Exploration of Sedentary Behaviour Among General Practitioners: A Mixed Methods Study

A sequential, mixed-methods study exploring sedentary behaviour among General Practitioners and General Practice Specialty Trainees.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sedentary Behavior
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Questionnaire survey; Device: Accelerometer study; Other: Semi-structured interview study

Detailed Description

The study follows a sequential, mixed-methods model involving three stages. The first stage will involve the dissemination of a questionnaire survey, in which participants will self-estimate their sedentary behaviour on a working day and on a non-working day. The second stage will involve the use of thigh-worn accelerometers and a sleep/work log to obtain objective data regarding sedentary behaviour among a purposive subset of participants who responded to the questionnaire. The third stage will involve semi-structured interviews with a purposive subset of participants who wore the accelerometers, which will be analysed with the application of a theoretical framework regarding the acceptability of healthcare interventions.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 400

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Belfast, United Kingdom, BT9 7BL
    • Queen's University Belfast School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 23 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

General Practice Specialty Trainees (GPSTs) and General Practitioners (GPs) throughout Northern Ireland. GPs and GPSTs in Northern Ireland provide care for patients as part of the UK NHS, with working conditions similar to GPs and GPSTs throughout the rest of the UK.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Participants will be General Practitioners or General Practice Specialty Trainees working in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

Exclusion Criteria:

Not working as a General Practitioner or General Practice Specialty Trainee in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

3

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Questionnaire survey; An initial online questionnaire, based on the International Sedentary Assessment Tool (ISAT), will be distributed to General Practice Specialty Trainees (GPSTs) and General Practitioners (GPs) throughout Northern Ireland.	Other: Questionnaire survey; Online questionnaire, based on the International Sedentary Assessment Tool (ISAT)
Accelerometer study; A purposive sample of questionnaire respondents will be asked to participate in the accelerometer study. This purposive sample will be based on responses to the online questionnaire. The aim will be to obtain a varied sample, based on questionnaire responses, by selecting individuals with a range of demographic characteristics and self-reported levels of sedentary behaviour. Some participants will also be asked to complete a further online survey, while wearing the accelerometer, regarding their health, wellbeing, burnout and fatigue.	Other: Questionnaire survey; Online questionnaire, based on the International Sedentary Assessment Tool (ISAT); Device: Accelerometer study; Consenting participants will be asked to wear an accelerometer on the lateral aspect of the middle of the right thigh (over the midpoint of the iliotibial band), continuously over a seven-day period.
Semi-structured interview study; A purposive sample comprising participants of the accelerometer study will be asked to participate in semi-structured interviews. This purposive sample will be based on the accelerometer data. The aim will be to obtain a varied sample, based on accelerometer data, by selecting individuals with a range of different levels of sedentary behaviour, demographic and workplace characteristics. The final number of participants will depend on the saturation of information.	Other: Questionnaire survey; Online questionnaire, based on the International Sedentary Assessment Tool (ISAT); Device: Accelerometer study; Consenting participants will be asked to wear an accelerometer on the lateral aspect of the middle of the right thigh (over the midpoint of the iliotibial band), continuously over a seven-day period.; Other: Semi-structured interview study; Semi-structured interviews will take place via telephone or webcam. Participants will be given feedback regarding their accelerometer data relating to their levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Questions will examine participants' thoughts and opinions regarding sedentary behaviour and physical activity in the General Practice setting. Further questions will explore participants' experiences of wearing accelerometers, their knowledge of and attitudes towards physical activity and sedentary behaviour and their thoughts or suggestions on interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour among GPs and GPSTs.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Self-reported sedentary behaviour	Autumn 2020
Accelerometer measured sedentary behaviour	Autumn 2021
Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews	Autumn 2021

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Queen's University, Belfast
• Collaborators: University of Ulster; University of Southern Denmark; Loughborough University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Neil Heron, Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 2, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 14, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 14, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): September 21, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 13, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 12, 2022
• Last Verified: September 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Physical Activity; Primary Care; Sedentary Behaviour; General Practitioner
• Other Study ID Numbers: MHLS 20_39 - Amendment 1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Sharing of study protocol to optimise openness and integrity of research.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Study protocol will be made available on commencement of the study and will be available for the duration of the study.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Study protocol will be submitted for open access journal publication.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No