Modeling the Development of Local Health-Enhancing Physical Activity Policies from Empirical Data and Policy Science Theories.

Antoine Noël Racine,Bernard Massiera,Jean-Marie Garbarino,Anne Vuillemin

doi:10.3390/ijerph19031213

Abstract

Physical inactivity is considered a pandemic, requiring strong policy responses to address this major health issue. However, research on the development of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity policies (HEPA) remains scarce, particularly at the local level. There is a need to produce evidence to better understand the process to develop local HEPA policies. This study aims to model the development of HEPA policy promotion in French municipalities from empirical data and policy science theories. This research was undertaken in three steps: (1) assess the level of development of HEPA policies from 10 French municipalities using a local HEPA analysis tool, (2) provide a brief overview of core political science theories applied in health promotion, and (3) from these empirical and theoretical perspectives, model a conceptual framework to better understand the development of HEPA policy promotion in French municipalities. Based on empirical data and the Multiple Streams, policy cycles and Institutional Rational Choice theories, a conceptual framework of the development of municipal HEPA policy promotion was modeled. This conceptual framework is comprised of five stages describing the development of municipal HEPA policies. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the development of municipal HEPA policies.

Highlights

Accepted: 18 January 2022Insufficient physical activity is associated with major consequences on health, such as an increased risk of developing a non-communicable disease, or a lower quality of life and mental health [1,2,3]
Policies from 10 French municipalities using CAPLA-Santé, a local Health-Enhancing Physical Activity policies (HEPA) analysis tool [19], (2) provide a brief overview of core political science theories applied in health promotion, and (3) from these empirical and theoretical perspectives, model a conceptual framework to better understand the development of HEPA policy promotion in French municipalities
Based on empirical data and the Multiple Streams [30], policy cycles [31], and the Institutional Rational Choice [34] theories, a conceptual framework of the development of municipal HEPA policy promotion was modeled. This conceptual framework is comprised of five stages describing the development of a municipal HEPA policy from the beginning of the policymaking process to the policy change in the French context

Summary

Introduction

Accepted: 18 January 2022Insufficient physical activity is associated with major consequences on health, such as an increased risk of developing a non-communicable disease, or a lower quality of life and mental health [1,2,3]. Physical inactivity is considered a pandemic problem [6], requiring strong policy responses to address this major health issue [7,8]. According to the literature, ‘upstream’ approaches such as policies are crucial to increase the physical activity level of the population as part of long-term change [9,10]. To this end, a combination of policy solutions is required, involving many stakeholders from a wide range of sectors at multiple levels to develop a complex ecosystem supporting an active lifestyle [7,8]

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