Conclusiones

The CSPPA study used a cross-sectional research design. It provides information from 10- 18 year old children and youth on their physical activity levels, physical education, extra- curricular sport participation, and extra-school club participation. Data were also collected from school administrators to allow further investigation of perceptions and challenges. This chapter outlines sampling and recruitment of participants, the measures utilised and the data collection and analysis methods.

Sampling and recruitment

School sampling

The sampling frame included all primary and post-primary schools in the Republic of Ireland. Special schools, junior-only primary schools and colleges of further education were removed from the database as they were not within the age cohort, or target population of this study.

Schools were stratified by:

Gender:

t
(male, female or mixed)

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4UBUVT

t
(Designated disadvantage versus non-designated)

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PG
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t
(Categorised by population density: Urban = Dublin city or county,

and the cities of Cork, Waterford, Galway, Limerick. Rural = All other areas of the country)

Type:

A systematic, one-stage cluster method was used to sample schools and obtain a nation- ally representative sample. Over-sampling was applied to allow for refusal to participate. A recruitment letter was sent to all sampled schools (n=324). Researchers followed up with a phone call to school principals within 7 days. A total of 123 schools agreed to take part (N=53 primary, N=70 post-primary).

Recruitment of principals

Once a school was recruited, the principals (or their nominee) consent was sought to complete a short questionnaire. One hundred and three (47 primary and 56 post-primary administrators) school administrators completed the questionnaire, representing a response rate of 80%. The majority of respondents (94%) were principals, the remainder were vice principals, or physical education teachers.

Primary school sample

Primary school children made up 24% of the sample. In primary schools (N=53), 1275 pupils participated in CSPPA. Half of the sample (48%) was in 5th class; the remainder were in 6th class. The average age was 11.4 years (+0 .7: range =10-13 years), and 55% were boys, 45% were girls. The majority were in social class (SC) 1-2 (40%), 34% were in SC 3-4, 12 % were in SC 5-6, with 14% defined as other (SC 7-8, see glossary of terms for clarity of social class categories). Six percent of children (n=80, boys=8%, girls=5%) reported that they had a physical or learning disability, or illness that affected their participation in physical activity.

Post-primary school sample

In post-primary schools (N=70), 4122 pupils from 1st to 6th year participated in CSPPA. The average age was 14.5 years (+ 1.7: range =12-18 years), and 48% were male. Forty four per cent of participants were in SC 1-2, 38% in SC 3-4, 9% in SC 5-6, and 9% in SC 7-8. Seven percent (n=269, 7% of males and 6% of females) reported that they had a physical or learning disability that affected their ability to participate in physical activity.

Ethics

The study protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee at Dublin City University, University of Limerick and University College Cork.

Measures

Principals’ questionnaire

School principals in participating schools completed a questionnaire to determine i) their perceptions of sport and physical education, ii) the challenges they face in providing physical education, and iii) their perceived relation between school ethos and school sport or physical activity. Separate questionnaires were used for primary and post-primary schools. The questionnaires were originally used by the Economic and Social Research Institute for the 2004 study (1) and minor changes were made.

Pupils’ questionnaire

The CSPPA primary (5th and 6th class) and post-primary (1st-6th year) questionnaires were multi-section, self-report instruments; developmentally appropriate for the population being surveyed. For comparative purposes the questionnaire was based on the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) study (1), the Take PART study (49) and other published instruments. Completion time was approximately 45 minutes.

The collection of the questionnaire data in primary and post-primary schools was completed in groups ranging from 3 to 86 participants in each year or class group. The ratio of researchers to pupils was approximately 1 to 20 for questionnaire completion. The purpose of the study was briefly outlined, instructions were provided on how to complete the questionnaire and applicable definitions were explained. Participants were informed that their responses would be treated in strictest confidence and that their names would not be associated with the data. They were encouraged to reflect upon their answers, ask for assistance if needed and to be as honest as possible. Woods and colleagues used a similar methodology in the Take PART study (60).

Pupils physical measures

In schools selected to partake in physical measures, the ratio of researchers to pupils was approximately 1 to 10. Following questionnaire completion, the participants’ height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure were measured. In addition participants that were determined as eligible, via completion of a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), completed a continuous incremental shuttle run test (the 20 metre shuttle run test, or bleep test) to estimate their aerobic fitness. The full protocols adhered to for the measurement of physical health can be obtained from the first author.

Objective physical activity (motion sensors)

A sub sample of participants were asked to wear an activity monitor for 7 days to allow for objective assessment of habitual physical activity and validation of self report measures. A combination of inactive and active participants were selected by the physical education teacher for this additional element of the research. Actigraph accelerometers and pedometers were used. Actigraph accelerometers are small motion sensors that record changes in acceleration and convert them to physical activity ‘counts’, allowing the researcher to quantify the duration, frequency and intensity of activity performed by the wearer (61). Pedometers are small devices which record acceleration and deceleration of movement in a single plane. Both devices provided information on physical activity in the form of step count data.

Data analysis

Data analysis was undertaken using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 15.0). Descriptive statistics were calculated via means, standard deviations, minimums, maximums and percentages where appropriate. Chi square, independent t tests, Mann- Whitney, one-way ANOVAS with Games Howell post hoc tests and regression analyses were used to examine differences between key elements of the study, such as physical activity level and gender.

The distribution of variables of interest was examined according to household social economic class and area of residence. Household social class was determined by parental occupation and broken into four categories, professional/managerial (SC 1-2), unclassified non-manual and skilled manual (SC 3-4), semi- and unskilled manual (SC 5-6), and unemployed or unknown (SC 7-8). For the post-primary sample, area of residence was measured by each individual selection of one of four possible population density categories to reflect where they lived. The categories were i) a big city >70,000 inhabitants, ii)

suburbs, large town or outskirt of city <70,000, iii) town (< 20,000 inhabitants) and iv) village / rural area < 3,000 inhabitants.