Abstract
BackgroundPhysical inactivity is a persistent challenge among girls. School-based physical activity (PA) interventions have shown mixed effects on girl’s activity levels, with multi-component approaches involving both school and community links appearing more effective for sustainable change. The purpose of the current research was to gather views from preadolescent girls, parents, teachers and stakeholders in order to co-produce a multi-component school-based, community linked PA intervention programme.MethodsFocus groups were conducted in two primary schools with 34 girls aged 9–11 years and 11 parents (10 female, 1 male). In-depth interviews were conducted with four female teachers (including two head teachers). Focus groups and interviews focused on programme design (structure, content and delivery) and potential factors affecting intervention uptake and continued PA participation. A series of stakeholder engagement events occurred throughout the study period. All data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed in NVivo 11.ResultsGirls reported that fun taster sessions delivered by role models would encourage them to participate in a school-based role model programme, with tailored taster sessions each week to enhance continued PA participation. Parents and teachers identified a number of barriers to uptake and continued PA participation, and active involvement of stakeholders facilitated the development of intervention strategies. Strategies included; single-sex after-school sessions, use of female role models, low-cost activity options and mapping community provision. Analyses revealed the importance of tailoring the programme to align with local needs, demands and provision.ConclusionsData show numerous barriers to intervention uptake and continued PA participation when designing a school-based, community-linked intervention. Adopting a co-production approach, this formative work highlights a number of potential strategies for overcoming these barriers. Findings from the research directed the development and implementation of the CHARMING role model intervention and informed the creation of an intervention logic model.
Highlights
Physical inactivity is a persistent challenge among girls
This paper reports the results of formative research to inform the development and design of a school-based physical activity (PA) role model programme
One school was located in an urban region and had a high proportion of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) pupils, the other school was located in a rural area and had a predominant white population
Summary
Physical inactivity is a persistent challenge among girls. School-based physical activity (PA) interventions have shown mixed effects on girl’s activity levels, with multi-component approaches involving both school and community links appearing more effective for sustainable change. A large number of PA interventions include health education as an intervention component; one review highlighted the uncertainty about how children’s knowledge of (or beliefs and attitudes towards) PA affects their PA participation [11]. Supporting this assertion, a review on the effectiveness of classroom-based education [12] found increases in general health knowledge, exercise-related knowledge, and self-efficacy about exercise lead to limited success in increasing time children spent in PA outside the school setting. No intervention to date has attempted to deliver health education messages using PA as the mode of delivery, presenting a potential opportunity to bridge the gap between health education and health behaviours
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