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The COMMUNICATE study: communicating physical activity messages with adolescents
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Date
2026-02
Abstract
Background: One in five adolescents obtains the recommended physical activity levels to achieve the associated health benefits. Whole-school, multi-component, multi-level physical activity programmes are well established to tackle the physical inactivity challenge. The Active School Flag is a whole-school peer-led physical activity programme in Ireland. Communications or awareness campaigns are often embedded in these programmes. However, it is unclear how to effectively communicate physical activity messages with adolescents and what support is required. This thesis aims to understand and map the evidence for, and develop tools and resources to support, the communication of physical activity messages with adolescents.
Methods: This thesis used mixed methods to understand the problem and establish a solution. Chapter three outlines a protocol for a scoping review of the literature, which explored the operationalisation of, evaluation of, and evidence for effective communication of physical activity messages with adolescents. Chapter four presents the scoping review that follows the six steps and methodological guidance for conducting scoping reviews, and its findings from the database convergent synthesis analysis. Chapter five demonstrates a sequential mixed methods design including a survey with a subsample of Active School Flag students, followed by interviews and focus groups with the programme implementers in each school. The purpose of the survey was to understand the health literacy, physical activity knowledge, beliefs, and programme awareness levels among adolescents, and the subsequent focus groups were to map the efforts to communicate physical activity messages among the school community. Chapter six outlines an iterative co-creation process to develop a set of tools and resources to support whole-school programme implementers with communicating physical activity messages. Chapter seven uses a sequential mixed methods design to assess the feasibility of the co-created COMMUNICATE toolkit within Active School Flag schools.
Results: The scoping review mapped the context, content, and mode of delivery in which physical activity messages have been communicated with adolescents to date. It outlined the instruments used to evaluate physical activity messages and the current state of the available evidence regarding the effectiveness of the messages communicated. Adolescents in the Active School Flag programme had low levels of health literacy, physical activity knowledge, and beliefs. This was explained by the unstructured efforts to communicate physical activity messages and a lack of guidance for the communicators. The COMMUNICATE toolkit was co-created with Active School Flag school stakeholders, consisting of tools and resources to a) raise awareness about the ongoing whole-school programme, b) plan the promotion of physical activity in the school, and c) develop peer leaders' communication skills. A feasibility study determined that the COMMUNICATE study trial can be conducted after changes to the intervention and study procedures are adopted.
Conclusion: This thesis describes key learnings for research, policy, and practice when communicating physical activity messages with adolescents. Furthermore, it provides a practical solution, developed with the end-user in mind, to improve the communication efforts within a whole-school programme.
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Description
Peer-reviewed
Publisher
University of Limerick
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Funding Information
Sustainable Development Goals
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Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International