.44 - 1.09)

  Major problem

60.7

1.07 (0.59 - 1.40)

0.73 (0.23 - 1.29)

  P trend

 

0.70

0.11

Neighborhood SES (median family income, $CAD)

  1 (32 984 – 56 979)

66.5

1.00

1.00

  2 (56 980 – 67 400)

66.1

1.01 (0.85 - 1.15)

0.97 (0.75 - 1.16)

  3 (67 400 – 80 300)

60.7

0.94 (0.77 - 1.10)

1.02 (0.80 - 1.19)

  4 (80 301 – 108 010)

58.9

0.88 (0.72 - 1.04)

0.95 (0.69 - 1.16)

  P trend

 

0.086

0.77

Average temperature (°C)

  1 (−4.45 – 2.75)

62.4

1.00

1.00

  2 (2.76 – 4.40)

58.9

1.00 (0.82 - 1.16)

0.71 (0.34 - 1.13)

  3 (4.41 – 7.40)

59.5

1.00 (0.83 - 1.16)

0.79 (0.30 - 1.30)

  4 (7.41 – 10.60)

68.3

1.04 (0.87 - 1.19)

0.88 (0.27 - 1.42)

  P trend

 

0.64

0.95

Average annual rain (mm)

  1 (326 – 615)

61.7

1.00

1.00

  2 (616 – 1335)

62.1

1.02 (0.84 - 1.18)

0.93 (0.59 - 1.23)

  3 (1336 – 1700)

66.3

1.01 (0.84 - 1.16)

1.25 (0.79 - 1.50)

  4 (1701 – 3360)

60.6

1.02 (0.85 - 1.18)

1.27 (0.82 - 1.50)

  P trend

 

0.82

0.33

Average annual snow (cm)

  1 (87 – 200)

68.2

1.00

1.00

  2 (201 – 240)

70.0

1.04 (0.89 - 1.16)

1.10 (0.87 - 1.26)

  3 (241 – 310)

51.7

0.85 (0.69 - 0.99)

0.88 (0.59 - 1.13)

  4 (311 – 690)

61.8

0.94 (0.79 - 1.07)

0.84 (0.46 - 1.17)

  P trend

 

0.11

0.19

Average annual number of hot days

  1 (0 – 0.63)

56.4

1.00

1.00

  2 (0.64 – 4.65)

63.5

1.13 (0.94 - 1.30)

1.19 (0.84 - 1.46)

  3 (4.66 – 10.50)

67.8

1.12 (0.92 - 1.28)

1.07 (0.70 - 1.39)

  4 (10.51 – 26.00)

65.4

1.14 (0.95 - 1.31)

1.15 (0.74 - 1.46)

  P trend

 

0.16

0.69

Average annual number of cold days

  1 (0 – 4.5)

63.3

1.00

1.00

  2 (4.6 – 26.0)

60.9

0.99 (0.82 - 1.14)

1.17 (0.75 - 1.42)

  3 (26.1 – 50)

64.9

1.03 (0.86 - 1.18)

1.17 (0.62 - 1.46)

  4 (50.1 – 110.5)

61.5

0.96 (0.78 - 1.13)

1.14 (0.45 - 1.49)

  P trend

 

0.87

0.69

  1. Model 2 controls for the significant variables by backwards selection from the first model (gender, family structure, family SES, number of cars in household, and perceived residential neighborhood safety).
  2. RR (95% CI) = relative risk (95% confidence interval).