Improving access, enhancing knowledge, and strengthening investment in community sports and physical activity to promote healthy lives through collective action in Afigya Kwabre South District
1
1. Public Health, Ghana Public Health Association, Accra, Ghana
2
2. Noncommunication Diseases, PATH, Kumasi, Ghana
3
Private, Private Consultant, Accra, Ghana
4
Noncommunicable diseases, PATH, Kumasi, Ghana
5
Afigya Kwabre south health district, Ghana Health Service, Kodie, Ghana
6
Afigya Kwabre south education service, Ghana Education service, Kodie, Ghana
7
Noncommunicable diseases, PATH, Seattle, Ghana
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Physical inactivity is contributing to the rise in non-communicable diseases, with insufficiently active individuals facing a 20% to 30% increased risk of premature death. In Ghana, 87% of male adolescents and 88% of female adolescents are NOT physically active1,2. To address this situation, the community sports and health cooperation initiative was started in Ghana in Afigya Kwabre South district in April 2024 with the aim of strengthening collaboration between the sport and health sector to increase participation in organized community sport.
METHODS:
Key health, school and community agents and professionals were trained to support integrated sport and health approaches in their respective constituencies over a 6-month period. They organised community-directed awareness weekly campaigns, and promoted weekly regular physical activities and sports in schools, health facilities and communities. Baseline and end line assessments of knowledge and behaviours were conducted through individual interviews using KoboCollect in seventeen randomly selected primary and junior high schools and the only Senior High School. Informed consent was obtained from interviewees or their teachers for those below 18 years.
RESULTS:
Over 1900 health workers, school teachers and community agents were trained to reach 1.1 million persons with education messages, and 200,000 persons engaged in physical activity sessions during the period in the district. Endline assessment showed significant improvement of pupils undertaking moderate to vigorous physical activity during the last 7 days compared with baseline (Mean difference of 190.5 minutes versus 77.2 minutes, p<0.0001). Similarly, proportion of students/pupils who spent less than 2 hours sitting when not in school increased significantly (81% (N=330) versus 69% (N=433), p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:
There is increased access to physical activity and wellness messaging in the district, as well as improved physical activity sessions and reduction in sedentary behavior among pupils and students in the district through collaborative effort.
Physical inactivity is contributing to the rise in non-communicable diseases, with insufficiently active individuals facing a 20% to 30% increased risk of premature death. In Ghana, 87% of male adolescents and 88% of female adolescents are NOT physically active1,2. To address this situation, the community sports and health cooperation initiative was started in Ghana in Afigya Kwabre South district in April 2024 with the aim of strengthening collaboration between the sport and health sector to increase participation in organized community sport.
METHODS:
Key health, school and community agents and professionals were trained to support integrated sport and health approaches in their respective constituencies over a 6-month period. They organised community-directed awareness weekly campaigns, and promoted weekly regular physical activities and sports in schools, health facilities and communities. Baseline and end line assessments of knowledge and behaviours were conducted through individual interviews using KoboCollect in seventeen randomly selected primary and junior high schools and the only Senior High School. Informed consent was obtained from interviewees or their teachers for those below 18 years.
RESULTS:
Over 1900 health workers, school teachers and community agents were trained to reach 1.1 million persons with education messages, and 200,000 persons engaged in physical activity sessions during the period in the district. Endline assessment showed significant improvement of pupils undertaking moderate to vigorous physical activity during the last 7 days compared with baseline (Mean difference of 190.5 minutes versus 77.2 minutes, p<0.0001). Similarly, proportion of students/pupils who spent less than 2 hours sitting when not in school increased significantly (81% (N=330) versus 69% (N=433), p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:
There is increased access to physical activity and wellness messaging in the district, as well as improved physical activity sessions and reduction in sedentary behavior among pupils and students in the district through collaborative effort.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
