BackgroundThe positive health impact of physical activity (PA) is well known, yet a large proportion of the world’s population remains sedentary. General PA programs are common as health promotion initiatives. However, effectiveness evaluations of such PA programs on individual and organizational aspects, which could inform the decision-making process of public health bodies are still lacking, particularly in the most socially disadvantaged areas, where health promotion schemes are particularly needed. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a Guided Walking Program in a high social vulnerability context.MethodsA quasi-experimental, mixed methods study was conducted. The program had a duration of 6 months and a 6-month follow-up period after the intervention. Session frequency was five times a week, where sessions consisted of supervised PA combined with educational sessions. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework was followed to assess the program. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and accelerometers were used to measure levels of PA. Focus groups were conducted to gain a comprehensive insight on the implementation domain.ResultsMost subjects in the intervention (IG) (n = 74) and control (CG) (n = 74) groups were female (IG:90.5%; CG:95.9%), aged 18–49 years (IG:44.6%; CG:43.2%), received less than 1 minimum wage (IG:74.3%; CG:83.7%) and had 0–4 years of formal education (IG:52.1%; CG:46.1%). The reach of the intervention was 0.3%. The IG showed increased levels of PA at post-intervention and 6-month follow-up. However, the difference between groups was not statistically significant. Adoption data revealed that 89.5% of the professionals in the Primary Health Care Center (health center) team perceived the benefits of the program for the population. The program was independently promoted by the health center team for a further 4 months post-intervention. The qualitative data revealed that the program was discontinued due to participants’ low adherence and human resource limitations in the unit’s operational dynamics.ConclusionsA health promotion intervention in a socially deprived setting faces challenges but can be effective and feasible to implement. The present study informs the development of future health promotion initiatives in this context.Trial registration NCT02857127. Registered: 30 July 2016 (retrospectively registered).
IntroduçãoA prática regular de atividade física tem sido recomendada no intuito de obter benefícios para saúde¹. No entanto, a prevalência de adultos que não atingem essa recomendação mundial de AF no Brasil é de 48,7%, sendo este porcentual maior entre mulheres, idosos e indivíduos de baixa renda 2,3 . Esta proporção demonstra a importância de elaborar intervenções que promovam um estilo de vida mais saudável e que modifiquem esse quadro atual.Nesse sentido, o Ministério da Saúde (MS) vem enfatizando a necessidade de se criarem estratégias de acesso à AF como instrumento de promoção da saú-de em diferentes locais.A respeito desses espaços, as políticas têm apontado para a relevância da inclusão da AF no plano de gestão da Atenção Básica (AB), através das ações do Núcleo de Apoio à Saúde da Família (NASF) que tem dentre suas diretrizes, o apoio às Unidades de Saúde da Família (USF) em ações de promoção de saúde de modo a valorizar a cultura e o desenvolvimento local, oferecendo acesso a todos, em especial aqueles com piores condições de vida 4,5 . Na AB, a caminhada tem sido a forma mais preva- O programa visa a promoção de saúde através da prática de exercícios físicos em conjunto com ações educativas de promoção de saúde. A equipe de trabalho é formada por profissionais das USFs, bem como docentes, graduandos e egressos dos cursos de Gerontologia e Educação Física. Resultados gerais mostram que houve um aumento de 87,6 (±10,1) para 204,1 (±23,7) minutos semanais nos domínios de deslocamento e lazer somados. Além disso, 78,5% da equipe de profissionais das USFs relataram se sentir envolvido na aplicação da intervenção. Programas desse modelo podem ser aplicados na Atenção Básica (AB) de Saúde, de modo a garantir a equidade das ações do Sistema Único de Saúde. Palavras-chaveExercício; Atenção básica; Caminhada; Vulnerabilidade social; Promoção da saúde; Saúde da Família. AbstractThe
Studies on PA interventions using follow-up analysis are scarce. Considering the relevance of follow-up studies to measure behavior changes, the results suggest that more studies about this topic are essential in Brazil.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.