Baby Steps: Using Intervention Mapping to Develop a Sustainable Perinatal Physical Activity Healthcare Intervention

Anna M. Dieberger, Mireille N. M. van Poppel and Estelle D. Watson
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Anna M. Dieberger: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 14, 8036 Graz, Austria
Mireille N. M. van Poppel: Institute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, University of Graz, Mozartgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria
Estelle D. Watson: Centre for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, School of Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 27 St. Andrews Road, Parktown, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-19

Abstract: While the benefits of physical activity (PA) during and after pregnancy have been established, many women do not reach the recommended PA levels during this time. A major barrier found in the literature is a lack of counselling by healthcare providers (HCPs), which is partly caused by the limited knowledge on the topic. The aim of this study was to develop an intervention to improve the promotion of PA by HCPs. We used Intervention Mapping (IM), a theory-based framework to develop an intervention, called “Baby steps”, in a high-income (Austria) and a low-to-middle-income country (South Africa). We applied the following IM steps: (1) A needs assessment to determine the barriers and enablers of PA promotion by HCPs, including a scoping literature review and community needs assessments (qualitative interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups with midwives, obstetricians, and community health workers) to determine the desired outcomes of the intervention. (2) Performance and change objectives were formulated, describing the behaviors that need to change for the intervention to succeed. (3) Based on these objectives, theory-based behavior change techniques were selected, and practical applications were developed. (4) The applications were combined into two evidence-based interventions tailored to each country’s needs. Step (5) and (6) consist of an implementation and evaluation plan, respectively. The intervention is aimed at HCPs, such as midwives and community health workers, consisting of a two-day training course, including practical resources. Combining didactic and interactive education, it addresses both PA knowledge and the skills needed to transfer knowledge and facilitate behavior change. In the future, the intervention’s effect on women’s activity levels during and after pregnancy needs to be studied.

Keywords: physical activity; pregnancy; intervention mapping; theoretical domains framework; behavior change techniques (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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