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Connecting children to recreational activities: results of a cluster randomized trial
Deborah A McNeil1, Brenda N Wilson, Jodi E Siever
1Decision Support Research Team, Calgary Health Region, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. debbie.mcneil@calgaryhealthregion.ca
Purpose:
Identify if outreach support increases school-aged children's participation in recreational activities.
Design:
Cluster randomized trial.
Setting:
Sixteen schools in economically vulnerable neighborhoods were randomized to either an intervention or control group.
Subjects:
Children in grades 3 to 5 and their families were invited to participate.
Intervention:
Children in intervention schools were assigned a "connector" (outreach worker) to facilitate participation in recreation activities.
Measures:
The Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) was the primary measure at baseline, middle, and end of 1 year. Demographics, body mass index, child physical and psychosocial health, coordination, and self-esteem were measured.
Analysis:
A generalized linear model was used to test differences between intervention and control groups.
Results:
Three hundred and sixty children enrolled, and 306 (85%) completed the study. A greater proportion of children in the intervention group compared with the control group increased participation in physical activity (21% vs. 10%, p = .02). Children who increased their activity were more likely to have higher levels of contact with the connectors (31% vs. 8%, p = .001). Study limitations included (1) 29% of eligible families participated, (2) first use of the CAPE instrument as a longitudinal measure, and (3) connectors were not blinded to group assignment.
Conclusion:
Children living in vulnerable neighborhoods benefit from outreach workers to connect them with physical activity programs.
