Move to Improve: Co-designing a hospital-based physical activity program for children with chronic health conditions

Background: Physical activity (PA) is shown to have benefits for physical and mental health in children with chronic health conditions (CHCs). However, it can be very difficult for children living with CHCs to engage in PA.
Purpose: Move to Improve is an ongoing hospital-based research project that aims to provide evidence on how to best incorporate PA into routine clinical care for children with CHCs.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 participants (parents and children) across four CHCs (Type 1 Diabetes, Cancer, Burns, Cerebral Palsy) to understand their experiences with PA and explore barriers and facilitators to PA participation for children with CHCs. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed to identify key themes.
Results: Four key themes were identified – ‘fostering psychological safety’, ‘empowering families towards physical activity’, ‘supporting goal achievement’, and ‘providing tailored physical activity support’. These themes highlighted that, when engaging in PA, it is important for families to feel a sense of community and agency within a specific PA context. Incorporating appropriate goal setting strategies may be helpful in navigating challenges to partaking in PA. Families also highlighted a need for a tailored approach within clinical settings, focused on providing specific advice to cater to each child’s/family’s unique physical activity goals, needs, and concerns.
Conclusions: Findings suggest that while incorporating PA into clinical care for children with CHCs, there is a need for tailored interventions that can cater to the child’s unique needs and circumstances.
Practical implications: The findings contribute to an understanding of how PA can be incorporated into routine clinical care for children with CHCs in a manner that can foster physical and mental health benefits and is acceptable, feasible, and sustainable in the long run.
Funding: This research is funded by Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation and Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.