E C Goyder1, R Maheswaran2, S Read2. 1. School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, SheffieldS1 4DA, UK. 2. Public Health GIS Unit, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Abstract
Background: Evidence suggests behavioural interventions may exacerbate health inequalities, potentially due to differences in uptake or effectiveness. We used a physical activity intervention targeting deprived communities to identify neighbourhood-level factors that might explain differences in programme impact. Methods: Individuals aged 40-65 were sent a postal invitation offering a brief intervention to increase physical activity. We used postcodes linkage to determine whether neighbourhood indicators of deprivation, housing, crime and proximity to green spaces and leisure facilities predicted uptake of the initial invitation or an increase in physical activity level in those receiving the brief intervention. Results: A total of 4134 (6.8%) individuals responded to the initial invitation and of those receiving the intervention and contactable after 3 months, 486 (51.6%) reported an increase in physical activity. Area deprivation scores linked to postcodes predicted intervention uptake, but not intervention effectiveness. Neighbourhood indicators did not predict either uptake or intervention effectiveness. Conclusions: The main barrier to using brief intervention invitations to increase physical activity in deprived, middle-aged populations was the low uptake of an intervention requiring significant time and motivation from participants. Once individuals have taken up the intervention offer, neighbourhood characteristics did not appear to be significant barriers to successful lifestyle change.
Background: Evidence suggests behavioural interventions may exacerbate health inequalities, potentially due to differences in uptake or effectiveness. We used a physical activity intervention targeting deprived communities to identify neighbourhood-level factors that might explain differences in programme impact. Methods: Individuals aged 40-65 were sent a postal invitation offering a brief intervention to increase physical activity. We used postcodes linkage to determine whether neighbourhood indicators of deprivation, housing, crime and proximity to green spaces and leisure facilities predicted uptake of the initial invitation or an increase in physical activity level in those receiving the brief intervention. Results: A total of 4134 (6.8%) individuals responded to the initial invitation and of those receiving the intervention and contactable after 3 months, 486 (51.6%) reported an increase in physical activity. Area deprivation scores linked to postcodes predicted intervention uptake, but not intervention effectiveness. Neighbourhood indicators did not predict either uptake or intervention effectiveness. Conclusions: The main barrier to using brief intervention invitations to increase physical activity in deprived, middle-aged populations was the low uptake of an intervention requiring significant time and motivation from participants. Once individuals have taken up the intervention offer, neighbourhood characteristics did not appear to be significant barriers to successful lifestyle change.
Authors: Christopher Gidlow; Lynne H Johnston; Diane Crone; Clare Morris; Alex Smith; Charlie Foster; David V B James Journal: J Public Health (Oxf) Date: 2007-03-06 Impact factor: 2.341
Authors: Elizabeth Goyder; Daniel Hind; Jeff Breckon; Munyaradzi Dimairo; Jonathan Minton; Emma Everson-Hock; Simon Read; Robert Copeland; Helen Crank; Kimberly Horspool; Liam Humphreys; Andrew Hutchison; Sue Kesterton; Nicolas Latimer; Emma Scott; Peter Swaile; Stephen J Walters; Rebecca Wood; Karen Collins; Cindy Cooper Journal: Health Technol Assess Date: 2014-02 Impact factor: 4.014