Creating an impact: Examining the effectiveness of an event-based knowledge mobilization initiative for disseminating the physical activity guidelines for people with spinal cord injury

Abstract

Ensuring the physical activity (PA) guidelines for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) are effectively disseminated is important for promoting PA. Few studies have investigated knowledge mobilization (KM) initiatives that aim to disseminate guidelines. Diffusion research suggests that using interpersonal communication channels may increase the adoption of guidelines. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of an event-based KM initiative that used interpersonal communication to disseminate the guidelines to people with SCI. The KM initiative consisted of 12 separate events which were attended by 104 people with SCI (age = 53±18.9 yrs; 31% female). Questionnaires assessing attendees' adoption of the guidelines as operationalized by Rogers' innovation-decision process were completed before, directly after (Time 2) and one month following an event (Time 3). Results of RM-ANOVAs and Related-Samples McNemar Tests indicated that initial adoption of the guidelines was promising. At Time 2, attendees' knowledge of the guidelines, attitudes towards the guidelines, self-efficacy and intentions to meet the guidelines increased from baseline (ps < .05). At Time 3, these increases in indicators of adoption were not maintained and change in PA behaviour was not observed. An event-based KM initiative may be effective for initial dissemination of PA guidelines. Efforts are needed to foster long-term guideline adoption.

Acknowledgments: Research supported by a Community-University Research Alliance grant from SSHRC. Research team members supported by a Mentor-Trainee Award from the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (KAMG and AELC), the Canada Research Chair (CIHR) program (AELC) and a CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship (HLG).