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Promoting stair climbing: stair-riser banners are better than posters... sometimes
Ellinor K Olander1, Frank F Eves, Anna Puig-Ribera
1School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Preventive Medicine
|December 25, 2007
Summary
Stair-riser banners did not encourage stair climbing in a busy train station. However, posters promoting stair use did increase climbing rates, especially during lower traffic periods.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
- Urban Planning
Background:
- Stair climbing is a beneficial physical activity.
- Previous studies indicated stair-riser banners are effective in shopping centers.
- Effectiveness in high-traffic public transport hubs like train stations remains less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of stair-riser banners in promoting stair use in an English train station.
- To compare the impact of stair-riser banners versus posters on stair climbing behavior.
- To assess the influence of pedestrian traffic volume on intervention effectiveness.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-experimental design was used in a train station with a 39-step staircase and an escalator.
- Baseline observations were followed by a stair-riser banner intervention, then a poster intervention.
- Ascending users (N=36,239) were observed, with data analyzed controlling for gender and traffic volume.
Main Results:
- Stair-riser banners showed no significant effect on stair climbing rates (40.6% baseline vs. 40.9% banner intervention).
- The addition of a poster intervention significantly increased stair climbing (44.3%; OR=1.36).
- The positive effect of the poster was diminished at higher pedestrian traffic volumes.
Conclusions:
- Stair-riser banners are not effective in high-traffic train stations due to visibility issues.
- Posters are a more effective point-of-choice prompt for encouraging stair climbing in such environments.
- Intervention effectiveness is influenced by environmental factors like pedestrian flow.
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