Physical activity measurement - a primer of health promotion

As the importance of physical activity is recognised in health promotion, the task of measuring it becomes a central research and practice challenge. Measurement of physical activity is important to policy makers interested in population surveillance, as well as to practitioners interested in programme evaluation and research. This review outlines 'best practice' in physical activity measurement, and provides an inventory of established physical activity and related measures for use in health promotion programme evaluation, research and surveillance at the national and local level. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

Can we get General Practitioners to Promote Physical Activity? Results of the 10,000 Steps Rockhampton Community-Based Physical Activity Promotion Project

Evidence supporting the efficacy of physical activity promotion in primary care settings has evaluated patient-level changes in physical activity, with little focus on the issue of general practitioner (GP) uptake. The 'GP Strategy' of 10,000 Steps Rockhampton provided an opportunity to explore this issue in the context of a multi-strategy, community-based physical activity intervention project. The 'GP Strategy' was developed in partnership with the Capricornia Division of General Practice. It aimed to: 1) increase GP awareness of the 10,000 Steps project, 2) upskill GPs in brief physical activity counselling techniques, and 3) provide GPs with evidencebased physical activity counselling materials and pedometers. The evaluation, which was guided by the RE-AIM evaluation framework, used a pre-post design, including a GP mailed survey, and collection of process data. Survey response rates were 67% (n=44/66; baseline) and 70% (n=37/53; 14-month follow-up). GP awareness of 10,000 Steps Rockhampton increased from 46% to 97%. 21/23 practices were visited by 10,000 Steps staff and accepted 10,000 Steps posters, brochures, and pedometers. At follow-up, 78% had displayed the poster, 81% were using the brochures, and 70% had loaned pedometers to patients. Despite the very high rate of uptake and use of 10,000 Steps materials, there was no change in the percentage of patients counselled, and relatively few pedometers had been loaned to patients. The results of this trial indicate that it will take more effort to change GP physical activity counselling behaviour, and provide only modest support for use of pedometers in the busy general practice setting. Acknowledgement:This project is supported by a grant from Health Promotion Queensland.

Building Community Coalitions for the Promotion of Physical Activity: 10,000 Steps Rockhampton

The 10,000 Steps Rockhampton project is a multi-strategy community-wide, physical activity intervention based on the simultaneous implementation of five strategies, each identified as 'best practice' for the promotion of physical activity. Several community partners were engaged to develop and implement the strategies during the first eighteen months of the project. These included: the local media (TV, newspaper and radio); the local Division of General Practice and other health professional groups; the Heart Foundation and ‘Just Walk It’; the local council; and several large worksites. A local physical activity task force was also formed to administer a 'micro-grants' scheme, and to guide the development of community based strategies. The presentation will focus on the critical elements involved in developing and maintaining relationships with community partners. These include identification and ‘courting’ of potential partners, strategies for keeping them engaged, and the challenges of maintaining the balance between ‘top-down’ (evidence-based) and ‘bottom-up’ (community-driven) strategies. Data on implementation and uptake of the key strategies will also be presented. These include: 1) process data on the number of health

Using the Internet for Physical Activity Promotion in a Regional Community: Feasibility Study Findings

New communication technologies (websites and email) are believed to hold promise for delivering population health interventions. However, studies on internet-delivered physical activity (PA) programs have encountered difficulties in engaging and retaining participants. Recent PA research has focused on peoples’ perceptions of the local environment and how this relates to PA participation. This study investigated the potential of: 1) reaching people living in a regional community via a locally-based Internet Service Provider (ISP), and 2) using data on the local environment to design a PA intervention relevant to the individual. An online survey was conducted via the ISP’s website over 12 days. ISP clients (approximately 9,000) were invited to participate in the survey via electronic newsletter and direct email. Data on motivational readiness and environmental correlates of PA were collected. 820 surveys were completed, of which 797 were valid (response rate = 9%). Participants had a mean BMI 27.6±8.3, were 55% male, 56% aged >45 years, 57% worked fulltime, and 36% were in the early stages of motivational readiness for PA. Most reported positive perceptions of the local environment in terms of aesthetics, convenience, access, traffic and safety. However, over half did not know about or use local PA facilities. Over 70% were somewhat to extremely interested in having access to a PA promotion website. These data suggest that promoting PA via a locally based ISP is feasible and appealing to some people living in a regional community, but also highlight some of the challenges of using this technology to deliver population health interventions.