A Method for Investigating Access to Diaper Changing Stations in Restaurants

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Environmental Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Parents and caretakers require diaper changing stations (DCSs) to access public and commercial venues.
• Limited research quantifies the availability of DCSs in public restrooms.
• Assessing DCS accessibility is crucial for equitable public space utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a phone interview methodology for assessing DCS availability in restaurant restrooms.
• To evaluate the accessibility of DCSs for both male and female caregivers.
• To determine the accuracy of phone surveys compared to in-person audits.

Main Methods:

• A phone interview methodology was developed to survey restaurant employees regarding DCS presence and restroom type (unisex/gendered).
• Phone interviews were conducted with 60 Philadelphia restaurants in May 2019.
• In-person audits were performed to validate phone interview responses.

Main Results:

• Phone interviews indicated 16.7% of restaurants had DCSs, while 83.3% did not.
• In-person audits confirmed phone responses regarding DCS presence with 98.3% accuracy (Cohen's kappa: 0.94).
• Audits validated restroom type reporting with 91.7% accuracy (Cohen's kappa: 0.83).

Conclusions:

• Phone interviews provide an accurate and efficient method for assessing DCS availability in restaurants.
• This methodology can identify disparities in DCS access.
• The findings support using this method for policy change advocacy to improve DCS accessibility for all caregivers.