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Socioeconomic Status and Route Characteristics in Relation to Children’s Exposure to Air Pollution from Road Traffic While Walking to School in Auckland, New Zealand

Author

Listed:
  • Mehrdad Rafiepourgatabi

    (School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand)

  • Alistair Woodward

    (School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand)

  • Jennifer A. Salmond

    (School of Environment, Faculty of Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand)

  • Kim N. Dirks

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand)

Abstract

Pedestrian exposure to traffic-related air pollution depends on many factors; including the nature of the traffic on nearby roads and the route characteristics. In this study, we investigated the effects of differences in vehicle fleet and transport infrastructure on children’s exposure to traffic-related air pollution during their morning walk to school in Auckland, New Zealand. Five pairs of routes to schools—each including a low and a high socioeconomic status (SES) school—were selected and traversed over 7–8 days for each pair while measuring particle number concentration (PNC) and GPS coordinates. At the same time, a sample of 200 license plates of cars from each school’s neighborhood was captured using videos, and the age of each car was extracted using an online database. Both the mean age of the cars and the percentage of old cars (>14 years) were found to be higher in the low SES areas. However, neither measure of vehicle age was associated with a significant difference in exposure to PNC for pedestrians. Route features including narrow footpaths and a higher density of traffic lights may be associated with higher levels of PNC exposure. These findings provide insight into the role of urban design in promoting healthy commutes to school.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehrdad Rafiepourgatabi & Alistair Woodward & Jennifer A. Salmond & Kim N. Dirks, 2021. "Socioeconomic Status and Route Characteristics in Relation to Children’s Exposure to Air Pollution from Road Traffic While Walking to School in Auckland, New Zealand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-17, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:9:p:4996-:d:550739
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kim N. Dirks & Jennifer A. Salmond & Nicholas Talbot, 2018. "Air Pollution Exposure in Walking School Bus Routes: A New Zealand Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-12, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mehrdad Rafiepourgatabi & Alistair Woodward & Jennifer A. Salmond & Kim Natasha Dirks, 2021. "The Effect of Route Choice in Children’s Exposure to Ultrafine Particles Whilst Walking to School," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-16, July.

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