The Overall Awareness and Impact of the WIXX Multimedia Communication Campaign, 2012–2016
in Journal of Physical Activity and HealthClick name to view affiliation
Background: Evidence regarding the impact of physical activity (PA) communication campaigns among children is scarce. This study was aimed at examining the reach of the WIXX campaign and its impact on children’s PA beliefs and behaviors. Methods: This study adopted a pre–posttest design. Children (9–13 y old) were recruited using a random digit dialing procedure. Self-reported outcomes included PA beliefs, trying new PAs, and meeting PA guidelines. WIXX awareness and survey periods were the treatment variables. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the main effect of treatment variables and the time-specific impact of WIXX. Results: The campaign reached 80.3% of the children. Fully adjusted results showed that girls with high (odd ratio = 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–2.0) and moderate (odd ratio = 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–1.8) awareness were more likely to have tried new PAs. Results from the sensitivity analyses suggested that this positive result was due to strategies implemented during the second year of the campaign. No other significant association between exposure and outcomes was observed. Conclusions: The WIXX campaign was successful in reaching a significant proportion of children. Although some encouraging results were observed among girls, WIXX awareness was not associated with changes on the examined outcomes among boys.
Bélanger-Gravel is with the Department of Information and Communication, Laval University, Québec City, Canada; and Research Center of the Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, Québec City, Canada. Laferté and Therrien are with Québec en Forme, Trois-Rivières, Canada. Lagarde is with Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon, Montréal, Canada. Gauvin is with the Research Center of the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada; and School of Public Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
Supplementary Materials
- Supplementary File 1 (PDF 150 KB)
- Supplementary File 2 (PDF 58 KB)
- Supplementary File 3 (PDF 113 KB)
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