The long-term effectiveness of the New Zealand Green Prescription primary health care intervention on Christchurch residents

Abstract

The aim of this research was to evaluate the long term effectiveness of the ‘Green Prescription’ programme, (GRx) in encouraging an increase in physical activity levels in previously inactive individuals, between Janurary 1st 2012 – May 1st 2014. Participants were a non-randomised subset of a larger GRx population. Prescribed Christchurch residents were seperated into two groups, the intervention group (discharged-independently active from the programme) and the control group (discharged-not registered-declined programme and discharged-registered-declined programme). These groups were then randomly selected using Microsoft Excel. A retrospective survey was administered and conducted via telephone. Completed surveys were attained from 147 of 498 participants, a total response rate of 29.9% between the two groups. Forty-one percent of participants in the intervention group reported increases in physical activity levels since being prescribed the GRx programme, 23.1% meet the national physical activity guidelines, and 73.6% were classified as non-sedentary. A higher proportion of the control group (46.4%) were classified as sedentary and only 16.1% met the national physical activity guidelines. Participants who had completed a GRx averaged 146.9 ± 173.5 (mean ± SD) physical activity minutes per week in comparision to the control group 83.1 ± 100.3. A decrease in meeting physical activity guidelines was observed the longer participants were off the Green Prescription Programme. Participants in the intervention group also reported higher levels of energy, increased mobility, a decrease in medication, body weight and aches and pains, had fewer breathing difficulties, felt stronger and more mentally relaxed compared to those in the control group.