Proportions of students who use various modes of transportation to and from school in a representative population-based sample of children and adolescents, 1999.
OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to describe the prevalence of modes of transportation to school and to identify socioeconomic correlates.


METHODS
Proportions of students using different modes of transportation were estimated among a population-based sample of 3613 youth aged 9, 13, and 16 years who participated in the 1999 Quebec Child and Adolescent Health and Social Survey.


RESULTS
Weighted analyses showed significant differences in the use of different modes of transportation to and from school across socioeconomic groups. For example, 40.3%, 15.2%, and 13.0% of 9, 13, and 16 year olds walked to school. In addition, 1.2%, 11.3%, and 13.8% of 9, 13, and 16 year olds used public transportation whereas 33.1%, 51.2%, and 55.6% of 9, 13, and 16 year olds took the school bus to school; 14.3%, 7.3%, and 5.0% of 9, 13, and 16 year olds were transported by car; finally, 10.7%, 14.1%, and 11.7% of 9, 13, and 16 year olds indicated they used multiple modes of transportation. Girls, higher income of children, children of immigrants, and rural-dwelling children were less likely to walk to school.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings indicate that there are differing modes of transportation to and from school across socioeconomic groups.
Pabayo
Roman
R
Faculté de médecine, Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire en santé and Médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Canada H2V 4P3. roman.pabayo@umontreal.ca
Gauvin
Lise
L
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011792:Quebec; D012574:Schools; D012923:Social Class; D014186:Transportation / Q000379:methods*