What is it about?
We interviewed participants in the Northumberland exercise referral scheme before they started attending and again 12-20 weeks later. We explored whether they engaged with the scheme and why. We found that the scheme worked well for those who enjoyed group activities and were focused on improving health. Others told us that they enjoyed attending but were concerned about whether they would continue to exercise when they reached the end of the scheme. Finally for some people ill health, social anxiety or poor participation experience made engagement difficult.
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Why is it important?
This work is important because it highlights that a 'one size fits all' approach to exercise referral is unlikely to be successful for those with more complex needs. We suggest that alternative approaches need to be explored to increase engagement with, and adherence to, such schemes.
Perspectives
I hope that the experiences described in this article will resonate with both providers and commissioners of exercise referral schemes, and make them think about what different approaches might improve future delivery.
Coral Hanson
Edinburgh Napier University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: How do participant experiences and characteristics influence engagement in exercise referral? A qualitative longitudinal study of a scheme in Northumberland, UK, BMJ Open, February 2019, BMJ,
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024370.
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