Evaluation of the Exercise for Wellbeing Pathway at York St John University

York St John University17 enrolled

Overview

In autumn 2024, York St John University launched a physical activity programme for university students facing mental health challenges. The purpose of this project is to conduct a mixed-methods evaluative study of this new service over a 6-month period. It is anticipated that 20-40 students will be recruited to the study, which will assess the following: assess the following: feasibility, the extent to which the service can be delivered successfully; acceptability, the extent to which the service is considered appropriate, satisfactory, or attractive by programme recipients and intervention delivery staff; fidelity, the extent to which the key service components (e.g., assessment procedures, physical activity programme) were implemented as planned and adaptations were made; preliminary effects, with relation to physical, mental and social health outcomes.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Mental Health

Interventions

The physical activity programme will have the following features: * 6-week programme * 1-2 supervised physical activity sessions per week * 60 minutes per session, including a mixture of physical activities (e.g. walking, other aerobic physical activity, resistance, balance and stretching exercises) * Self-selected physical activity intensity * Group-based (maximum of 10 students per session) * Sessions supervised by a qualified exercise instructor. A member of the University's Wellbeing team will also be present to offer students mental health support, if needed. * Physical activity behavioral strategies incorporated into the 6-week programme (e.g., goal setting, action planning, exploring barriers and enablers, setting cues or prompts for self-directed PA) * Encouragement to be physically active away from the supervised sessions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Student enrolled at York St John University * Age 18 years and over * Undertaking a course which requires attendance at York St John University's Lord Mayor's Walk Campus * Presenting to the student wellbeing team with mild-to-moderate mental health concerns (defined as experiencing symptoms of poor mental health such as feeling depressed or socially isolated, prolonged stress and anxiety, or experiencing academic decline that makes their daily life more difficult but maintain daily functioning) and expressing an interest in enhancing their mental health and daily functioning Exclusion Criteria: * Unwilling or unable to provide written informed consent * Unable to attend (or to participate in) the scheduled physical activity sessions * Unsuccessful physical activity clearance using the physical activity readiness questionnaire (PAR-Q+)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Rate of recruitment

The average number of participants recruited per month

Time frame: Over the course of the 6-month enrollment period

Rate of retention

The proportion of participants who complete the study

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of intervention at 6 weeks

Rate of attendance

Median number of supervised physical activity sessions attended amongst all participants

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of intervention at 6 weeks

Acceptability of the service

The extent to which the service is considered appropriate, satisfactory, or attractive by programme recipients and intervention delivery staff. Assessed primarily via one-to-one interviews and an exit survey.

Time frame: At the 6-week follow-up assessment

Secondary Outcomes

Fidelity

The extent to which the key service components (e.g., assessment procedures, physical activity programme) were implemented as planned and adaptations were made. Assessed primarily via session record data and post-intervention interviews with participants and service delivery staff.

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of intervention at 6 weeks

Mean time per day in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity

Assessed using an Axivity AX6 wrist-worn accelerometer worn continuously for 7 days at each study timepoint

Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at the 6-week follow-up

10-item Recovering Quality of Life (ReQoL) questionnaire

The minimum index score for ReQoL-10 is 0 and the maximum is 40, where 0 indicates poorest quality of life and 40 indicates highest quality of life.

Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at the 6-week follow-up

9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

The total score ranges from 0 to 27 with higher scores indicating more severe depression.

Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at the 6-week follow-up

38-item Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38)

All the MHI items are scored on a six-point scale (1-6) except for items 9 and 28, which are scored on a five-point scale (1-5). The raw score range is 38-226, with higher scores on the Mental Health Index indicating less psychological distress and greater psychological well-being.

Time frame: Assessed at baseline and at the 6-week follow-up

Resting blood pressure (automated)

Time frame: Assessed before and after the 6-week intervention period

Estimated maximal oxygen uptake (YMCA submaximal cycle test)

Time frame: Assessed before and after the 6-week intervention period

Grip strength (Jamar handgrip dynamometer)

Time frame: Assessed before and after the 6-week intervention period

Lower-limb muscular strength/endurance (30-s sit-to-stand test)

Time frame: Assessed before and after the 6-week intervention period

Adverse events

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the exit assessment after the end of the 6-week intervention period

Evaluation of the Exercise for Wellbeing Pathway at York St John University

Overview

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes