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Long-Term Perspectives of a School-Based Intervention to Promote Active School Transportation.

ABSTRACT: There is a global need for sustainable interventions that increase physical activity among children, and active school transportation (AST) can promote physical activity among schoolchildren. Therefore, an intervention based on gamification, empowerment, and social cognitive theory was initiated in 2016 to promote AST. The aim of this study was to follow up on participants' experiences one and two years after the AST intervention was initiated. Data were collected through focus groups and individual interviews which were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Thirty-one pupils (2017), and forty pupils (2018) aged 9-10 years, two teachers (2017, 2018) and one principal (2018) participated in the study. The result is presented as one main theme; "Unity for an active community-An intervention towards making the active choice the easy choice" and three sub-themes; "Well begun is half done-Engagement sparks motivation", "It takes two to tango-Keep moving with gamifications and togetherness" and "Jumping on the bandwagon-From project to everyday use." The results show that the concept of the intervention was attractive to re-use and that it created a habit to use AST among the children. Interventions to promote AST can benefit from the use of engagement, togetherness, and gamification.

SUBMITTER: Savolainen E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7400284 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Long-Term Perspectives of a School-Based Intervention to Promote Active School Transportation.

Savolainen Eva E Rutberg Stina S Backman Ylva Y Lindqvist Anna-Karin AK

International journal of environmental research and public health 20200712 14

There is a global need for sustainable interventions that increase physical activity among children, and active school transportation (AST) can promote physical activity among schoolchildren. Therefore, an intervention based on gamification, empowerment, and social cognitive theory was initiated in 2016 to promote AST. The aim of this study was to follow up on participants' experiences one and two years after the AST intervention was initiated. Data were collected through focus groups and indivi ...[more]

PMID: 32664621

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Project description:BackgroundPromoting cycling to school may benefit establishing a lifelong physical activity routine. This systematic review aimed to summarize the evidence on strategies and effects of school-based interventions focusing on increasing active school transport by bicycle.MethodsA literature search based on "PICo" was conducted in eight electronic databases. Randomized and non-randomized controlled trials with primary/secondary school students of all ages were included that conducted pre-post measurements of a school-based intervention aimed at promoting active school travel by bicycle and were published in English between 2000 and 2019. The methodological quality was assessed using the "Effective Public Health Practice Project" tool for quantitative studies. Applied behavior change techniques were identified using the "BCT Taxonomy v1". Two independent researchers undertook the screening, data extraction, appraisal of study quality, and behavior change techniques.ResultsNine studies investigating seven unique interventions performed between 2012 and 2018 were included. All studies were rated as weak quality. The narrative synthesis identified 19 applied behavior change techniques clustered in eleven main groups according to their similarities and a variety of 35 different outcome variables classified into seven main groups. Most outcomes were related to active school travel and psychosocial factors, followed by physical fitness, physical activity levels, weight status, active travel and cycling skills. Four studies, examining in total nine different outcomes, found a significant effect in favor of the intervention group on bicycle trips to school (boys only), percentage of daily cycling trips to school, parental/child self-efficacy, parental outcome expectations, moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (total, from cycling, before/after school), and total basic cycling skills. Seven of these outcomes were only examined in two studies conducting the same intervention in children, a voluntary bicycle train to/from school accompanied by adults, including the following clustered main groups of behavior change techniques: shaping knowledge, comparison of behavior, repetition and substitution as well as antecedents.ConclusionsThe applied strategies in a bicycle train intervention among children indicated great potential to increase cycling to school. Our findings provide relevant insights for the design and implementation of future school-based interventions targeting active school transport by bicycle.Trial registrationThis systematic review has been registered in the international prospective register of systematic reviews "PROSPERO" at (registration number: CRD42019125192 ).

Project description:BACKGROUND:Active school travel by bike may provide appropriate means to promote physical activity through commuting to and from school, expanding the mobility during leisure time, and integrating a lifelong positive behavior routine. However, bicycling seems to be a less common form of active school transport and declining cycling to school trends in some European countries have been observed. Therefore, effective interventions aiming at promoting biking to school are warranted. To gain a better understanding of effective programs, the systematic review will summarize strategies and effects of school-based interventions targeted on positively influencing active school travel by bicycle. METHODS:The databases ERIC, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, SURF, and Web of Science will be searched utilizing a detailed search strategy according to "PICo". Consequently, there will be no restriction regarding the outcomes measured in studies. For inclusion in the review, the identified primary studies (i.e. randomized and non-randomized controlled trials) should be published between 2000 and 2019 due to their current relevance, and written in English. The screening, data extraction, and appraisal of study quality as well as behavior change techniques will be undertaken by two independent researchers. To assess the methodological quality of every included study, the quality assessment tool "Effective Public Health Practice Project" for quantitative studies will be used. Behavior change techniques will be identified by utilizing the "BCT Taxonomy v1". If data permits, meta-analyses for intervention effects will be conducted where appropriate. DISCUSSION:The planned systematic review can provide information about how bicycling is considered in school-based interventions as an effective strategy to promote active commuting to school among students. In this regard, the conclusions drawn from the review will establish a basis for researchers to plan and implement a comprehensive cycling intervention in the school setting. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION:PROSPEROCRD42019125192.

Project description:PurposeTo examine adolescent experiences and perspectives of the GoActive intervention (ISRCTN31583496) using mixed methods process evaluation to determine satisfaction with intervention components and interpret adolescents' experiences of the intervention process in order to provide insights for future intervention design.MethodsParticipants (n = 1542; 13.2 ± 0.4 years, mean ± SD) provided questionnaire data at baseline (shyness, activity level) and post-intervention (intervention acceptability, satisfaction with components). Between-group differences (boys vs. girls and shy/inactive vs. others) were tested with linear regression models, accounting for school clustering. Data from 16 individual interviews (shy/inactive) and 11 focus groups with 48 participants (mean = 4; range 2-7) were thematically coded. Qualitative and quantitative data were merged in an integrative mixed methods convergence matrix, which denoted convergence and dissonance across datasets.ResultsEffect sizes for quantitative results were small and may not represent substantial between-group differences. Boys (vs. girls) preferred class-based sessions (β = 0.2, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.1-0.3); qualitative data suggested that this was because boys preferred competition, which was supported quantitatively (β = 0.2, 95%CI: 0.1-0.3). Shy/inactive students did not enjoy the competition (β = -0.3, 95%CI: -0.5 to -0.1). Boys enjoyed trying new activities more (β = 0.1, 95%CI: 0.1-0.2); qualitative data indicated a desire to try new activities across all subgroups but identified barriers to choosing unfamiliar activities with self-imposed choice restriction leading to boredom. Qualitative data highlighted critique of mentorship; adolescents liked the idea, but older mentors did not meet expectations.ConclusionWe interpreted adolescent perspectives of intervention components and implementation to provide insights into future complex interventions aimed at increasing young people's physical activity in school-based settings. The intervention component mentorship was liked in principle, but implementation issues undesirably impacted satisfaction; competition was disliked by girls and shy/inactive students. The results highlight the importance of considering gender differences in preference of competition and extensive mentorship training.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Physical inactivity is globally recognized as a major risk factor for morbidity, particularly the incidence of noncommunicable diseases. Increasing physical activity (PA) is therefore a public health priority. Engaging in active transportation (AT) is a viable approach for promoting daily PA levels. Mobile health interventions enable the promotion of AT to a larger population. The Smart City Active Mobile Phone Intervention (SCAMPI) study was a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the ability of a behavior change program delivered via a smartphone app to motivate participants to increase their PA by engaging in AT. OBJECTIVE:This qualitative study aims to examine the acceptance and user experience of the app promoting AT that was used in the SCAMPI trial (the TRavelVU Plus app). METHODS:A total of 17 residents of Stockholm County (13 women; age range 25-61 years) who completed the 3-month app-based behavioral change program (delivered through the TRavelVU Plus app) in the SCAMPI randomized controlled trial during 2018 agreed to participate in a semistructured telephone-based interview. These participants were well representative of the whole intervention group (n=127) in terms of baseline characteristics such as age, sex, and area of residence. The interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using an inductive qualitative content analysis. RESULTS:The content analysis revealed 2 themes and 4 subcategories. The first theme, "main motivators: monitoring and messages," highlighted that monitoring AT and being able to set weekly goals using the app were the primary motivators reported by study participants. The second theme, "acceptable but modifiable," reflects that the app was well accepted and effectively encouraged many participants to use more AT. Nevertheless, there were functions in the app that require modification. For example, while the semiautomated travel tracking feature was appreciated, participants found it time-consuming and unreliable at times. CONCLUSIONS:This study contributes novel insight into adults' experiences of using a mobile app to promote the use of AT. The results showed that the app was well accepted and that self-monitoring and goal setting were the main motivators to engage in more AT. The semiautomated tracking of AT was appreciated; however, it was also reported to be energy- and time-consuming when it failed to work. Thus, this feature should be improved going forward. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03086837; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03086837. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID):RR2-10.1186/s12889-018-5658-4.

Dataset Information

Long-Term Perspectives of a School-Based Intervention to Promote Active School Transportation.

Publications

Long-Term Perspectives of a School-Based Intervention to Promote Active School Transportation.

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