title: In-depth interviews with state public health practitioners on the United States National Physical Activity Plan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The United States National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP; 2010), the country's first national plan for physical activity, provides strategies to increase population-level physical activity to complement the 2008 physical activity guidelines. This study examined state public health practitioner awareness, dissemination, use, challenges, and recommendations for the NPAP.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2011-2012, we interviewed 27 state practitioners from 25 states. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded using a standard protocol, verified and reconciled by an independent coder, and input into qualitative software to facilitate development of common themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NPAP awareness was high among state practitioners; dissemination to local constituents varied. Development of state-level strategies and goals was the most frequently reported use of the NPAP. Some respondents noted the usefulness of the NPAP for coalitions and local practitioners. Challenges to the plan included implementation cost, complexity, and consistency with other policies. The most frequent recommendation made was to directly link examples of implementation activities to the plan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide early evidence of NPAP dissemination and use, along with challenges encountered and suggestions for future iterations. Public health is one of eight sectors in the NPAP. Further efforts are needed to understand uptake and use by other sectors, as well as to monitor long-term relevance, progress, and collaboration across sectors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA. kelly_evenson@unc.edu
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Evenson
authors.forename: Sara B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Satinsky
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Valko
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gustat
authors.forename: Isobel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.forename: Jill S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Litt
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hooker
authors.forename: Hannah L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Nancy O'Hara
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Tompkins
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D015444:Exercise; D006040:Goals; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011634:Public Health; D011640:Public Policy; D014481:United States