YoPA - A Youth-centred Participatory Action

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Social and/or physical environmental interventions: To be determined in the co-creation groups at the four sites (Denmark, the Netherlands, Nigeria, South Africa)

Study summary

Background

A vast majority of adolescents do not meet guidelines for healthy physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep, posing major risks for developing multiple non-communicable diseases. Unhealthy lifestyles seem more prevalent in urban than rural areas, with the neighbourhood environment as a mediating pathway linking urban living and poor health. How to develop and implement sustainable and effective interventions focused on adolescent health and wellbeing in urban vulnerable life situations is a key challenge and research gap. This paper describes the protocol of a Youth-centred Participatory Action (YoPA) project aiming to tailor, implement, and evaluate social and physical environmental interventions using an evidence-informed youth-centred co-creation approach, for structural improvement of the lifestyles of adolescents in urban vulnerable life situations.

Methods

In diverse urban environments in Denmark, the Netherlands, Nigeria, and South Africa, academic researchers will engage adolescents (12-19 years) growing up in vulnerable life situations and other key stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, urban planners, community leaders) in local co-creation communities. Together with academic researchers and local stakeholders, adolescents will take a leading role in mapping the local system for needs and opportunities; tailoring interventions to their local context; implementing and evaluating interventions during participatory meetings over the course of three years. YoPA applies a participatory mixed methods design guided by the newly developed SUPER-AIM framework assessing: (i) the local Systems, (ii) User perspectives, (iii) the Participatory co-creation process, (ii) Effects, iv) Reach, (vi) Adoption, (vii) Implementation, and (viii) Maintenance of interventions, in an integrated manner.

Discussion

YoPA aims to fill various research gaps, including the development of a practical protocol guiding the application of co-creation to tailor evidence-informed interventions to divers, multi-country contexts. Additionally, it focuses on advancing the research gap in physical activity and health within Sub-Saharan Africa and the involvement of adolescents in shaping their physical and social environments. Academic researchers envision that the YoPA co-creation approach will serve as a guide for participation of adolescents in vulnerable life situations in implementation of health promotion and urban planning in Europe, Africa and globally.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• 24-h movement behaviours (i.e., physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep). — Pre-implementation, directly after implementation, and 3-6 months after implementation of the intervention.
  24-h movement behaviours will be assesed by questionnaire and accelerometers. The questionnaire contains questions on sleep (time spent on sleeping on a school day and weekend day, number of days feeling sleepy in the last week), physical activity (time spent in physical activity) and screentime (watching a screen on weekdays and weekend days).
• Physical activity and associated environmental characteristics in selected outdoor spaces — Pre-implementation, directly after implementation, and 3-6 months after implementation of the intervention.
  SOPLAY is a validated tool for directly observing physical activity and associated environmental characteristics in free play settings (e.g., recess and lunch at school). SOPLAY provides objective data on the number of participants and their physical activity levels during play and leisure opportunities in targeted areas. Separate scans are made for males and females, and simultaneous entries for contextual characteristics of areas including their accessibility, usability, and whether or not supervision, organized activities, and equipment are provided. The predominant type of activity engaged in by area users is also recorded (e.g., basketball, dance).

Trial sites (4)

More Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc trials in the Netherlands

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