Identifying state-level policy and provision domains for physical education and physical activity in high school

Derek Hales,Dan R Taber,June Stevens,David M Murray,Amy Roberts

doi:10.1186/1479-5868-10-86

Abstract

BackgroundIt is important to quickly and efficiently identify policies that are effective at changing behavior; therefore, we must be able to quantify and evaluate the effect of those policies and of changes to those policies. The purpose of this study was to develop state-level physical education (PE) and physical activity (PA) policy domain scores at the high-school level. Policy domain scores were developed with a focus on measuring policy change.MethodsExploratory factor analysis was used to group items from the state-level School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) into policy domains. Items that related to PA or PE at the High School level were identified from the 7 SHPPS health program surveys. Data from 2000 and 2006 were used in the factor analysis. RESULTS: From the 98 items identified, 17 policy domains were extracted. Average policy domain change scores were positive for 12 policy domains, with the largest increases for “Discouraging PA as Punishment”, “Collaboration”, and “Staff Development Opportunities”. On average, states increased scores in 4.94 ± 2.76 policy domains, decreased in 3.53 ± 2.03, and had no change in 7.69 ± 2.09 policy domains. Significant correlations were found between several policy domain scores.ConclusionsQuantifying policy change and its impact is integral to the policy making and revision process. Our results build on previous research offering a way to examine changes in state-level policies related to PE and PA of high-school students and the faculty and staff who serve them. This work provides methods for combining state-level policies relevant to PE or PA in youth for studies of their impact.

Highlights

It is important to quickly and efficiently identify policies that are effective at changing behavior; we must be able to quantify and evaluate the effect of those policies and of changes to those policies
We describe a set of policy domain scores that can be computed using surveillance data collected as part of the School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) survey and present State-level policy domain scores and change
Quantifying policy change and its impact is integral to the policy making and revision process

Summary

Introduction

It is important to quickly and efficiently identify policies that are effective at changing behavior; we must be able to quantify and evaluate the effect of those policies and of changes to those policies. While previous research has shown that some state-level legislation and local policies are positively related to PE time and PA levels of students [1,2,3,4,5] there is little empirical support for many of the legislative actions that are pending or have been enacted. This includes support for legislative action directly related to PA (e.g. allowing community access to school playgrounds and field) and legislation more peripheral to PA levels (e.g. creating a model framework for teacher and principal evaluation instruments or requiring public meetings about education issues). Without evidence for effectiveness it is not known which policy actions are useful and which are ineffectual, placing an undue burden on a system with limited resources

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