title: Worksite and communications-based promotion of a local walking path.
abstract: Current research has shown relationships between the environment (eg, parks and trails) and levels of physical activity participation. This study was designed to implement and evaluate a communications based worksite campaign to promote awareness of an existing local walking path and to increase walking. Promotional materials were distributed for 1 month via flyers, email, website postings, and during bi-weekly information booths. Evaluations were conducted at baseline, during, and following the promotional campaign. Borderline statistically significant increases in walking activity from baseline were observed midway through the campaign (p = 0.069) and following the campaign (p = 0.075). Counts observed during the intervention were almost triple those at baseline and increased in the post-campaign phase to approximately three and a half times those at baseline. Sign recognition surveys revealed at baseline, 51% of the participants correctly identified the walking path signs, which increased to 65% during the campaign (p = .0674). Familiarity with physical activity messages around the workplace increased from 64.6% at baseline to 75.5% during the campaign (p = .097). This study shows initial promise of a theoretically based communications intervention to increase knowledge of physical activity and to promote walking.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Brown Medical School and The Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA. MNapolitano@temple.edu
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Napolitano
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lerch
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papandonatos
authors.forename: Bess H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Marcus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009786:Occupational Health Services; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D012237:Rhode Island; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*