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

Abstract

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.