The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a complex community sport intervention to increase physical activity: An interrupted time series design

Objectives: An effectiveness and cost-effectiveness analyses of two-staged community sports interventions; taster sports sessions compared with portfolio of community sport sessions.

Design: Quasi-experiment using an interrupted time series design.

Setting: Community sports projects delivered by eight lead partners in London Borough of Hounslow, United Kingdom

Participants: Inactive people aged 14 plus years (n=246) were recruited between May 2013–February 2014.

Interventions: Community sports interventions delivered in two stages, 6-week programme of taster sport sessions (Stage1) and 6-week programme of portfolio of community sporting sessions delivered by trained coaches (Stage2).

Outcome measures: (a)Change in days with ≥30 min of self-reported vigorous intensity physical activity (PA), moderate intensity PA, walking and sport; and (b)Change in subjective wellbeing and EQ5D5L quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs)
Methods: Interrupted time series analysis evaluated the effectiveness of the two-staged sports programmes. Cost-effectiveness analysis compares Stage 2 with Stage 1 from a provider’s perspective, reporting outcomes of incremental cost per Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) (2015/16 price year). Uncertainty was assessed using deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Results: Compared with Stage1, counterfactual change at 21 days in PA was lower for vigorous (log odds: -0.52; 95% CI -1, -0.03), moderate PA (-0.50; CI 0.94, -0.05) and sport
(-0.56; CI -1.02, -0.10). Stage 2 increased walking (0.28; CI 0.3, 0.52). Effect overtime was similar. Counterfactual change at 21 days in wellbeing was positive particularly for ‘happiness’ (0.29; CI 0.06, 0.51). Stage2 was more expensive (£101 per participant) but increased QALYs (0.001; CI -0.034, 0.036). Cost per QALY for Stage2 was £50000 and has 29% chance of being cost effective (£30000 threshold).

Conclusion: Community based sport interventions could increase PA among inactive people. Less intensive sports sessions may be more effective and cost-effective.