About Careers Internship MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Inner-City Kids Stay Away from Parks Due to Fear of Strangers

by Rajashri on October 4, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Font : A-A+

 Inner-City Kids Stay Away from Parks Due to Fear of Strangers

Fear of dangerous strangers in inner city neighbourhoods is discouraging kids and teens to go out and play in parks and playgrounds, a new study has found.

Lead researcher Nick Holt from Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta studied 59 children and youth, eight school staff and 13 youth workers and found three themes that influenced youngsters' opportunities for physical activity, with positive and negative factors for each.

Advertisement

The first theme identified was "neighbourhood characteristics". On the plus side researchers found neighbourhoods "walkable," with plenty of parks and playgrounds and nearby amenities.

However, "stranger danger" fears related to drug users, bullies, prostitutes, gang members and fear of abduction deterred children and youth from visiting these places.
Advertisement

The second theme was "family involvement." The research team found that while children and youth were rarely allowed out alone, involvement by a family member, for example, accompanying them to a park to play, increased their engagement in physical activity.

The third theme was the "availability of adult-supervised programs."

On the positive side, researchers noted the large variety of programs offered by dedicated, hard-working staff and volunteers, while negative factors included minimal resources; staff and volunteer recruitment and retention challenges, and little knowledge of program availability by inner-city children and youth; low adherence to the programs was also a negative factor.

The study appears in the international journal Health and Place.

Source: ANI
RAS
Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Readings

Latest Child Health News

Sebum Helps Diagnose Atopic Dermatitis
Sebum RNA could be used to detect the onset of atopic dermatitis well before the disease progresses.
 Exploring the Consequence of Attention and Behavior Problems in Childhood
New study findings from three different populations and countries show that attention and behavior problems in childhood could predict a range of adult outcomes.
Elevated Hair Cortisol Levels in Newborns Cause Sleep Difficulties
Sleep patterns of infants can be anticipated based on cortisol levels during the later stages of pregnancy, says a new study to be presented at the annual meeting of SLEEP 2023.
 Baby Talk: How Boy and Girl Babies' Speech Differ During Infancy
Analyzing the earliest sex differences in language-related activities, recent research showed boys produced significantly more speech-like vocalizations (protophones) than girls.
Children Don't Always Outgrow Stuttering, but Speech Therapy can be Beneficial
A mother found a team at Saint Louis University's Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic that empowered her daughter to communicate with increased confidence in different settings.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Inner-City Kids Stay Away from Parks Due to Fear of Strangers Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests