Abstract
Citation
Hume C, Salmon J, Ball K. Children's perceptions of their home and neighborhood environments, and their association with objectively measured physical activity: a qualitative and quantitative study. Health Educ Res 2005 Feb;20(1):1-13. Epub 2004 Jul 14.
Abstract
Environmental factors may have an important influence on children's physical activity, yet children's perspectives of their home and neighborhood environments have not been widely assessed. The aim of this study was to investigate children's perceptions of their environments, and to examine associations between these perceptions and objectively measured physical activity. The sample consisted of 147, 10-year-old Australian children, who drew maps of their home and neighborhood environments. A subsample of children photographed places and things in these environments that were important to them. The maps were analyzed for themes, and for the frequency with which particular objects and locations appeared. Physical activity was objectively measured using accelerometers. Six themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of the maps and photographs: the family home; opportunities for physical activity and sedentary pursuits; food items and locations; green space and outside areas; the school and opportunities for social interaction. Of the 11 variables established from these themes, one home and two neighborhood factors were associated with children's physical activity. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of children's perceptions of their environment, and highlight the potential importance of the home and neighborhood environments for promoting physical activity behavior.
Full Text
The full text is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/her/cyg095
At A Glance
Food Environment Variables
| # | Type of Environment/Institution |
|---|---|
| 37 | Convenience/Corner Store |
| 53 | Full Service Restaurant |
| - | Home |
| 53 | Limited Service/Fast Food Restaurant |
| - | Neighborhood |
| Measure | objective | perceived |
|---|---|---|
| Availability/Access | ✘ | ✔ |
| Cooking appliances | ✘ | ✔ |
Physical Activity Environment Variables
| # | Type of Environment/Location |
|---|---|
| 147 | Community/Neighborhood as a Whole |
| 60 | Parks/Playgrounds |
| 57 | Recreational Facility/Area |
| 147 | Home |
| # | Scale |
|---|---|
| 37 | Equipment |
| 147 | Neighborhood |
| 72 | Television set |
| Measure | objective | perceived |
|---|---|---|
| Street Connectivity | ✘ | ✔ |
| Crime/Safety | ✘ | ✔ |
Domain(s)
Food Environment
Physical Activity Environment
Measure Type
Mapping
Measure Availability
Not reported
Number of Items
Not applicable
Study location
Metro/Urban
Melbourne, Australia
Languages
Not applicable
Information about Development of Measure
Cognitive mapping techniques have been suggested as useful alternatives to survey methods for exploring children's awareness and knowledge of their environment. A number of mapping methods have been developed, including drawing and photographing the physical environment.
Study Design
Study Participants
Age
6 - 11 Years
Sex
Female
Male
Race/Ethnicity
Not reported
Predominantly Low-income/Low-SES
Yes
Sample Size
147
Study Design
Design Type
Descriptive
Correlational/Observational
Health Outcomes Assessed
None
Obesity Measures
Not reported
BMI Measured or Self-reported
Not reported
Covariates
Not reported
Data Reported on Race/Ethnicity
Quantitative data on study sample
Data Reported on SES
Quantitative data on study sample
SES-related Variables
Education
How To Use
Administration
Who Administered
Self-administered
How Administered
In-person
Time Required
Not reported
Training Required
Yes, time not reported
Instructions on Use
Instructions on instrument use included in article
Data Analysis
Data Collection/Analysis Costs
Not reported
Data Collection/Protocol
Students at middle schools were provided map drawing lessons one week apart, with the home map completed in the first week and the neighborhood map completed the following week. It was explained that the map should include the places and things in their home and neighborhood that were important to them. One sheet of A3 paper was provided to each child. A random sub-sample of forty-four participants were provided with a disposable camera and instructed to take approximately eight photographs of places and things in their home and neighborhood environment that were important to them. The children were fitted with Actigraph accelerometers approximately six weeks prior to completing the maps and taking the photographs, and were asked to wear the accelerometers for eight consecutive days.
Instructions on Data Analysis
Instructions on analysis included in article
Validity (0)
There are no validity tests reported for this measure.
Reliability (0)
There are no reliability tests reported for this measure.