Page 228 - Hospital Authority Convention 2017

Service Enhancement Presentations
HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CONVENTION 2017

F7.6 Committed and Happy Staff 13:15 Room 421

Enhance Physical Activity Level of Hospital Staff: Peer Influence and Convenience on Participation as Enablers
Ho A, Wong J, Lee S
Administrative and Supporting Services Division, Haven of Hope Hospital, Hong Kong
Introduction
Ample evidence from researches showed that physical activity level is correlated with physical and mental well-being.
Despite these benefits, surveillances conducted by Department of Health have consistently shown that over 60% of adults in
Hong Kong are not meeting the World Health Organization’s recommendations on physical activity. Nurturing physical activity
habit during leisure time is particularly challenging among busy working people in Hong Kong in which lack of time, place and
motivations are common hurdles.
Objectives
To explore factors that will enable hospital staff to enhance their physical activity level through an easily participated and self-
monitored walking programme.
Methodology
A six-week programme – “Joyful Walk Round the World” was organised in a public hospital with an aim to promote walking
10,000 steps per day. Staff were invited to join the programme and the number of steps that they had walked each week was
recorded using mobile device or apps. The aggregated number of steps walked, the equivalent location in the world that they
reached and the top five achievers were promulgated to all staff weekly. To gauge the views of participants about physical
activity and the enablers, a survey was conducted at the end of the programme.
Results
116 staff in total had registered to the programme, and 39,075,487 steps in total were achieved which was equivalent to
walking more than 60% of the circumference of the Earth. 35% of participants could achieve the 10,000 steps per day target
throughout the programme. Survey results (N=62) revealed that majority (85.5%) of respondents considered walking during
leisure time is an effective means of physical activity, however only about 70% of them considered 10,000 steps per day is
achievable. Convenience is an important factor to attract them to join healthy programme (91.8%). In terms of enablers, using
t-test, physical activity with group participations will motivate them to walk more than just educational talks or promotion
booth (p<.01). Programme to enhance staff’s cognition in physical activity and their alertness against health risk is important
but not sufficient to motivate busy people to take part in physical activity. This study suggested that peer influence and group
activity as well as convenience to participate could motivate and reinforce hospital staff to enhance physical activity level.

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