A formative evaluation of a family-based walking intervention-Furness Families Walk4Life

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Charlie Foster¹  Paul Kelly¹  Karen Milton²  Fiona Bull³ 

[1] British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, OX3 7LF, Headington, Oxford, UK;School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Epinal Way, LE11 3TU, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK;School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Epinal Way, LE11 3TU, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK;School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, 6009, Crawley, WA, Australia;

关键词: Physical Activity;    Focus Group;    Green Space;    Programme Staff;    Centre Staff;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-11-614

 received in 2011-02-04, accepted in 2011-08-02,  发布年份 2011

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe family unit may be an important mechanism for increasing physical activity levels, yet little is known about what types of family-based interventions are effective. This study involved a formative evaluation of a 12 week intervention to encourage walking as a family based activity. The intervention consisted of several key elements including led walks and tailored resources, as well as remote support provided via the telephone. The project aimed to explore factors associated with successful delivery of the programme and to identify areas of improvement for future implementation.MethodsA total of nine interviews were undertaken with programme staff who were involved in either the set up or delivery of the intervention. In addition, four interviews and two focus groups were undertaken with participants to explore their experiences of the programme. The analysis involved both deductive and inductive reasoning.ResultsIn total, 114 people participated in the programme, which included 36 adults, 10 adolescents and 68 children (≤ 10 years of age). Adult participants reported several barriers to walking including concerns over their children's behaviour and their ability to maintain 'control' of their children. Walking in a group with other families gave parents confidence to go out walking with their children and provided a valuable opportunity for social interaction for parents and children alike. The most successful walks incorporated specific destinations and an activity to undertake upon reaching the destination. Incorporating other activities along the way also helped to keep the children engaged.ConclusionsThe results of this study have highlighted the important contribution that formative research can make in informing and refining a programme to increase appropriateness and effectiveness. The study has helped to highlight the key characteristics associated with delivering a successful walking intervention to young families. It is recommended that practitioners undertake formative research when developing novel health promotion initiatives to help refine the programme protocols.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Milton et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011