Suchergebnisse

BACKGROUND: Internationally, government policies mandating schools to provide students with opportunities to participate in physical activity are poorly implemented. The multi-component Physically Active Children in Education (PACE) intervention effectively assists schools to implement one such policy. We evaluated the value of investment by health service providers tasked with intervention delivery, and explored where adaptations might be targeted to reduce program costs for scale-up. METHODS: A prospective trial-based economic evaluation of an implementation intervention in 61 primary schools in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Schools were randomised to the PACE intervention or a wait-list control. PACE strategies included centralised technical assistance, ongoing consultation, principal's mandated change, identifying and preparing in-school champions, educational outreach visits, and provision of educational materials and equipment. Effectiveness was measured as the mean weekly minutes of physical activity implemented by classroom teachers, recorded in a daily log book at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Delivery costs (reported in $AUD, 2018) were evaluated from a public finance perspective. Cost data were used to calculate: total intervention cost, cost per strategy and incremental cost (overall across all schools and as an average per school). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated as the incremental cost of delivering PACE divided by the estimated intervention effect. RESULTS: PACE cost the health service provider a total of $35,692 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] $32,411, $38,331) to deliver; an average cost per school of $1151 (95%UI $1046, $1236). Training in-school champions was the largest contributor: $19,437 total; $627 ($0 to $648) average per school. Educational outreach was the second largest contributor: $4992 total; $161 ($0 to $528) average per school. The ICER was $29 (95%UI $17, $64) for every additional minute of weekly physical activity implemented per school. ...

BACKGROUND: Physically Active Children in Education (PACE) is composed of eight implementation strategies that improves schools' implementation of a government physical activity policy. A greater understanding of each discrete implementation strategy could inform improvements to PACE for delivery at-scale. This study aimed to: (A) measure the dose delivered, fidelity, adoption and acceptability of each strategy using quantitative data; (B) identify implementation barriers and facilitators using qualitative data; and (C) explore the importance of each strategy by integrating both data sets (mixed methods). METHODS: This study used data from a cluster randomised noninferiority trial comparing PACE with an adapted version (Adapted PACE) that was delivered with reduced in-person external support to reduce costs and increase scalability. Data were collected from both trials arms for between-group comparison. Descriptive statistics were produced using surveys of principals, in-school champions and teachers; and project records maintained by PACE project officers (objective A). Thematic analysis was performed using in-school champion and project officer interviews (objective B). Both data sets were integrated via a triangulation protocol and findings synthesized in the form of meta-inferences (objective C). RESULTS: Eleven in-school champions and six project officers completed interviews; 33 principals, 51 in-school champions and 260 teachers completed surveys. Regardless of group allocation, implementation indicators were high for at least one component of each strategy: dose delivered =100%, fidelity ≥95%, adoption ≥83%, acceptability ≥50%; and several implementation barriers and facilitators were identified within three broad categories: external policy landscape, inner organizational structure/context of schools, and intervention characteristics and processes. All strategies were considered important as use varied by school, however support from a school executive and in-school champions' interest were suggested as ...

BACKGROUND: Greater use of knowledge translation (KT) strategies is recommended to improve the research impact of public health trials. The purpose of this study was to describe (1) the research impact of setting-based public health intervention trials on public health policy and practice; (2) the association between characteristics of trials and their research impact on public health policy and practice; and (3) the association between the use of KT strategies and research impacts on public health policy and practice. METHODS: We conducted a survey of authors of intervention trials targeting nutrition, physical activity, sexual health, tobacco, alcohol or substance use. We assessed the use of KT strategies aligned to domains of the Knowledge-To-Action Framework. We defined "research impact" on health policy and practice as any one or more of the following: citation in policy documents or announcements, government reports, training materials, guidelines, textbooks or court rulings; or endorsement by a (non)governmental organization; use in policy or practice decision-making; or use in the development of a commercial resource or service. RESULTS: Of the included trials, the authors reported that 65% had one or more research impacts. The most frequently reported research impact was citation in a policy document or announcement (46%). There were no significant associations between the effectiveness of the intervention, trial risk of bias, setting or health risk and trial impact. However, for every one unit increase in the total KT score (range 0–8), reflecting greater total KT activity, the odds of a health policy or practice research impact increased by approximately 30% (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.66; p = 0.031). Post hoc examination of KT domain scores suggests that KT actions focused on providing tailored support to facilitate program implementation and greater use of research products and tools to disseminate findings to end-users may be most influential in achieving impact. CONCLUSIONS: Trials of public ...

Abstract Background Limited evidence exists describing the effectiveness of strategies in facilitating the implementation of vegetable and fruit programs by schools on a population wide basis. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a multi-strategy intervention in increasing the population-wide implementation of vegetable and fruit breaks by primary schools and to determine if intervention effectiveness varied by school characteristics. Methods A quasi-experimental study was conducted in primary schools in the state of New South Wales, Australia. All primary schools in one region of the state (n = 422) received a multi-strategy intervention. A random sample of schools (n = 406) in the remainder of the state served as comparison schools. The multi-strategy intervention to increase vegetable and fruit breaks involved the development and provision of: program consensus and leadership; staff training; program materials; incentives; follow-up support; and implementation feedback. Comparison schools had access to routine information-based Government support. Data to assess the prevalence of vegetable and fruit breaks were collected by telephone from Principals of the intervention and comparison schools at baseline (2006–2007) and 11 to 15 months following the commencement of the intervention (2009–2010). GEE analysis was used to examine the change in the prevalence of vegetable and fruit breaks in intervention schools compared to comparison schools. Results At follow-up, prevalence of vegetable and fruit breaks increased significantly in both intervention (50.3 % to 82.0 %, p < 0.001) and comparison (45.4 % to 60.9 % p < 0.001) schools. The increase in prevalence in intervention schools was significantly larger than among comparison schools (OR 2.36; 95 % CI 1.60-3.49, p <0.001). The effect size was similar between schools regardless of the rurality or socioeconomic status of school location, school size or government or non-government school type. Conclusion The findings suggest that a multi-strategy intervention can significantly increase the implementation of vegetable and fruit breaks by a large number of Australian primary schools.

Background: Internationally, governments have implemented school-based nutrition policies to restrict the availability of unhealthy foods from sale. The aim of the trial was to assess the effectiveness of a multi-strategic intervention to increase implementation of a state-wide healthy canteen policy. The impact of the intervention on the energy, total fat, and sodium of children's canteen purchases and on schools' canteen revenue was also assessed. Methods: Australian primary schools with a canteen were randomised to receive a 12–14-month, multi-strategic intervention or to a no intervention control group. The intervention sought to increase implementation of a state-wide healthy canteen policy which required schools to remove unhealthy items (classified as 'red' or 'banned') from regular sale and encouraged schools to 'fill the menu' with healthy items (classified as 'green'). The intervention strategies included allocation of a support officer to assist with policy implementation, engagement of school principals and parent committees, consensus processes with canteen managers, training, provision of tools and resources, academic detailing, performance feedback, recognition and marketing initiatives. Data were collected at baseline (April to September, 2013) and at completion of the implementation period (November, 2014 to April, 2015). Results: Seventy schools participated in the trial. Relative to control, at follow-up, intervention schools were significantly more likely to have menus without 'red' or 'banned' items (RR = 21.11; 95% CI 3.30 to 147.28; p ≤ 0.01) and to have at least 50% of menu items classified as 'green' (RR = 3.06; 95% CI 1.64 to 5.68; p ≤ 0.01). At follow-up, student purchases from intervention school canteens were significantly lower in total fat (difference = −1.51 g; 95% CI −2.84 to −0.18; p = 0.028) compared to controls, but not in energy (difference = −132.32 kJ; 95% CI −280.99 to 16.34; p = 0.080) or sodium (difference = −46.81 mg; 95% CI −96.97 to 3.35; p = 0.067). Canteen revenue did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusion: Poor implementation of evidence-based school nutrition policies is a problem experienced by governments internationally, and one with significant implications for public health. The study makes an important contribution to the limited experimental evidence regarding strategies to improve implementation of school nutrition policies and suggests that, with multi-strategic support, implementation of healthy canteen policies can be achieved in most schools.

Background: 'Physical Activity 4 Everyone' (PA4E1) was an efficacious multi-component school-based physical activity (PA) program targeting adolescents. PA4E1 has seven PA practices. It is essential to scale-up, evaluate effectiveness and assess implementation of such programs. Therefore, the aim is to assess the impact of implementation support on school practice uptake of the PA4E1 program at 12 and 24 months. Methods: A cluster randomised controlled trial, utilising a type III hybrid implementation-effectiveness design, was conducted in 49 randomly selected disadvantaged Australian Government and Catholic secondary schools. A blinded statistician randomly allocated schools to a usual practice control (n = 25) or the PA4E1 program group (n = 24), with the latter receiving seven implementation support strategies to support school PA practice uptake of the seven practices retained from the efficacy trial. The primary outcome was the proportion of schools adopting at least four of the seven practices, assessed via telephone surveys with Head Physical Education Teachers and analysed using exact logistic regression modelling. This paper reports the 12-month outcomes. Results: Schools were recruited from May to November 2017. At baseline, no schools implemented four of the seven practices. At 12 months significantly more schools in the program group had implemented four of the seven practices (16/24, 66.7%) than the control group (1/25, 4%) (OR = 33.0[4.15–1556.4], p 80%). Conclusions: Through the application of multiple implementation support strategies, secondary schools were able to overcome commonly known barriers to implement evidence based school PA practices. As such practices have been shown to result in an increase in adolescent PA and improvements in weight status, policy makers and practitioners responsible for advocating PA in schools should consider this implementation approach more broadly when working with schools. Follow-up is required to determine whether practice implementation is sustained. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12617000681358 registered 12th May 2017.

BACKGROUND: 'Physical Activity 4 Everyone' (PA4E1) was an efficacious multi-component school-based physical activity (PA) program targeting adolescents. PA4E1 has seven PA practices. It is essential to scale-up, evaluate effectiveness and assess implementation of such programs. Therefore, the aim is to assess the impact of implementation support on school practice uptake of the PA4E1 program at 12 and 24 months. METHODS: A cluster randomised controlled trial, utilising a type III hybrid implementation-effectiveness design, was conducted in 49 randomly selected disadvantaged Australian Government and Catholic secondary schools. A blinded statistician randomly allocated schools to a usual practice control (n = 25) or the PA4E1 program group (n = 24), with the latter receiving seven implementation support strategies to support school PA practice uptake of the seven practices retained from the efficacy trial. The primary outcome was the proportion of schools adopting at least four of the seven practices, assessed via telephone surveys with Head Physical Education Teachers and analysed using exact logistic regression modelling. This paper reports the 12-month outcomes. RESULTS: Schools were recruited from May to November 2017. At baseline, no schools implemented four of the seven practices. At 12 months significantly more schools in the program group had implemented four of the seven practices (16/24, 66.7%) than the control group (1/25, 4%) (OR = 33.0[4.15–1556.4], p 80%). CONCLUSIONS: Through the application of multiple implementation support strategies, secondary schools were able to overcome commonly known barriers to implement evidence based school PA practices. As such practices have been shown to result in an increase in adolescent PA and improvements in weight status, policy ...