Evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of a co-designed physical activity intervention for rural middle schoolers: a pilot study

• Published in: BMC public health 2024-07, Vol.24 (1), p.1830-13, Article 1830
• Main Authors: Watkins, Janette M, Brunnemer, Julia E, Heeter, Kathleen N, Medellin, Andrew M, Churchill, William C, Goss, Janelle M, Hobson, James M, Werner, Nicole E, Weaver, R Glenn, Kercher, Vanessa M Martinez, Kercher, Kyle A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Behavior; Cardiovascular disease; Child; Children; Clinical outcomes; Co-design; College students; Comparative analysis; Demographic aspects; Design; Design factors; Economic aspects; Education; Enrollments; Exercise; Exercise - psychology; Extracurricular activities; Feasibility; Feasibility Studies; Feasibility testing; Female; Goal setting; Health aspects; Health care disparities; Health Promotion - methods; Humans; Hypotheses; Intervention; Junior high school students; Likert scale; Male; Middle schools; Midwestern United States; Multilevel intervention; Participation; Physical activity; Physical Education and Training; Physical fitness; Physiological aspects; Pilot Projects; Program Evaluation; Prospective Studies; Qualitative analysis; Role models; Rural areas; Rural Population; School districts; Social aspects; Socioeconomic factors; Sport-based youth development; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Teaching methods; Variance analysis; Well being; Youth
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19356-2

Lack of physical activity is a concern for children across diverse backgrounds, particularly affecting those in rural areas who face distinct challenges compared to their urban counterparts. Community-derived interventions are needed that consider the unique context and additional physical activity barriers in under-resourced rural settings. Therefore, a prospective pre-post pilot/feasibility study of Hoosier Sport was conducted over 8-weeks with 6th and 7th grade children in a low-socioeconomic rural middle school setting. The primary objective of the present study was to assess trial- and intervention-related feasibility indicators; and the secondary objective was to collect preliminary assessment data for physical activity levels, fitness, psychological needs satisfaction, and knowledge of physical activity and nutrition among participating youth. This prospective 8-week pilot/feasibility study took place in the rural Midwestern United States where twenty-four middle school students participated in a mixed-methods pre-post intervention during physical education classes. The intervention included elements like sport-based youth development, individualized goal setting, physical activity monitoring, pedometer usage, and health education. Data were collected at baseline (T1) and post-intervention (T3), with intermediate measures during the intervention (T2). Qualitative data were integrated through semi-structured interviews. Analytical methods encompassed descriptive statistics, correlations, repeated measures ANOVA, and thematic analysis. Key findings indicate robust feasibility, with intervention-related scores (FIM, AIM, and IAM) consistently surpassing the "good" threshold and 100% retention and recruitment success. Additionally, participants showed significant physical performance improvement, shifting from the 25th to the 50th percentile in the 6-minute walk test (p