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Walking groups in socioeconomically deprived communities: A qualitative study using photo elicitation.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Repository DOI


Change log

Authors

Hanson, Sarah 
Guell, Cornelia 
Jones, Andy 

Abstract

Walking groups can benefit health but uptake is more likely amongst those who are socially well-situated and need them least. This study worked with a new walking group in a community in England with poor health and socio-economic indicators to understand non-participation and barriers to involvement. It used a qualitative approach. Participant generated photographs captured the physical and social environments in which they walked and these were used with semi-structured interviews to inductively explore walking group participation and the wider social context of walking. We found that prior to joining there were low expectations of any health benefit and walking groups were not viewed as 'proper' activity. The group format and social expectations presented a barrier to joining. Having joined participants described a developing awareness of the health benefits of walking. The shared sense of achieving health goals with others sustained the group rather than socialising, per se. We suggest that walking group participation is a complex social practice. Promoting walking groups as a social activity for this group of people may well have been counter-productive.

Description

Keywords

Health equity, Photo-elicitation, Public health, Social practice, Walking groups, Adult, Aged, England, Female, Health Promotion, Health Status, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Photography, Qualitative Research, Social Environment, Socioeconomic Factors, Walking

Journal Title

Health Place

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1353-8292
1873-2054

Volume Title

39

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MR/K023187/1)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12015/6)
Wellcome Trust (087636/Z/08/Z)
Economic and Social Research Council (ES/G007462/1)
This work was partially supported by the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), a UKCRC Public Health Research Centre of Excellence. Funding from the British Heart Foundation, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research and the Wellcome Trust, under the auspices of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, is gratefully acknowledged.