Engagement with and delivery of the ‘parkrun practice initiative’ in general practice: a mixed methods study

Fleming, Joanna; Bryce, Carol; Parsons, Joanne; Wellington, Chrissie; Dale, Jeremy

doi:10.3399/bjgp20x710453

Cited by 25 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Early research showed that regular participants in parkrun experienced increases in weekly physical activity levels, improved fitness, and reported health benefits such as better weight control and mental wellbeing ( Stevinson et al, 2015 ). This has led to parkrun being identified as an exemplar intervention in the WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030 ( World Health Organization, 2019 ), and by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) as a form of social prescribing aimed at increasing patient physical activity ( Fleming et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socioeconomic inequalities in distance to and participation in a community-based running and walking activity: A longitudinal ecological study of parkrun 2010 to 2019

et al. 2021

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Objectives To conduct a longitudinal ecological analysis of the distance to and participation in free weekly outdoor physical activity events ( parkrun ) in England from 2010 to 2019, and related socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities, to inform policies to support participation in physically active community events. Methods We calculate distance to the nearest parkrun event for each English Lower Layer Super Output Area (LSOA) each month from January 2010 to December 2019. We then report the trends in distance to and participation in parkrun by Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile. We also report trends in the Relative Index of Inequality (RII) by deprivation for participation and distance to nearest event. We go on to investigate trends in LSOA level determinants (e.g. deprivation and ethnic density) of parkrun participation between 2010 and 2019, using multivariable Poisson regression models. Results Mean distance to the nearest parkrun event decreased from 34.1 km in 2010, to 4.6 km in 2019. Throughout the period, parkrun events tended to be situated closer to deprived areas compared to less deprived areas. Participation rates increased superlinearly (greater than linear increase) from 2010 to 2013 before slowing to linear growth. Participation over the period exhibits a clear socioeconomic gradient, with people from deprived areas having consistently lower participation rates over the period. parkrun participation rates became more equal between 2010 and 2013 (RII improved from 189 to 39), before stabilising at an RII between 32.9 and 39.6 from 2014 to 2019. The results of the Poisson regression model validate this finding; the coefficients on IMD score initially increased from −0.050 in 2010 to −0.038 in 2013, and then remained relatively stable to 2019 (−0.035). Conclusions Over the past 10 years, geodesic distance to the nearest parkrun decreased from a mean of 34 km to 5 km. In 2010, there was equality between the least and most deprived areas but by 2017 the distance of the most deprived areas was 29% that of the least deprived. Participation was shown to have increased over the past 10 years which can be split into two distinct phases: from 2010 to 2013 participation increased super-linearly and inequality in participation fell dramatically; from 2013 to 2019 participation increased linearly, and inequality in participation remained stable. Despite parkrun 's ambitions of creating inclusive events and engaging with deprived communities, the socioeconomic gradient in participation rates remained high and stable since 2013. Gaining a better understanding of the reasons why parkrun grew so quickly may be useful for other physical activi...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socioeconomic inequalities in distance to and participation in a community-based running and walking activity: A longitudinal ecological study of parkrun 2010 to 2019

et al. 2021

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“…The overall bene ts to a community are likely to be much greater than the sum of the bene ts reported by individual participants. Wider bene ts may include improved perceptions of the local area, increased economic activity if participants use local cafes and shops when attending an event (28), community spirit (27,31) and linking stakeholders within a community, as seen in the UK's parkrun practice initiative (32). Previous researchers have used a Social Return of Investment methodology to quantify the wider bene ts due to sport (33).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Benefits of Participation in Community-Based Running and Walking Events: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Parkrun Participants

Quirk

Bullas

Haake

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background: Whilst the benefits of physical activity for health and wellbeing are recognised, population levels of activity remain low. Significant inequalities exist, with socioeconomically disadvantaged populations being less physically active and less likely to participate in community events. We investigated the perceived benefits from participation in a weekly running/walking event by those living in the most socioeconomically deprived areas and doing the least physical activity.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was emailed to 2,318,135 parkrun participants in the UK. Demographic and self-reported data was collected on life satisfaction, happiness, health status, physical activity, motives, and the perceived benefits of parkrun. Motivation, health status and benefits were compared for groups defined by level of physical activity at parkrun registration and residential Index of Multiple Deprivation.Results: 60,000 completed surveys were received (2.7% of those contacted). Respondents were more recently registered with parkrun (3.1 v. 3.5 years) and had a higher frequency of participation than non-respondents (14.5 v. 3.7 parkruns per year). Those who were inactive at registration and from socioeconomically deprived areas reported lower happiness, lower life satisfaction and poorer health than the full sample. They were more likely to want to improve their physical health, rather than get fit or lose weight. Of those reporting less than one bout of activity a week at registration, 88% (87% in the most socioeconomically deprived areas) increased their physical activity level and 52% (65% in the most socioeconomically deprived areas) reported improvements to overall health behaviours. Previously inactive respondents from the most socioeconomically deprived areas reported greater improvements to fitness (93% v. 89%), physical health (90% v. 85%), happiness (83% v. 79%) and mental health (76% v. 69%).Conclusion: The least active respondents from the most socioeconomically deprived areas reported changes to their activity levels and benefits to their health and wellbeing since participating in parkrun. Whilst the challenge of identifying how community initiatives like parkrun can better engage with the least active and most socioeconomically deprived remains, if this can be achieved, then such interventions can have a critical public health role in addressing inequalities in benefits associated with recreational physical activity.

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“…A detailed explanation of the survey and sampling is published elsewhere. 8 In the current study, practices were those who responded 'undertaken' to the following question: 'which activities suggested in the parkrun practice Toolkit have you adopted? -Include a parkrun page on the practice website, or a link to the parkrun website'.…”

Section: Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An online survey to all 780 parkrun practices (n=780) in the UK, 8 whereby 306 (39.2%) completed it. Of these, 114/306 (37.3%) reported "including a parkrun page on the ir website, or link to the parkrun website", and were included in the current study.…”

Section: Samplementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further guidance on how a webpage might look, and what information to include could be beneficial. Where practices are already pushed for time to carry out activities 8 and with heavy practice staff workloads 16 making website use as easy as possible may increase adoption. Collating evidence from practices who currently use their websites to promote parkrun, has identified a possible template which could be added to the Toolkit and tested (Figure 2).…”

Section: Implications For Research And/or Practice -Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Promoting parkrun to patients using the general practice website: a qualitative exploration of ‘parkrun practice’ websites

Fleming

Mensah

2020

BJGP Open

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Background: The “parkrun practice initiative” is a widely accessible and low cost approach in primary care to promoting patient and staff health and wellbeing through increased physical activity and volunteering opportunities. The parkrun practice Toolkit offers guidance to practices. One recommendation is to ‘include a parkrun page on the practice website, or a link to the parkrun website’. How practices are presenting this information is unknown. Aim: To explore how parkrun practices are using their websites to promote parkrun, including the content and format of information presented and variety of promotion methods used, in order to provide recommendations for inclusion in the Toolkit. Design and Setting: Qualitative content analysis of a sample of parkrun practice websites. Method: The websites of 114 practices who reported using their websites for parkrun promotion were to systematically search and the content analysed. Results: Five main types of content were identified, namely, what parkrun/parkrun practice is; activities and events; addressing patients’ concerns; benefits of parkrun; and practical information. While there were similarities in the information provided, there were variations in presentation. Websites ranged from being extensive and highly informative, to minimal amounts of text or solely images. Conclusion: Findings highlight the variability which currently exists across parkrun practice websites. Including a link on the homepage would assist patients to find information on “parkrun” and clarify the information which would be found. We make suggestions on the type of information and how it could be presented, to be further developed for inclusion in the Toolkit.

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Engagement with and delivery of the ‘parkrun practice initiative’ in general practice: a mixed methods study

Cited by 25 publications

References 20 publications

Socioeconomic inequalities in distance to and participation in a community-based running and walking activity: A longitudinal ecological study of parkrun 2010 to 2019

Socioeconomic inequalities in distance to and participation in a community-based running and walking activity: A longitudinal ecological study of parkrun 2010 to 2019

Exploring the Benefits of Participation in Community-Based Running and Walking Events: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Parkrun Participants

Promoting parkrun to patients using the general practice website: a qualitative exploration of ‘parkrun practice’ websites

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