Australian University Nursing and Allied Health Students’ and Staff Physical Activity Promotion Preparedness and Knowledge: A Pre-Post Study Using an Educational Intervention

Nicole Freene, Katie Porra, Jaquelin A. Bousie, Mark Naunton, Nick Ball, Andrew Flood, Kasia Bail, Sally De-Vitry Smith, Milli Blenkin, Lynn Cheong, Madeleine Shanahan, Stephen Isbel, Myra Leung and Ann B. Gates
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Nicole Freene: Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Katie Porra: Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Jaquelin A. Bousie: Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Mark Naunton: Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Nick Ball: Sport and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Andrew Flood: Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Kasia Bail: Nursing, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Sally De-Vitry Smith: Midwifery, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Milli Blenkin: Counselling, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Lynn Cheong: Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Madeleine Shanahan: Medical Radiation Science, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Stephen Isbel: Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Myra Leung: Vision Science & Optometry, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Ann B. Gates: Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-14

Abstract: The promotion of physical activity (PA) by health professionals is a key strategy to increase PA levels in the population. In this study, we investigated PA promotion, preparedness, and knowledge among university nursing and allied health students and staff, as well as PA resource usage within curricula, before and after an educational intervention. Students and staff from 13 health disciplines at one Australian university were invited to complete an online survey, and a curriculum audits were conducted before and after PA teaching resources were promoted by academic PA champions ( n = 14). A total of 299 students and 43 staff responded to the survey pre-intervention, and 363 and 32 responded to the post-intervention, respectively. PA promotion role perception (≥93%) and confidence to provide general PA advice (≥70%) were high throughout the study. Knowledge of PA guidelines was poor (3–10%). Students of physiotherapy, sport and exercise science, as well as more active students, were more likely to be aware of the PA guidelines ( p < 0.05). Over 12 months, PA promotion preparedness and knowledge did not change significantly, nor was there a change in the amount of PA content delivered, despite a significant increase in the use of the teaching resources across a number of disciplines ( p = 0.007). Future research should be carried out to investigate the implementation of the resources over time and to develop additional strategies for PA promotion and education scaffolded across curricula.

Keywords: physical activity; teaching; education; curriculum; health; evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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