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Co-design of a school-based physical activity intervention for adolescent females in a disadvantaged community: insights from the Girls Active Project (GAP)

McQuinn, Sara orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-3149-0685, Belton, Sarahjane orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-9672-6276, Staines, Anthony orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-9161-1357 and Sweeney, Mary Rose (2022) Co-design of a school-based physical activity intervention for adolescent females in a disadvantaged community: insights from the Girls Active Project (GAP). BMC Public Health, 22 . ISSN 1471-2458

Abstract
Background: Globally, adolescents’ physical activity (PA) participation rates are low, particularly among lower socioeconomic groups, with females consistently the least active. The aim of this study was to co-design, with adolescent females, a school-based PA intervention in a single-sex, females-only designated disadvantaged post-primary school in Ireland. This involved using the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) and Public and Patient Involvement (PPI). This paper outlines the novel methodological approach taken. Methods: The three stages 1) understand the behaviour, 2) identify intervention options, and 3) identify content and implementation options of the BCW guide is described. A student PPI Youth Advisory Group (YAG) (n=8, aged 15–17) was established. Mixed-methods were used with students (n=287, aged 12–18) and teachers (n=7) to capture current self-reported PA levels and to identify factors infuencing adolescent females’ PA behaviour in their school setting. The intervention options, content and implementation options were identifed through discussion groups with the YAG. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist was used to specify details of the intervention. Results: Just 1.4% of the students in this sample reported meeting the recommended PA guidelines. Students identifed having more ‘time’ as the strongest predictor to becoming more active in school (Mean=4.01, 95% CI 3.91 to 4.12). Social infuences, environmental context and resources, behavioural regulation, beliefs about capabilities, goals, and reinforcement emerged from the qualitative data as factors infuencing PA behaviour at school. The BCW codesign process resulted in the identifcation of seven intervention functions, four policy categories and 21 Behaviour Change Techniques. The Girls Active Project (GAP) intervention, a peer-led, after-school PA programme was proposed. Conclusions: This paper describes how the BCW, a comprehensive, evidence-based, theory-driven framework was used in combination with PPI to co-design a school-based intervention aimed to increase adolescent females’ PA levels. This approach could be replicated in other settings to develop targeted behavioural interventions in populations with specifc demographic characteristics.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Additional Information:Article number: 615
Uncontrolled Keywords:Physical activity, Behaviour change wheel, Adolescent female, Intervention development, School-based intervention, COM-B, TDF, BCTs
Subjects:Medical Sciences > Exercise
Medical Sciences > Health
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health > School of Health and Human Performance
DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health > School of Nursing, Psychotherapy & Community Health
Publisher:BMC, part of Springer
Official URL:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12635-w
Copyright Information:© 2022 The Authors.
Funders:Health Research Board SPHeRE/2013/1
ID Code:27563
Deposited On:15 Aug 2022 15:25 by Thomas Murtagh . Last Modified 20 Apr 2023 17:17
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