The short-term effects of a mass reach physical activity campaign: an evaluation using hierarchy of effects model and intention profiles.

BACKGROUND: Mass reach physical activity campaigns are designed to deliver physical-activity related messages to a large population across different media including print, television, radio, and websites. Few evaluations have examined the short-term effects of a mass reach campaign on participants who were engaged with the campaign. The current research examined the short-term effects of the ParticipACTION 150 Play List, a mass reach physical activity campaign, on participants who registered with the campaign website. METHODS: Participants (N = 7801) completed a registration questionnaire measuring demographic information, awareness and recall of physical activity and sport advertising, and self-reported number of activities tried or planned to try from the 150 Play List. A follow-up survey was completed by 1298 participants from the original sample. Additional questions assessed experience with the 150 Play List and attitudes towards campaign advertisements. RESULTS: Approximately 14.5% of participants cited the ParticipACTION 150 Play List and 23.6% mentioned a 'getting active' message when recalling advertisements. Those who named the 150 Play List or getting active reported more activities tried and more activities planned than those who did not. They were also more likely to say they had tried a new activity and planned ongoing participation. It was also found that participants with a disability were more likely to have tried a new activity compared to those not in a minority group. Other correlates of trying new activities at follow-up were younger age, more positive reported experience with the 150 Play List, and more favourable attitudes towards campaign advertisements. Those who did not intend continued participation, or who were unsure at baseline and then decided against continued participation at follow-up, reported they were less sedentary or encouraging others to be active. CONCLUSIONS: This research addresses the gap in evidence regarding the efficacy of mass reach physical activity campaigns by informing whether a year-long campaign like the 150 Play List can be effective in influencing the behavior of those engaged with the campaign. The results reinforce the idea that 'top of mind' awareness should be measured. Investigating intention profiles can help inform campaign impacts and continuation intentions.

What older adolescents expect from physical activity: Implicit cognitions regarding health and appearance outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To explore older adolescents' reflective and impulsive thoughts about health- and social/appearance-related physical activity (PA) outcomes and investigate how those thoughts relate to their PA behavior. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and forty-four undergraduate students (109 women; 35 men) aged 17-19 years (M = 18.11, SD = 0.65) participated in this study in October 2015. METHODS: Participants completed a Go/No-go Association Task that assessed automaticity of associations between PA words and either health outcomes or social/appearance outcomes. Questionnaires assessing PA behavior, attitudes, outcome expectations, and body image were also completed. RESULTS: Participants demonstrated a positive automatic association between PA and social/appearance outcomes, F(1, 136) = 4.403, p < .05, η2 = .031, but they showed no difference in their associations between PA and desirable or undesirable health outcomes, F(1, 136) = 2.405, p = .123, η2 = .017. CONCLUSIONS: Older adolescents implicitly attend to the social/appearance outcomes of PA more than potential health outcomes, indicating that social recognition and a desirable physique may be the key PA motivators for adolescents.

Changes in BMI over 6 years: the role of demographic and neighborhood characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: To undertake a 6-year longitudinal investigation of the relationship between the built environment (perceived and objectively measured) and change in body mass index (BMI). Specifically, this research examined whether change in BMI was predicted by objectively measured neighborhood walkability and socioeconomic status (SES), and perceived neighborhood characteristics (for example, crime, traffic and interesting things to look at) in addition to other factors such as age, gender, education, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. SUBJECTS: 500 adults who provided complete data in 2002 and 2008 and who did not move over the course of the study (47.8% female; age in 2002: 18-90 years). MEASUREMENTS: Telephone surveys in 2002 and 2008 measuring perceptions of their neighborhood environment and demographic factors. Objective measures of neighborhood characteristics were calculated using census data and geographical information systems in 2006. RESULTS: Age, neighborhood SES and perceived traffic were significantly related to increased BMI over the 6 years. Younger participants and those in lower SES neighborhoods were more likely to have increased BMI. Agreement with the statement that traffic made it difficult to walk also predicted increased BMI. CONCLUSION: This study adds to the literature to show that BMI increased in low SES neighborhoods. Although more research is needed to fully understand how neighborhood SES contributes to obesity, it is without question that individuals in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods face more barriers to health than their wealthier counterparts. This study also calls into question the relationship between walkability and changes in BMI and emphasizes the necessity of longitudinal data rather than relying on cross-sectional research.

Application of a social cognitive model in explaining physical activity in Iranian female adolescents.

Adolescent Iranian girls are at high risk for physical inactivity due to cultural barriers such as restrictions regarding exercising in public and research is needed to explore ethnic and gender-related factors associated with physical activity (PA) participation. Using social cognitive theory as the guiding model, the purpose of this study was to test the fit and strength of barriers self-efficacy, outcome expectations, self-regulation and social support in explaining PA in female Iranian adolescents (n = 558). Using path analysis, social support was modeled as an antecedent of self-efficacy and outcome expectations, while self-efficacy was modeled as an antecedent of outcome expectations, self-regulatory planning and PA. Outcome expectations and self-regulatory planning were subsequently modeled as additional antecedents of PA. The model explained 52% of the variance in PA. The two significant (P < 0.05) direct effects were from self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Social support from mothers, fathers and friends had significant indirect effects on PA through self-efficacy. These results will allow for future research and interventions not only for female Iranian adolescents but also for similar cultural and immigrant groups that have been neglected to date in the PA literature.

Initial success and substantial government savings may mandate prime vendor contracts for Table of Organization and Equipment units and development support.

In November 1994, the Department of Pharmacy at Madigan Army Medical Center and the 62nd Medical Group Logistics (Fort Lewis, Washington) examined the feasibility of prime vendor support for the 18th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in a Table of Organization and Equipment (TOE) unit rapid deployment. The TOE medication list was deemed to be out of date and a state-of-the-art formulary was developed. By identifying three National Drug Code bioequivalent substitutes for each National Stock Number, a 94% prime vendor match was achieved for pharmaceuticals form the new formulary serving as our template. The 6% of medications that were not able to be matched consisted of items deemed as military-unique or items not covered by the prime vendor government contracts with wholesalers. On August 7, 1995, a trial was conducted to determine whether the local prime vendor had the capacity to support a deployment under its present contract with Madigan Army Medical Center. Two hundred eighty-six line items were ordered, mocking the deployment of two medical units. More than 95% of the line items were filled within 5 days from the local prime vendor. Under the local contract, the prime vendor was under no obligation to have out-of-stock medications provided by overnight shipment from other national distribution sites. This advantage, which is standard in national pharmaceutical prime vendor contracts negotiated by large civilian group purchasing organizations, would have substantially decreased the period of time to attain a > 95% fill. The results of this trial have provided strong support for prime vendor utilization in future deployments.

My brother's keeper: assisting the impaired PA.

Impairment is defined as the inability to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety to patients because of physical or mental illness, including deterioration through the aging process, loss of motor skills, or excessive use or abuse of drugs, including alcohol. A practitioner is also impaired when personal problems interfere with the administration of medical care. Acknowledging the issue of impairment can be unpleasant. By doing so, practitioners often realize that their perceptions of themselves and their colleagues as invulnerable guardians of public health and healers of disease, are delusions. This growing problem reflects not only on the individual practitioner suffering from impairment, but on the profession as a whole. Thus, the problems of the impaired PA must be addressed in a reasonable and compassionate manner. The authors discuss how to deal with affected colleagues, and outline an alternative, nonpunitive, and humanitarian model for assisting impaired PAs, established by the Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants.