Identifying state-level policy and provision domains for physical education and physical activity in high school
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RESEARCH
Open Access
Identifying state-level policy and provision domains for physical education and physical activity in high school Derek Hales1, June Stevens2*, David M Murray3, Dan R Taber4 and Amy Roberts2
Abstract Background: It is important to quickly and efficiently identify policies that are effective at changing behavior; therefore, we must be able to quantify and evaluate the effect of those policies and of changes to those policies. The purpose of this study was to develop state-level physical education (PE) and physical activity (PA) policy domain scores at the high-school level. Policy domain scores were developed with a focus on measuring policy change. Methods: Exploratory factor analysis was used to group items from the state-level School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) into policy domains. Items that related to PA or PE at the High School level were identified from the 7 SHPPS health program surveys. Data from 2000 and 2006 were used in the factor analysis. RESULTS: From the 98 items identified, 17 policy domains were extracted. Average policy domain change scores were positive for 12 policy domains, with the largest increases for “Discouraging PA as Punishment”, “Collaboration”, and “Staff Development Opportunities”. On average, states increased scores in 4.94 ± 2.76 policy domains, decreased in 3.53 ± 2.03, and had no change in 7.69 ± 2.09 policy domains. Significant correlations were found between several policy domain scores. Conclusions: Quantifying policy change and its impact is integral to the policy making and revision process. Our results build on previous research offering a way to examine changes in state-level policies related to PE and PA of high-school students and the faculty and staff who serve them. This work provides methods for combining statelevel policies relevant to PE or PA in youth for studies of their impact. Keywords: Policy, Physical Activity, Physical Education, SHPPS
Background In the United States, state and local governments have far-reaching responsibilities for public schools and the youth attending those schools, including their health and welfare. In recent years growing concerns about the epidemic of childhood obesity and low levels of physical activity (PA) have prompted the establishment of a large number of legislative and regulatory actions that aim to, directly or indirectly, increase PA in schools. In 2011, 41 states and the District of Columbia (DC) had legislation introduced that was related to PA or Physical Education (PE) in schools (Database of State Legislative and * Correspondence: [email protected] 2 Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 245 Rosenau Hall CB#7461, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
Regulatory Action to Prevent Obesity and Improve Nutrition and Physical Activity, accessed Jan 2012). While previous research has shown that some state-level legislation and local policies are positively related to PE time and PA levels of st
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