Promoting physical activity interventions in communities with poor health and socio-economic profiles: A process evaluation of the implementation of a new walking group scheme.
Walking groups have known health benefits but may not operate in communities with the greatest health needs, leading to the potential for increasing health inequity. This study examined the process of implementing a new volunteer led walking group scheme in a deprived community in England with poor physical activity, health and socio-economic indicators. Documentary evidence and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and volunteer walk leaders undertaken at the beginning and end of the funding period were analysed thematically. It was found that utilising community-based assets, forming collaborative partnerships with health and non-health organisations and ongoing sustainability issues were all factors that affected the scheme's effective implementation. Passive recruitment methods and mass publicity did not attract participants who were representative of their community. The findings firstly suggest the necessity of identifying and mobilising community based assets at the 'grass roots' in deprived communities during the preparatory stage to access those in greatest need and to plan and build capacity. Secondly, the findings highlight the key role that health professionals have in referring those in poorest health and the inactive into walking interventions. In the new era of fiscally constrained public health embedded within local authorities these findings are pertinent in supporting the utilisation of local assets to address entrenched physical inactivity and inequity within deprived communities.
Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK. Electronic address: s.hanson@uea.ac.uk.
Sarah
S
Hanson
School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK.
Jane
J
Cross
Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK.
Andy
A
Jones
D004739:England; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012923:Social Class; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology*
Health equity; Physical activity; Process evaluation; Public health; Walking groups
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2012 Dec;66(12):1182-6
22577181
J Eval Clin Pract. 2012 Aug;18(4):835-40
21518152
Br J Sports Med. 2015 Jun;49(11):710-5
25601182
BMC Public Health. 2013 Jul 01;13:620
23816316
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Jan 05;1:CD008366
25556970
Soc Sci Med. 2014 Dec;123:55-63
25462605
Int J Qual Health Care. 2007 Dec;19(6):349-57
17872937
Int J Equity Health. 2015 Oct 29;14:106
26511620
BMJ. 2015 Jan 21;350:h23
25608835
Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011 Dec 15;8:137
22171531
BMC Med Res Methodol. 2013 Sep 18;13:117
24047204
BMC Public Health. 2012 Aug 10;12:635
22882796
Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2015 Sep 29;12:125
26416606
Prev Med. 2014 Oct;67 Suppl 1:S58-61
25069043
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2013 Oct 28;10(11):5507-22
24169412
Health Place. 2016 May;39:26-33
26922515
BMJ Open. 2014 Nov 28;4(11):e006046
25432903
BMJ. 2015 Mar 19;350:h1258
25791983
Eur J Cancer. 2010 Sep;46(14):2593-604
20843488
Prev Med. 2012 Jun;54(6):371-80
22521997
Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2014 May 23;11:68
24886604
Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Mar;101(3):613-21
25733647
BMC Public Health. 2013 Sep 08;13:813
24010994