Introduction

Active school travel (AST) is important for child and environmental health. In New Zealand, AST has declined over recent decades and is relatively low compared to many other countries. A plethora of evidence related to children's AST exists, yet a holistic and context-specific understanding of factors related to the behaviour remains elusive. The aim of this study is to triangulate data from children, their parents, school representatives, and objectively-assessed environmental features to generate a model that enables a comprehensive understanding of associates of AST in New Zealand children, how these variables interrelate with each other, and where change can occur.

Methods

Data were drawn from recent investigations conducted with children, parents/caregivers, and school representatives, and studies examining objectively-assessed built environment characteristics in relation to AST. Findings were summarised, aggregated, and triangulated, with a focus on themes where consistent findings were observed across data sources or respondents (i.e., children, parents, school representatives, geographic information systems (GIS)-derived variables). Links between variables were investigated and integrated into the final model.

Results

Distance from home to school and ensuring child safety were prevailing factors associated with children's AST. School policies, practices, partnerships and culture play an integral role in supporting children's AST, and in some cases can mitigate environmental barriers. An active community culture, positive neighbourhood social relations, and links between the school and community are important elements to support AST.

Conclusion

This research demonstrates the complexity of AST and reinforces that interventions for increasing active travel modes need to be multi-faceted and not isolated projects. Cross-sector approaches that are sustained over time are needed to facilitate meaningful change in AST. Strategic resourcing and national targets for AST rates may be effective ways to harness commitment across sectors and ensure actions to address the needs presented are operationalised.

中文翻译：

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新西兰儿童积极上学旅行的环境需求综合概念模型

介绍

积极的学校旅行（AST）对于儿童和环境健康至关重要。在新西兰，最近几十年来AST有所下降，与许多其他国家相比，AST相对较低。存在与儿童AST相关的大量证据，但是对与行为相关的因素的整体和特定于上下文的理解仍然难以捉摸。这项研究的目的是对来自儿童，他们的父母，学校代表和客观评估的环境特征的数据进行三角剖分，以生成一个模型，从而能够全面了解新西兰儿童中AST的同伴，这些变量如何相互关联，以及可能发生变化的地方。

方法

数据来自最近与儿童，父母/看护人和学校代表进行的调查，并研究了客观评估与AST相关的建筑环境特征的研究。对调查结果进行汇总，汇总和三角剖分，重点是在跨数据源或受访者（即儿童，父母，学校代表，地理信息系统（GIS）派生的变量）观察到一致的调查结果的主题。研究了变量之间的联系，并将其整合到最终模型中。

结果

到学校的距离以及确保儿童安全是与儿童AST相关的主要因素。学校的政策，实践，伙伴关系和文化在支持儿童的AST中起着不可或缺的作用，在某些情况下可以减轻环境障碍。积极的社区文化，积极的邻里社会关系以及学校与社区之间的联系是支持AST的重要元素。

结论

这项研究证明了AST的复杂性，并强调了增加主动出行方式的干预措施应该是多方面的而不是孤立的项目。为了促进AST发生有意义的变化，需要跨时间的跨部门方法。AST率的战略资源配置和国家目标可能是有效的方法，可以利用跨部门的承诺并确保为满足提出的需求而采取的行动得以实施。