TY - JOUR
T1 - Results from the ENJOY MAP for HEALTH
T2 - a quasi experiment evaluating the impact of age-friendly outdoor exercise equipment to increase older people’s park visitations and physical activity
AU - Levinger, Pazit
AU - Dreher, Bronwyn L.
AU - Soh, Sze Ee
AU - Dow, Briony
AU - Batchelor, Frances
AU - Hill, Keith D.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge Ballarat City Council, Banyule City Council, Knox City Council, Bayside City Council, Frankston City Council, Boroondara City Council, Lark Industries and Parks and Leisure Australia VIC/Tasmania for their collaboration and partnership in this project.
Funding Information:
This study was funded by State Trustees Foundation of Australia. This funding source had no role in the design of the study, its execution, analyses, interpretation of the data, and in writing the manuscript for publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2024/6/22
Y1 - 2024/6/22
N2 - Background: Recreational parks can play a significant role in older people’s health, with emerging evidence suggesting that changes in the physical environment, such as refurbishments of local parks, can increase park visitations and physical activity engagement. The ENJOY MAP for HEALTH aimed to evaluate the impact of Seniors Exercise Park installations and associated capacity building activities on older people’s park visitation, and park-based physical activity. Method: The ENJOY MAP for HEALTH was a quasi-experiment study design that involved the installation of specialised Seniors Exercise Park equipment as part of park refurbishment, supported by promotion and community capacity building activities in six municipalities in Victoria, Australia. Direct observations of park users took place prior to park upgrades, one-month post upgrade and 12-months from baseline. The overall number and characteristics of park visitors, and the type and level of physical activity undertaken, were summarised descriptively. Generalised linear models were used to examine the impact of park refurbishment (equipment installation and site activation) on the total number of older people observed in the park, and their engagement in physical activity, accounting for site and seasonal effects. Results: Overall number of visits increased following park upgrades, with the largest number of visitors observed one-month post upgrade (n = 12,501). The proportion of older people observed at the parks remained relatively low prior to and one-month post upgrade compared to other age groups. However, after adjusting for site and seasonal effects, the number of older people observed in the parks increased significantly post upgrade and site activation compared to prior to the refurbishment (incidence rate ratios (IRR) 3.55; 95% CI 2.68, 4.70). The number of older people observed to be exercising at the Seniors Exercise Park also increased by 100% at 12-months post-installation relative to one-month post upgrade (IRR 2.00; 95% CI 1.26, 3.17). Conclusion: Installation of the Seniors Exercise Parks and the supportive programs and activities following six park upgrades resulted in an increase in older people’s park visitation and engagement in physical activity. Community engagement and training of volunteers with the support of local governments are likely to contribute to the increased park usage by older people. Trial registration: This trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Trial registration number ACTRN12621000965808. https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380745&isReview=true.
AB - Background: Recreational parks can play a significant role in older people’s health, with emerging evidence suggesting that changes in the physical environment, such as refurbishments of local parks, can increase park visitations and physical activity engagement. The ENJOY MAP for HEALTH aimed to evaluate the impact of Seniors Exercise Park installations and associated capacity building activities on older people’s park visitation, and park-based physical activity. Method: The ENJOY MAP for HEALTH was a quasi-experiment study design that involved the installation of specialised Seniors Exercise Park equipment as part of park refurbishment, supported by promotion and community capacity building activities in six municipalities in Victoria, Australia. Direct observations of park users took place prior to park upgrades, one-month post upgrade and 12-months from baseline. The overall number and characteristics of park visitors, and the type and level of physical activity undertaken, were summarised descriptively. Generalised linear models were used to examine the impact of park refurbishment (equipment installation and site activation) on the total number of older people observed in the park, and their engagement in physical activity, accounting for site and seasonal effects. Results: Overall number of visits increased following park upgrades, with the largest number of visitors observed one-month post upgrade (n = 12,501). The proportion of older people observed at the parks remained relatively low prior to and one-month post upgrade compared to other age groups. However, after adjusting for site and seasonal effects, the number of older people observed in the parks increased significantly post upgrade and site activation compared to prior to the refurbishment (incidence rate ratios (IRR) 3.55; 95% CI 2.68, 4.70). The number of older people observed to be exercising at the Seniors Exercise Park also increased by 100% at 12-months post-installation relative to one-month post upgrade (IRR 2.00; 95% CI 1.26, 3.17). Conclusion: Installation of the Seniors Exercise Parks and the supportive programs and activities following six park upgrades resulted in an increase in older people’s park visitation and engagement in physical activity. Community engagement and training of volunteers with the support of local governments are likely to contribute to the increased park usage by older people. Trial registration: This trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Trial registration number ACTRN12621000965808. https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380745&isReview=true.
KW - Built environment
KW - Older people
KW - Parks
KW - Physical activity
KW - Seniors Exercise Park
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85196616621&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-024-19042-3
DO - 10.1186/s12889-024-19042-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 38909183
AN - SCOPUS:85196616621
SN - 1471-2458
VL - 24
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
IS - 1
M1 - 1663
ER -