Mt Wellington
Group MT Wellington Rugby League Sports Club ‘League4Life’ Pilot programme.
The intervention is to work with this sports club to create a supportive environment that improves healthy choices and practice (Mt Wellington Rugby League Sports Club and Procare Health)
Start date & duration:
September 2010 - June 2012.
What is the programme trying to achieve:
The programme is trying to achieve a supportive environment that is ‘health promoting’. The programme approach is a ‘settings’ approach similar to health promoting in schools. It works with the sports club committee to implement structural change within the club and disseminate health information out to its members.
There are 13 areas for the club to address over a period of 2 years;
- appoint a child protection champion
- adopt a league smart action plan (injury prevention)
- provide a responsible drinking environment
- implement smoke free club and grounds
- increase low sugar beverages and promote water first
- provide a range of healthy options for vending machines
- provide healthy options into snack and catering menus
- develop healthier fundraising practices
- raise awareness of the dangers of recreational drug use
- develop best practice sideline behaviour
- implement sunsmart practices
- develop relationships with health providers and raise health awareness
- be breast feeding friendly
Who are the target population for this programme or service:
The target group are the members, whānau, visitors and users of the club. Mainly the 300 Maori and Pacific male members aged 7yrs – 60yrs.
What is the geographical coverage for this programme or service:
The club members and their families reside in Glen Innes, Manukau, Panmure, Orakei, Onehunga, Mt Wellington, Otahuhu.
Who can access it:
See above.
How did the programme come about:
Firstly, we know that when it comes to visiting the doctor, some of us are prone to leaving these visits until the very last minute and sometimes this can be too late. In a sports club setting where men are being smashed weekly during a game the same attitude applies and they are not visiting their GP until they cannot physically walk or their arm is falling off. Imagine trying to motivate people to visit their GP to get a checkup or as an annual preventative practice. Secondly, sports clubs have long been the target market of corporate sponsorship for commercial gain and community clubs are dependent on this for survival. These include the promotion of alcohol, gambling, nutrient poor foods and beverages. Because of the reach a sports club has into the community providing this setting with health funding as an alternative to corporate funding makes them an ideal vehicle through which to promote health and prevention practices to the general population considered to be hard to reach and high-risk.
What approach is used for the service delivery:
Health promotion ‘settings’ and a community development.
What are the successes to date with the delivery of the service:
The club has a membership of 300 Maori and Pacific males. In 2010 seven members (35+) experienced heart episodes.
Objectives:
Motivate and target Maori and Pacific male club members 35+ to use the Heart Foundation online tool ‘Know Your Numbers’ to raise awareness of and adopt healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the risks of becoming a heart attack statistic. Improving heart health will reduce the incident of heart events.
Raise awareness of the importance of prevention practices to club members including an annual checkup visit to their GP. Target 20 Maori and Pacific men 35+ (high risk populations). Develop a 3-month programme to support the men to visit their doctor for a WOF check. Support men to access the online KYN tool and receive a 6-week heart health plan. Provide the cost of a GP visit for the 20 men across 4 x PHOs to visit their GP for a heart WOF assessment (HF grant). Provide two heart health presentations to raise awareness of its importance especially for Maori and Pacific males 35+ and provide linkages to primary care support. Provide support for these participants to make change by way of nutrition information and a supportive healthy club environment.
20 members attended the KYNs presentation, five out of eleven members claimed funding for their GP visit. Eight out of 20 men continued with the programme making changes to their lifestyle by way of reducing their alcohol intake, increasing physical activity and adopting changes to their diet. Policies, signage, key messages and champions have been developed and implemented around alcohol, smokefree grounds and healthy nutrition options.
What are the measures of success for this programme:
The club provides ongoing healthy options. Members and parents are choosing healthy options and members and parents are aware of the promotional influences on children.
Has any evaluation of the service been undertaken? If so, when and what was the outcome:
Currently being evaluated by the University of Auckland School of Population Health - findings are yet to be reported. These are due November 2011.
Who are the funders of this programme:
ADHB HEHA funding and Procare Health Network.