Advanced search
Publication Cover
International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being Volume 19, 2024 - Issue 1
Submit an article Journal homepage
1,084
Views
0
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Empirical Studies

Supporting children’s participation in active travel: developing an online road safety intervention through a collaborative integrated knowledge translation approach

Adrian Buttazzonia School of Planning, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada;b Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CanadaORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1508-5946View further author information
ORCID Icon,
Julia Phamb Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;c Department of Geography and Environment, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CanadaORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0009-0002-8799-4767View further author information
ORCID Icon,
Kendra Nelson Fergusonb Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;c Department of Geography and Environment, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;d Children’s Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada;e Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, CanadaORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1767-8147View further author information
ORCID Icon,
Emma Fabrib Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;c Department of Geography and Environment, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CanadaView further author information
,
Andrew Clarkb Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;c Department of Geography and Environment, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CanadaORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3080-5833View further author information
ORCID Icon,
Danielle Tobinb Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;c Department of Geography and Environment, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CanadaView further author information
,
Nathaniel Frisbeeb Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;c Department of Geography and Environment, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CanadaView further author information
&
Jason Gillilandb Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;c Department of Geography and Environment, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;d Children’s Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada;e Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada;f Department of Paediatrics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;g Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;h School of Health Studies, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CanadaCorrespondence[email protected]
ORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2909-2178View further author information
ORCID Icon show all
Article: 2320183 | Received 18 Sep 2023, Accepted 14 Feb 2024, Published online: 03 Mar 2024
 
Sample our Behavioral Sciences journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days

ABSTRACT

Even though regular engagement in physical activity (PA) among children can support their development and encourage the adoption of healthy lifelong habits, most do not achieve their recommended guidelines. Active travel (AT), or any form of human-powered travel (e.g., walking), can be a relatively accessible, manageable, and sustainable way to promote children’s PA. One common barrier to children’s engagement in AT, however, is a reported lack of education and training. To support children’s participation in AT, this paper presents the development of a comprehensive 4-module online road safety education intervention designed to improve children’s knowledge and confidence regarding AT. Using a qualitative integrated knowledge translation (iKT) approach undertaken with community collaborators (n = 50) containing expertise in health promotion, public safety, school administration, and transportation planning, our inductive thematic analysis generated fourth themes which constituted the foundation of the intervention modules: Active Travel Knowledge: Awareness of Benefits and Participation; Pedestrian Safety and Skills: Roles, Responsibilities, and Rules; Signs and Infrastructure: Identification, Literacy, and Behaviour; Wheeling Safety and Skills: Technical Training and Personal Maneuvers. Each theme/module was then linked to an explicit learning objective and connected to complementary knowledge activities, resources, and skill development exercises. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2024.2320183

Notes

1. Children ages 9–14 and their parents and guardians are the primary target of our intervention as this is the cohort that our regional ASRTS and STP initiatives work with (e.g., A. N. Buttazzoni et al., Citation2019; K. Wilson et al., Citation2019).

2. “active travel passport”.

3. mapping activities, active travel story—our aim is to create action plans for different target areas based on an assessment of existing resources opportunities for AST.

4. “Hop!” web app.

5. “Road Safety Scavenger Hunt”.

6. “Match the Traffic Sign,” “iSpy Signs”.

7. “Take the Lead Game”.

8. “Identification and usage of various equipment” – aimed at empowering children (and parents) to feel comfortable with equipment.

9. “Teaching the cycling ABCs” – aimed empowering child desire to engage in cycling.

10. “Bike rodeo activities” teaching basic bike safety and handling skills needed for safe cycling—designed to have children snap a photo/video of them performing different procedures to program evaluators who will provide personalized motivational feedback.

Additional information

Funding

Authors A.B. and K.N.F would like to thank Dr. Jason Gilliland, Director of the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, for supporting their postdoctoral research associate positions which made this research possible. Financial support was provided through a Project Grant (#426684) from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Additional funding for K.N.F. was provided through a trainee award from the Children’s Health Research Institute.

Notes on contributors

Adrian Buttazzoni

Adrian Buttazzoni, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Associate in the School of Planning at University of Waterloo.

Julia Pham

Julia Pham, BMSc, is a Research Assistant with the Human Environments Analysis Lab (HEAL) in the Department of Geography at Western University.

Kendra Nelson Ferguson

Kendra Nelson Ferguson, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Geography at Western University.

Emma Fabri

Emma Fabri, MA, is a former Master’s student in the Department of Geography at Western University.

Andrew Clark

Andrew Clark, PhD, is a Project Coordinator in the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory.

Danielle Tobin

Danielle Tobin, PhD, is a Project Coordinator in the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory.

Nathaniel Frisbee

Nathaniel Frisbee, BA, is a Master’s student in the Department of Geography at Western University

Jason Gilliland

Jason Gilliland, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Geography at Western University and the Director of the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory.

Download PDF

Related research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.