Method for Observing Physical Activity and Wellbeing (MOHAWk)

Tools to incorporate the health perspective in municipal actions

Benton et al.
2019

Link to the resource: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23748834.2020.1775383

Format:: Scientific article

Target population:: General population

Objetive:: Evaluate the use of a public/green space in terms of physical activity and other actions linked to well-being.

Methodology:

Through a direct observation technique, it evaluates three levels of physical activity (sedentary, walking and vigorous) and two habits/behaviours linked to well-being (social interactions and attention to the environment).

It also measures the total number of people and their characteristics (gender, age, group and ethnicity) and evidence of antisocial acts (e.g. graffiti, broken glass).

It provides an instruction manual, templates for data collection, and recommendations/qualifications for specific situations or conditions.

Opportunities and limitations:

This is an intuitive, easy to use tool that requires very few economic and logistic resources.

It can be implemented by agents in diverse fields (not only scientists), including volunteers.

However, observers need previous training to agree on criteria and minimise potential errors in the record (sometimes it is advisable to have more than one observer per area to validate the results).

Applied more effectively in bounded study areas (that are not very large) with good visibility. Considerable limitations in the study of very busy areas or at times when there are high numbers of people.

Indicators:

Percentage of total land area allocated to green and public open spaces.
Number of surfaces with graffiti in the study area.
Amount of broken glass visible from the study area.
Sidewalk width.
Number of people crossing the study area/day.
Level of physical activity performed by most of the population who use the space.
Number of social interactions that occur in the study area/day.
Percentage of children using the study space.

Documentation:

Thematic:: Public space Green infrastructure Mobility and accessibility Equipment and services Cohesion and social capital

Link to health:: Physical Social

Scale of the field of study:: Housing / street / building / bounded public space

Implementation phase:: Diagnosis / pre-project Monitoring and evaluation

Methodological approach:: Observation

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Method for Observing Physical Activity and Wellbeing (MOHAWk)

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