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Background: Role models have been identified as a potential means to tackle the persisting low levels of physical activity among young girls. The aim of this research was to explore the involvement of community- and peer role models within the CHARMING (CHoosing Active Role Models to INspire Girls) intervention, an intervention which aims to increase and sustain physical activity among 9–10-year-old girls. The research questions were, is it feasible and acceptable to recruit role models? and what are the perceived barriers and facilitators to the inclusion of peer role models within the intervention? Methods: A mixed methods process evaluation was embedded within a larger feasibility study, involving three secondary schools and four adjoining primary schools in South Wales, United Kingdom. One-to-one interviews were conducted with teachers (N = 10) across the seven schools and community role models (N = 10). Focus groups were conducted with 18 peer role models (older girls from adjoining secondary schools) and 18 girls aged 9–10-years who had participated in the intervention. Primary school teachers kept observation logs of each intervention session. A researcher completed observation logs of two random sessions per school. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis with a combined deductive and inductive coding approach. Observation data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Data were triangulated and comparative analyses conducted across schools. Results: Twenty-three peer role models (aged 12–16-years) and 16 community role models participated in intervention delivery. Overall, the inclusion of both types of role models was shown as acceptable and feasible within the CHARMING intervention. Observation data highlighted key areas (i.e., intervention components delivered inconsistently) for further qualitative exploration. Six themes were identified during analyses; reach and access, communication, logistics, existing systems, interpersonal relationships, and perceived impacts. Themes were intertwined across the barriers and facilitators of recruitment and implementation. Areas for future improvement were highlighted. Conclusions: Findings can be used to optimise the CHARMING intervention and inform wider interventions or policies employing several role models across settings to promote physical activity among children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the UK, there is evidence that girls' physical activity tends to decline to a greater extent than boys as they enter adolescence. 'Role models' could play a vital role in inspiring girls to become or remain physically active. The CHARMING Programme is a primary school-based community linked role-model programme, co-developed in 2016, with children, parents, schools and wider stakeholders. It involves different types of physical activity delivered for 1-h each week by a community provider and peer role models (e.g. older girls from secondary schools) joining in with the sessions. The programme ultimately aims to increase and sustain physical activity levels among 9–10-year-old girls. This study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the CHARMING Programme and of evaluating it using a randomised trial. Methods: This study is a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial, with embedded process evaluation and health economic evaluation. Approximately 90 Year 5 (i.e. 9–10-year-old) girls will be recruited across six primary schools in Mid-South Wales. Participating schools will be allocated to the programme: control on a 2:1 basis; four intervention schools will run the CHARMING Programme and two will continue with usual practice. A survey and accelerometer will be administered at baseline and repeated at 12 months. Interviews and focus groups will be conducted post-intervention delivery. The primary aim is to assess feasibility of a future randomised trial via the recruitment of schools, participants and role models; randomisation; retention; reach; data collection completion rates; programme adherence; and programme fidelity, views on intervention acceptability and programme barriers and facilitators. Secondary aims are to evaluate established physical activity outcome measures for children plus additional health economic outcomes for inclusion in a future full-scale trial. Discussion: The results of this study will inform decisions on whether and how to proceed to a full-scale evaluation of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the CHARMING Programme to improve or sustain physical activity. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ISRCTN36223327. Registered March 29, 2021 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public perceptions of pandemic viral threats and government policies can influence adherence to containment, delay, and mitigation policies such as physical distancing, hygienic practices, use of physical barriers, uptake of testing, contact tracing, and vaccination programs. The UK COVID-19 Public Experiences (COPE) study aims to identify determinants of health behaviour using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation (COM-B) model using a longitudinal mixed-methods approach. Here, we provide a detailed description of the demographic and self-reported health characteristics of the COPE cohort at baseline assessment, an overview of data collected, and plans for follow-up of the cohort. The COPE baseline survey was completed by 11,113 UK adult residents (18+ years of age). Baseline data collection started on the 13th of March 2020 (10-days before the introduction of the first national COVID-19 lockdown in the UK) and finished on the 13th of April 2020. Participants were recruited via the HealthWise Wales (HWW) research registry and through social media snowballing and advertising (Facebook®, Twitter®, Instagram®). Participants were predominantly female (69%), over 50 years of age (68%), identified as white (98%), and were living with their partner (68%). A large proportion (67%) had a college/university level education, and half reported a pre-existing health condition (50%). Initial follow-up plans for the cohort included in-depth surveys at 3-months and 12-months after the first UK national lockdown to assess short and medium-term effects of the pandemic on health behaviour and subjective health and well-being. Additional consent will be sought from participants at follow-up for data linkage and surveys at 18 and 24-months after the initial UK national lockdown. A large non-random sample was recruited to the COPE cohort during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will enable longitudinal analysis of the determinants of health behaviour and changes in subjective health and well-being over the course of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]