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32
The influence of a child’s gender on travel mode choice to school, however,
appears to be mixed, possibly due to other confounding factors. A few studies have
verified that more boys than girls walk or bike to school (Evenson, Huston,
McMillan, Bors, & Ward, 2003; Timperio et al., 2006; Yarlagadda & Srinivasan,
2008). Similarly, in a study of ten California Safe Route to School communities,
McMillan and colleagues (2006) found that girls were over 40 percent less likely to
actively travel to school than boys. Yet, this relationship was significantly moderated
by the parent’s own activity level. In other studies, a child’s gender was however
found to have little or no significant effect on walking or being driven to school
(McDonald, 2005a; Wen et al., 2008).
Mostly correlated with their socioeconomic situation, minority ethnic
children in inner city chronically suffer from both “setting aggravation” (i.e.,
presence of undesirable and hazardous facilities and land use) and “setting
deprivation” (i.e., absence of desirable amenities and services) (Banerjee & Baer,
1984). They tend to commonly play on the street, sidewalk or parking lot with
limited access to alternative and safer activity spaces, and thus have greater exposure
to traffic danger (see Hedley et al., 2004; Rivara & Barber, 1985). According to
2000-2001 California Statewide Household Travel Survey, Latino and African
American children are more likely to walk or bike than Caucasian and Asian children
(Surface Transportation Policy Project, 2003). Using the 2000 San Francisco Bay
Area Travel Survey data, Yarlagadda and Srinivasan (2008) also found that
Caucasian and Asian children were more likely to be driven to school by their
Object Description
| Title | Walkability as 'freedom': the ecology of school journey in inner city Los Angeles neighborhoods |
| Author | Uhm, Jung A |
| Author email | uhm@usc.edu; j_uhm@hotmail.com |
| Degree | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | planning |
| School | School of Policy, Planning, and Development |
| Date defended/completed | 2008-06-05 |
| Date submitted | 2008 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2008-10-17 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Banerjee, Tridib |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Irazabal, Clara Stoner, Madeleine |
| Abstract | Over the past two decades, rising concerns over childhood obesity and its health effects have brought the issue of "walkability" to the forefront in creating a child friendly environment. Particularly, the idea of promoting children walking to and from school has gained widespread support among policy makers, public health officials, civic organizations, and planners as a way to increase physical activity among children to prevent obesity. Recent policies and programs however are based on an assumption about the direct influence of the built environment on school travel mode, of which parents' values and perceptions are considered prominent in determining environmental attributes related to children walking to school.; This research proposes a conceptual framework in understanding the relationship between the environment and children's travel by adding a crucial link generally missing in current walkability research - children. By proposing the notion of walkability as freedom, this study attempts to draw attentions to children's choices and real opportunities and factors that either facilitate or prohibit children in or from actualizing what they value (walking to school as one of many). With this goal, this research explored the elements of a walkable environment through the eyes of ethnic minority children attending five elementary schools in inner city Los Angeles.; Through the triangulation of capability approach, child-centered participatory methods, and ecological perspectives, the findings demonstrate children's capacity not only to observe and understand the environment, but also to evaluate and reflect on making their neighborhood environment safer and walkable on their own terms.; This research suggests a shift in policy focus from the provision and improvement of environmental resources to the enhancement of individual freedom by increasing children's participatory capability. The results of this study advance the discussion on the relationship between active school travel and the environment by bringing children into the foreground within the spheres of ecological transaction. |
| Keyword | capability; children; inner-city neighborhood; perception; school travel; walkability |
| Geographic subject | educational facilities: Foshay Learning Center; educational facilities: Norwood Street Elementary School; educational facilities: St. Agnes Parish School; educational facilities: Vermont Avenue Elementary School; educational facilities: Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School |
| Geographic subject (city or populated place) | Los Angeles |
| Geographic subject (state) | California |
| Coverage date | circa 2008 |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m1671 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Uhm, Jung A |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-Uhm-2224 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume29/etd-Uhm-2224.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 42 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 32 The influence of a child’s gender on travel mode choice to school, however, appears to be mixed, possibly due to other confounding factors. A few studies have verified that more boys than girls walk or bike to school (Evenson, Huston, McMillan, Bors, & Ward, 2003; Timperio et al., 2006; Yarlagadda & Srinivasan, 2008). Similarly, in a study of ten California Safe Route to School communities, McMillan and colleagues (2006) found that girls were over 40 percent less likely to actively travel to school than boys. Yet, this relationship was significantly moderated by the parent’s own activity level. In other studies, a child’s gender was however found to have little or no significant effect on walking or being driven to school (McDonald, 2005a; Wen et al., 2008). Mostly correlated with their socioeconomic situation, minority ethnic children in inner city chronically suffer from both “setting aggravation” (i.e., presence of undesirable and hazardous facilities and land use) and “setting deprivation” (i.e., absence of desirable amenities and services) (Banerjee & Baer, 1984). They tend to commonly play on the street, sidewalk or parking lot with limited access to alternative and safer activity spaces, and thus have greater exposure to traffic danger (see Hedley et al., 2004; Rivara & Barber, 1985). According to 2000-2001 California Statewide Household Travel Survey, Latino and African American children are more likely to walk or bike than Caucasian and Asian children (Surface Transportation Policy Project, 2003). Using the 2000 San Francisco Bay Area Travel Survey data, Yarlagadda and Srinivasan (2008) also found that Caucasian and Asian children were more likely to be driven to school by their |
