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Worksite and communications-based promotion of a local walking path

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Abstract

Current research has shown relationships between the environment (eg, parks and trails) and levels of physical activity participation. This study was designed to implement and evaluate a communications based worksite campaign to promote awareness of an existing local walking path and to increase walking. Promotional materials were distributed for 1 month via flyers, email, website postings, and during bi-weekly information booths. Evaluations were conducted at baseline, during, and following the promotional campaign. Borderline statistically significant increases in walking activity from baseline were observed midway through the campaign (p = 0.069) and following the campaign (p = 0.075). Counts observed during the intervention were almost triple those at baseline and increased in the post-campaign phase to approximately three and a half times those at baseline. Sign recognition surveys revealed at baseline, 51% of the participants correctly identified the walking path signs, which increased to 65% during the campaign (p = .0674). Familiarity with physical activity messages around the workplace increased from 64.6% at baseline to 75.5% during the campaign (p = .097). This study shows initial promise of a theoretically based communications intervention to increase knowledge of physical activity and to promote walking.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Sheila Jacobs and Carol Garber, PhD for assistance with this study. The authors also thank Beth Lewis, PhD and Jessica Whiteley, PhD, for their helpful comments on this manuscript. Portions of this manuscript were presented at the Cooper Institute Conference: Innovative Approaches to Understanding and Influencing Physical Activity, Dallas, TX, October 2001.

This research was supported, in part, by an award from the Rhode Island Prevention Foundation and an award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL64342).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Obesity Research and Education, Temple University, 3223 N. Broad Street, Suite 175, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA

    Melissa A. Napolitano PHD (Assistant Professor), Heather Lerch MS (Health Promosion Specialist), George Papandonatos PHD (Assistant Professor) & Bess H. Marcus PHD (Professor)

Authors
  1. Melissa A. Napolitano PHD
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  2. Heather Lerch MS
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  3. George Papandonatos PHD
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  4. Bess H. Marcus PHD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melissa A. Napolitano PHD.

Additional information

Melissa A. Napolitano is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Staff Psychologist, Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Brown Medical School and The Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, Heather Lerch is a Health Promotion Specialist at MassMutual Benefits Management, Inc., Springfield, Massachusetts, George Papandonatos is Assistant Professor of Biostatistics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, and Bess H. Marcus is Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Director, Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Brown Medical School and The Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island

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Napolitano, M.A., Lerch, H., Papandonatos, G. et al. Worksite and communications-based promotion of a local walking path. J Community Health 31, 326–342 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-006-9013-9

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