Higher independent mobility to school among adolescents: a secondary analysis using cross-sectional data between 2010 and 2017 in Spanish youth.

AIM
To describe and to analyze the associations between independent mobility to school (IM) with gender and age in Spanish youth aged 6-18 years old from 2010 to 2017. Moreover, to study the changes in the rates of IM from 2010 to 2017 by gender and age.


METHODS
Cross-sectional data were obtained from 11 Spanish studies. The study sample comprised 3,460 children and 1,523 adolescents. Logistic regressions models (IM with gender and age) and multilevel logistic regressions (IM with time period) were used.


RESULTS
Boys had higher odds ratio (OR) of IM than girls in children (OR= 1.86; CI: 1.50-2.28, p<0.01). Adolescents showed higher IM than children: 12-14 years old (OR: 6.30; CI: 1.65-23.97) and 14-16 years old (OR: 7.33; CI: 1.18-45.39) had higher IM than 6-8 years old for boys (all, p<0.05). Moreover, 12-14 years old (OR: 4.23; CI: 1.01-17.81) had higher IM than 6-8 years old for girls (p<0.001). IM was not associated with the time period.


CONCLUSION
The IM is higher in boys and in adolescents, highlighting the relevance to promote IM strategies targeting girls and children. In these strategies is essential the support of researchers, public health practitioners and families to achieve positive results.