Greenways to Health

Dr Beth Christie

Prof. Peter Higgins & Dr Robbie Nicol

Presentation outline

• Outline ‘Green Exercise’ programme

• Outline ‘Greenways to Health Initiative’

• Present mid-project data

• Directions for future research

Green Exercise programme

• South West: 3G Woodland Games• East of England: Youth Outdoor Experience• North East: Greenways to Health• South East: Get Active in Milton Keynes’ parks• West Midlands: Walk to Water• North West: Health on Wheels• Yorkshire & Humber: Walk 4 Fun • East Midlands: Heelers: Exercise Referral

Greenways to Health •Aim - Engage 11-16 year olds in non-competitive forms of green exercise which make valuable connections with the natural environment

•Target - 100 young people between Nov 2007- 2009

Research Design

• Cramlington – demographically homogenous• Case Study 1 - f/t week long course• Case Study 2 – session per week (12wk)

• 10-15 students (x2)• Pre- & post- intervention questionnaire • Post- intervention interviews • Cumulative analysis – ‘Impact Continuum’

Questionnaire• Composite questionnaire

– Level of outdoor activity – Knowledge and use of local greenspace

• No statistical analysis – no significance• Purely descriptive statistics• Piloted July 2009• Administered pre- & post-intervention• Sample size (n=9)

Interviews• Explore the questionnaire

• Informal, deeper discussion

• Group interviews

• Held after the intervention

• Transcripts subject to inter-rater reliability testing

• Sample size (n=6)

Questionnaire results suggest that there was a post-intervention increase in frequency of visits to greenspace.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Pre once a

month or less

Post once a

month or less

Pre 1-2 days Post 1-2 days Pre 3-5 days Post 3-5 days Pre 6-7 days Post 6-7 days

Pre- and Post-intervention Levels of EngagementN

um

ber

of

St u

den

ts

Frequency of Visits

“….visit more….’cause I liked doing it [the project] and I liked the wildlife and stuff…I liked the bees and stuff”

“ I’d visit more and I’d take more notice of things around us. As before I wouldn’t take notice of what was in the trees and stuff I’d just walk really quickly through, now I’d

slow down a bit and look around us and stuff “

 

Profound Some Limited Negative Impact Impact Impact Impact

 

Student A Student B Student F Student C

Student D Student E

Impact Continuum

Factors influencing analysis

• Small sample size – robustness of the study may have been affected.

• Familiarity – seven days passed between pre- and post-intervention questionnaire.

Summary • Case Study 2 (Sept- Dec 2009)

• Project due for completion March 2010

• Interesting mid-project results

• Example of one approach – value lies in its contribution to the broader field.

Future Research

• Greater understanding of the correlation between nature and mental, physical and social health.

• Requires an inter-disciplinary approach• BeWEL

• Outdoor Health Network

References

• Bell,S., et al. (2008). Greenspace and quality of Life Literature Review. Greenspace Scotland.

• Department for Communities and Local Government (n.d.) Planning Policy Guidance 17 – planning for open space, sport and recreation.

• NICE (2006). Four commonly Used Methods to Increase Physical Activity: brief interventions in primary care, exercise referral schemes, pedometers and communitybased exercise programmes for walking and cycling. Public Health Intervention Guidance No.2.

Websites

• www.education.ed.ac.uk/outdoored

• www.education/ed.ac/uk.esf

• www.greenspacescotland.org.uk

• www.whi.org.uk/results.asp?key=2133\0\3D59814741561\p\981\0

• http://www.groundwork-northeast.org.uk/

• www.guidance.nice.org.uk/PH2