Signs to Promote Stair Use

The Hispanic population suffers disproportionately from obesity and chronic diseases related to a lack of physical activity. In order to address these issues, the University of Texas at El Paso posted promotional signs near stairwell at a bank, an airport, an office building and a university campus in order to promote the use of stairwells. Some signs carried messages that emphasized the importance of the family while others carried a more individual message. Messages were produced in both Spanish and English.

To increase physical activity among Hispanic populations by promoting the use of stairways.

This intervention was evaluated in 1999 over the period of one month. The number of people taking the stairs at times when messaged was posted and when messages were absent were counted and compared.

The study found increased stair use when the sign was posted near the stairs regardless of the type of sign posted. When individual targeted signs were present, the stair use significantly increased among both men and women at the bank and airport (p<0.001).

In locations with the family promotion poster, the stair use among men decreased at the office building and the library (p<0.001). However, men’s stair use increased at the airport (p<0.001). Compared to men, women’s stair use increased at all the sites (p<0.001) except at the office building. The overall study found greater impact of promotional message among women.