Feasibility Study of the Pilot Post-primary Active School Flag (PPASF) Program

University of Limerick

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Physical Activity; Health Behavior; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Educational Problems

Treatments: Behavioral: Active School Flag Program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03847831

Postprimary Active School Flag

Details and patient eligibility

About

The Feasibility of the post-primary Active School Flag (PPASF) programme. The PPASF is an initative from the Department of Education and Skills in a whole-school program to increase physical activity opportunities involving the students in second level education schools in Ireland. Various actors involved in the process include admin, teachers, and students to create more physical activity opportunities for the students in the school. Process evaluation and fidelity of the program are carried out during the year long process for certificate and two years for achieving the flag. Results of this study will inform the design and implementation of the PPASF in a national roll out across Irish second level education schools.

Full description

This is a feasibility study of the post-primary Active School Flag (PPASF) programme. Schools in Ireland that meet the eligibility criteria of; 1) second level education school, 2) has not already achieved the Active School Flag, 3) volunteered to be in the study were selected to take part in this pilot study. Schools not in the programme were matched to provide a comparison data set.

Schools involved in the study are given resources to support the year long program so the school may achieve the PPASF certificate. To achieve the certificate, the schools needed to complete 17 tasks throughout the school year; 1) a staff slideshow, 2) an PPASF team slideshow, 3) class time slideshow 4) PPASF training day, 5) an PPASF awareness week (towards the beginning of the year), 6) website showcase, 7) PPASF whole school questionnaire, 8) PPASF launch event, 9) PPASF action plan, 10) 'Did You Know?' campaign, 11) PA module as part of Social, personal and health education (SPHE) subject for junior cycle students, 12) Active School WALKWAY, 13) Community Mapping of extra curriculum activities, 14) Community Event, 5) Active School Week, 16) PPASF accreditation visit, and 17) school PA space audits.

The PPASF is part of the developing Healthy Ireland Demonstration Project, and the feasibility to collect data in the form of accelerometers, physical health measures and self-perceptions of health are also included in the feasilibility study.

The feasibility study will be monitored quantitatively through a custom design fidelity check list, and in depth process evaluation that includes qualitative methods such as one to one interviews and focus group interviews throughout the academic year.

The secondary outcomes are based on the hypotheses that 1) intervention schools will have more physical activity opportunities and thus 2) more physically active students, especially during the school day. Furthermore, there would be 3) a decrease in sitting time, 4) positive associations between academic related behaviours with physical activity behaviours, 5) and no increase in BMI.

Enrollment: 9,000 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 19 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• students and teachers in the enrolled schools

Exclusion criteria

• students and teachers not enrolled in the schools
• students who did not provide consent or assent to take part in the study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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9,000 participants in 1 patient group

PPASF Group

Experimental group

Description:

Schools enrolled in the post primary active school flag program. All 17 elements are included. Feasibility is measured of the 17 elements. Student representatives are selected to have accelerometer, physical health measures and perceived health collected for feasibility purposes.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active School Flag Program