IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i4p1390-d492277.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Why Do Students Walk or Cycle for Transportation? Perceived Study Environment and Psychological Determinants as Predictors of Active Transportation by University Students

Author

Listed:
  • Monika Teuber

    (Institute of Sports Science, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany)

  • Gorden Sudeck

    (Institute of Sports Science, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany)

Abstract

University students are particularly at risk to suffer from physical and psychological complaints and for not fulfilling health-oriented physical activity (PA) recommendations. Since PA is linked with various benefits for health and educational outcomes, the group of students is of particular interest for PA promotion. Although active commuting has been identified as a relevant domain of PA in order to gain the various benefits of PA, little knowledge is available with respect to university students. This study tested conditions in the study environment, as well as personal motivators and barriers, as determinants for the active transportation of university students. Using a cross-sectional convenience sample of a university in the southwest of Germany ( n = 997), we applied factor analyses to bundle relevant information on environmental and psychological determinants (adapted NEWS-G; adapted transport-related items from an Australian university survey) and blockwise hierarchical regressions. The objective was to analyze associations between the bundled determinants and self-reports on PA for transport-related walking and cycling (measured by the EHIS-PAQ). Results revealed associations between transport-related cycling and the perceived study environment (e.g., high automobile traffic) as well as certain personal motivators and barriers (e.g., time effort or weather conditions). The study contributes to the knowledge about determinants that are important for the development and improvement of public health interventions for students in a university setting.

Suggested Citation

  • Monika Teuber & Gorden Sudeck, 2021. "Why Do Students Walk or Cycle for Transportation? Perceived Study Environment and Psychological Determinants as Predictors of Active Transportation by University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-25, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:1390-:d:492277
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1390/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1390/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Javier Molina-García & Cristina Menescardi & Isaac Estevan & Vladimir Martínez-Bello & Ana Queralt, 2019. "Neighborhood Built Environment and Socioeconomic Status are Associated with Active Commuting and Sedentary Behavior, but not with Leisure-Time Physical Activity, in University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-12, August.
    2. Javier Cruz-Rodríguez & Amalia Luque-Sendra & Ana de las Heras & Francisco Zamora-Polo, 2020. "Analysis of Interurban Mobility in University Students: Motivation and Ecological Impact," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-26, December.
    3. Rybarczyk, Greg & Gallagher, Laura, 2014. "Measuring the potential for bicycling and walking at a metropolitan commuter university," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1-10.
    4. Hannes Gropper & Jannika M John & Gorden Sudeck & Ansgar Thiel, 2020. "The impact of life events and transitions on physical activity: A scoping review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-24, June.
    5. H. Q. Chim & Mirjam G. A. oude Egbrink & Pascal W. M. Van Gerven & Renate H. M. de Groot & Bjorn Winkens & Hans H. C. M. Savelberg, 2020. "Academic Schedule and Day-to-Day Variations in Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity of University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-16, April.
    6. Balsas, Carlos J. L., 2003. "Sustainable transportation planning on college campuses," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 35-49, January.
    7. Wang, Chih-Hao & Akar, Gulsah & Guldmann, Jean-Michel, 2015. "Do your neighbors affect your bicycling choice? A spatial probit model for bicycling to The Ohio State University," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 122-130.
    8. Limanond, Thirayoot & Butsingkorn, Tanissara & Chermkhunthod, Chutima, 2011. "Travel behavior of university students who live on campus: A case study of a rural university in Asia," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 163-171, January.
    9. Shannon, Tya & Giles-Corti, Billie & Pikora, Terri & Bulsara, Max & Shilton, Trevor & Bull, Fiona, 2006. "Active commuting in a university setting: Assessing commuting habits and potential for modal change," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 240-253, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hossain Mohiuddin & Md Musfiqur Rahman Bhuiya & Shaila Jamal & Zhi Chen, 2022. "Exploring the Choice of Bicycling and Walking in Rajshahi, Bangladesh: An Application of Integrated Choice and Latent Variable (ICLV) Models," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-20, November.
    2. Zhehao Zhang & Thomas Fisher & Haiming Wang, 2023. "Walk Score, Environmental Quality and Walking in a Campus Setting," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-19, March.
    3. Ming Yu Claudia Wong & Kailing Ou & Chun-Qing Zhang & Ru Zhang, 2022. "Neighborhood Built and Social Environment Influences on Lifestyle Behaviors among College Students in a High-Density City: A Photovoice Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-21, December.
    4. Marco De Angelis & Luca Mantecchini & Luca Pietrantoni, 2021. "A Cluster Analysis of University Commuters: Attitudes, Personal Norms and Constraints, and Travel Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-15, April.
    5. Andrea Weber & Katharina Kroiss & Lydia Reismann & Petra Jansen & Gunther Hirschfelder & Anja M. Sedlmeier & Michael J. Stein & Patricia Bohmann & Michael F. Leitzmann & Carmen Jochem, 2023. "Health-Promoting and Sustainable Behavior in University Students in Germany: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-14, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pérez-Neira, David & Rodríguez-Fernández, Ma Pilar & Hidalgo-González, Cristina, 2020. "The greenhouse gas mitigation potential of university commuting: A case study of the University of León (Spain)," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    2. Sottile, Eleonora & Tuveri, Giovanni & Piras, Francesco & Meloni, Italo, 2022. "Modelling commuting tours versus non-commuting tours for university students. A panel data analysis from different contexts," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 56-67.
    3. Hasnine, Md Sami & Lin, TianYang & Weiss, Adam & Habib, Khandker Nurul, 2018. "Determinants of travel mode choices of post-secondary students in a large metropolitan area: The case of the city of Toronto," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 161-171.
    4. Aghaabbasi, Mahdi & Shekari, Zohreh Asadi & Shah, Muhammad Zaly & Olakunle, Oloruntobi & Armaghani, Danial Jahed & Moeinaddini, Mehdi, 2020. "Predicting the use frequency of ride-sourcing by off-campus university students through random forest and Bayesian network techniques," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 262-281.
    5. Hidalgo-González, Cristina & Rodríguez-Fernández, M Pilar & Pérez-Neira, David, 2022. "Energy consumption in university commuting: Barriers, policies and reduction scenarios in León (Spain)," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 48-57.
    6. Selima Sultana & Hyojin Kim & Nastaran Pourebrahim & Firoozeh Karimi, 2018. "Geographical Assessment of Low-Carbon Transportation Modes: A Case Study from a Commuter University," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-23, August.
    7. Khaled Assi & Uneb Gazder & Ibrahim Al-Sghan & Imran Reza & Abdullah Almubarak, 2020. "A Nested Ensemble Approach with ANNs to Investigate the Effect of Socioeconomic Attributes on Active Commuting of University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-17, May.
    8. Umer Mansoor & Mohammad Tamim Kashifi & Fazal Rehman Safi & Syed Masiur Rahman, 2022. "A review of factors and benefits of non-motorized transport: a way forward for developing countries," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 1560-1582, February.
    9. Zhan, Guangjun & Yan, Xuedong & Zhu, Shanjiang & Wang, Yun, 2016. "Using hierarchical tree-based regression model to examine university student travel frequency and mode choice patterns in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 55-65.
    10. Zhou, Jiangping, 2014. "From better understandings to proactive actions: Housing location and commuting mode choices among university students," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 166-175.
    11. Hossain, Sanjana & Loa, Patrick & Ong, Felita & Habib, Khandker Nurul, 2022. "The determinants of commute mode usage frequency of post-secondary students in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 164-185.
    12. Jiangping Zhou & Yin Wang & Jiangyue Wu, 2018. "Mode Choice of Commuter Students in a College Town: An Exploratory Study from the United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-18, September.
    13. Delmelle, Eric M. & Delmelle, Elizabeth Cahill, 2012. "Exploring spatio-temporal commuting patterns in a university environment," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 1-9.
    14. Cadima, Catarina & Silva, Cecília & Pinho, Paulo, 2020. "Changing student mobility behaviour under financial crisis: Lessons from a case study in the Oporto University," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    15. Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim & Muhamad Nazri Borhan & Nur Shaeza Darus & Nor Aznirahani Mhd Yunin & Rozmi Ismail, 2022. "Understanding the Willingness of Students to Use Bicycles for Sustainable Commuting in a University Setting: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-20, March.
    16. Rotaris, Lucia & Danielis, Romeo, 2014. "The impact of transportation demand management policies on commuting to college facilities: A case study at the University of Trieste, Italy," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 127-140.
    17. Rybarczyk, Greg & Gallagher, Laura, 2014. "Measuring the potential for bicycling and walking at a metropolitan commuter university," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1-10.
    18. Rotaris, Lucia & Danielis, Romeo, 2015. "Commuting to college: The effectiveness and social efficiency of transportation demand management policies," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 158-168.
    19. Sultana, Selima, 2015. "Factors associated with students' parking-pass purchase decisions: Evidence from an American University," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 65-75.
    20. Jorge Ubirajara Pedreira Junior & Antônio Nélson Rodrigues da Silva & Cira Souza Pitombo, 2022. "Car-Free Day on a University Campus: Determinants of Participation and Potential Impacts on Sustainable Travel Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-20, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:1390-:d:492277. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.