The perceived impact of urban renewal on engagement in physical activity in a socio-economically disadvantaged community : a qualitative investigation

• Main Author: Torrens, Wendy Susan
• Published: Queen's University Belfast 2017
• Subjects: 613.7
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.728680

Physical Inactivity (PI) is a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes and coronary heart disease, therefore increasing population physical activity (PA) levels is a public health priority. This PhD considers two relatively new approaches being advocated to increase population-level PA- the policy approach and the environmental approach - both of which require further investigation (NICE, 2008). Firstly, it investigated local policy with respect to awareness and appreciation of PA by reviewing the nature and extent to which PA was acknowledged within NI government documents; it also discovered whether the use of health impact assessment in policy making was widespread. A second study comprised a review of qualitative research on the perceived impact of urban renewal on the PA of adults living in areas of socio-economic deprivation; it focused on the barriers and facilitators to engaging in and maintaining PA in areas of proposed or completed urban renewal. The main part of this PhD explored the views of residents, in an area of east Belfast that was earmarked for urban renewal, about their barriers and facilitators to PA, potential solutions to overcoming PI and their views on the use of urban renewal to change PA behaviour. Overall, the results suggested that environmental and policy approaches have the potential to impact positively on the PA levels of adults living in socio-economically deprived areas. The success of efforts to increase PA in the context of urban renewal, depends on conducting consultation exercises (incorporating qualitative research) with stakeholders particularly residents, to identify and address perceived barriers to PA as an integral part of the process. This contextual information can then be used to co-develop and implement multi-collaborative, multi-component interventions with residents, to increase PA, improve social capital and reinforce community capacity development. The PhD addresses the lack of research about lay views and provides a detailed bottom-up perspective of barriers, facilitators and potential solutions to increasing population-level physical activity.