Development of a health-promoting sports club's intervention in France applying participatory action research. (11th November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tezier, Benjamin; Guillemin, Francis; Vuillemin, Anne; Johnson, Stacey; Lemonnier, Fabienne; Rostan, Florence; Van Hoye, Aurélie
• Is Part Of: Health promotion international. Volume 37:Number 6(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-11-11
• Subjects: health promotion -- intervention development -- participatory approach -- settings-based approach; Health promotion -- Periodicals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daac145
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0957-4824

Abstract

Abstract: The recognition of sports clubs (SC) as health-promoting settings is increasing, as well as the number of health promotion (HP) interventions implemented in this setting. However, minimal understanding of their development process and the persistent gap between theoretical knowledge and real-life practice is a major limitation to their implementation. This article describes a participatory research approach, implicating 29 stakeholders in sports and HP (6 HP researchers, 9 HP professionals, 6 representatives from regional and national sports organizations and 8 representatives from SC), leading to the co-construction of a health-promoting SC intervention. Stakeholders were mobilized through four stages: (i) analysis of effective programs, (ii) co-construction workshops, (iii) evaluation of relevance and acceptability, and (iv) beta-testing of a massive open online course (MOOC). A qualitative analysis was carried out on data collected through notetaking, recordings, transcripts, email exchanges and produced documents. This work led to the development of an HP intervention, including an MOOC, as well as a seven-step SC-tailored program. The convergence of theoretical knowledge and contextual real-life practice made it possible to respond to the specific needs and implementation problems encountered by SC actors and to develop acceptable strategies and tools. Lay Summary: Sports clubs (SC) can promote health beyond the offer of physical activity and sport by acting on health determinants (economic, social, environmental and organizational). To this end, interventions can be implemented. This study presents the way in which researchers and field actors can collaborate to develop adapted interventions. Involving 29 sport and health promotion (HP) actors (6 HP researchers, 9 HP professionals, 6 representatives from regional and national sports organizations, and 8 representatives from SC), four stages were set up to develop a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and an SC-tailored program: (i) analysis of effective programs, (ii) co-construction workshops, (iii) evaluation of relevance and acceptability, and (4) beta-testing of the MOOC. The results of these stages were qualitatively analyzed and allowed for the development of content, tools and planning consistent with the realities faced by SC. This work presents ways in which field actors and researchers can collaborate to develop acceptable strategies and tools to promote health.