Clinical trial NCT03847831: Feasibility Study of the Pilot Post-primary Active School Flag (PPASF) Program
Official title: Postprimary Active School Flag Feasibility
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Physical Activity
Health Behavior
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Educational Problems
Keywords: whole-school
health promotion
Lead sponsor: University of Limerick
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2019-02-20
Enrollment: 9000
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 12
Maximum age (years): 19
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Intervention model description: Non-randomised single-group at school level pilot study.
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: 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.

Detailed 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.

Eligibility criteria: 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

Primary outcomes:
measure: Adherence to the PPASF programme's components in the schools
timeFrame: up to 9 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Number of participants in designated areas of school assessed through a modified version of the SOPLAY protocol
timeFrame: up to 9 months
measure: Changes in physical activity opportunities through questionnaires
timeFrame: up to 9 months
measure: Changes in physical activity levels by accelerometer
timeFrame: up to 9 months
measure: Changes in physical activity levels by self-reported physical activity through questionnaires
timeFrame: up to 9 months
measure: Changes in (accelerometer based) sedentary time during the school day
timeFrame: up to 9 months
measure: Changes to self-reported academic performance
timeFrame: up to 9 months
measure: Changes to self-reported academic performance behaviours
timeFrame: up to 9 months
measure: Changes to school records of Academic behaviours
timeFrame: up to 9 months
measure: Changes in BMI
timeFrame: up to 9 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Limerick
country: Ireland
facility: University of Limerick
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Limerick
name: Catherine Woods, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: