Abstract
The public health impact of health behaviour interventions is highly dependent on large-scale implementation. Intermediaries—intervention providers—determine to a large extent whether an intervention reaches the target population, and hence its impact on public health. A cross-sectional study was performed to identify the correlates of intermediaries’ intention to implement a computer-tailored physical activity intervention. According to theory, potential correlates are intervention characteristics, organisational characteristics, socio-political characteristics and intermediary characteristics. This study investigated whether intermediary characteristics mediated the association between the intervention, organisational and socio-political characteristics and intention to implement the intervention. Results showed that intervention characteristics (i.e., observability (B = 0.53; p = 0.006); relative advantage (B = 0.79; p = 0.020); complexity (B = 0.80; p < 0.001); compatibility (B = 0.70; p < 0.001)), organisational characteristics (i.e., type of organization (B = 0.38; p = 0.002); perceived task responsibility (B = 0.66; p ≤ 0.001); capacity (B = 0.83; p < 0.001)), and the social support received by intermediary organisations (B = 0.81; p < 0.001) were associated with intention to implement the intervention. These factors should thus be targeted by an implementation strategy. Since self-efficacy and social norms perceived by the intermediary organisations partially mediated the effects of other variables on intention to implement the intervention (varying between 29% and 84%), these factors should be targeted to optimise the effectiveness of the implementation strategy.
Highlights
The health benefits of regular physical activity (PA) are well known, many people are still not sufficiently active
The purpose of the present study was to provide insight into the factors that are relevant to the implementation by intermediaries of a tailored PA intervention for adults aged over fifty years, and to provide insight into the association between the perceived intervention characteristics, organisational characteristics and the socio-political factors influencing intention to implement on the one hand, and the potentially mediating intermediary characteristics on the other hand
The trialability of the intervention and the size of the intermediary organisation were the only intervention characteristics not associated with intention to implement the intervention
Summary
The health benefits of regular physical activity (PA) are well known, many people are still not sufficiently active. Numerous studies on the efficacy of PA interventions have been published, few studies have addressed the preconditions for implementation of these proven interventions This is, essential as the public impact of effective interventions is highly dependent on their implementation: when PA interventions are not implemented adequately in practice, they will clearly not have the intended effects. Within the field of health behaviour promotion, intermediaries (such as general health practitioners, nurses or municipal health counselors) are often an important link between the developers of the intervention and the target population (i.e., the users). Often these intermediaries determine the final exposure of the intervention to the target population, they have an essential role in the implementation process [4]
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