Defining Social Prescribing Within a Physical Activity Context

TY - ABST

T1 - Defining Social Prescribing Within a Physical Activity Context

AU - Nielsen, Rasmus Østergaard

AU - Jacobsen, Julie Sandell

AU - Andelius, Dea Kejlberg

AU - Jessen, Nanna Holt

AU - Rasmussen, Lene Gissel

AU - Skjerning, Halfdan Thorsø

AU - Simonsen, Nina Sjoerup

AU - Skejø, Sebastian

AU - Bueno, Solvej Videbæk

AU - Ryom, Knud

AU - Kallestrup, Per

AU - Christensen, Jeanette

N1 - Conference code: 19

PY - 2024/9/26

Y1 - 2024/9/26

N2 - PurposeSocial prescribing involves linking citizens with non-medical services and support within their community to enhance their health and well-being. In social prescribing, referring citizens to physical activities are often emphasized, probably due to their already existing availability within most communities. Various definitions of social prescribing exist in the scientific literature. Since then, a call for constructive criticism and incorporation of unique perspectives from different contexts was made as it was acknowledged that the definition of social prescribing will evolve over time, including within the domain of physical activity. On this basis, the purpose of the present study was to develop a definition of social prescribing within a physical activity context.MethodsBased on previous consensus-based and non-consensus-based definitions of social prescribing published in scientific journals (n = 3), the authors (n = 12) of the present abstract co-produced a new definition of social prescribing within the context of physical activity based on face-to-face meetings and correspondence.ResultsThe new definition of social prescribing reads: “Social prescribing in a physical activity context has the overall goal of contributing to health and well-being through a process of trusted entities (e.g. GPs) referring individuals directly or through a link worker to groups that are physically active and that support social belongingness”. In this definition, the individual has medial or non-medical needs and is therefore in need of help from trusted entities. Trusted entities can be, but are not limited to: family, friends, health professionals, authorities, job-center personel and patient associations. Link workers are knowledgeable about the possibilities of physical activity in the local area and they support the individual in a co-creating manner to find the best fitting activity. Social belongingness is essential, meaning that the physical activity is not carried out on one’s own, but together with others, thereby supporting physical, mental and social well-being, including the need to belong.ConclusionGiven the rapid scaling and rollout of social prescribing globally, we hope this definition serves as a complementary contribution to the field of social prescribing by helping to build a common understanding of social prescribing within the field of physical activity.

AB - PurposeSocial prescribing involves linking citizens with non-medical services and support within their community to enhance their health and well-being. In social prescribing, referring citizens to physical activities are often emphasized, probably due to their already existing availability within most communities. Various definitions of social prescribing exist in the scientific literature. Since then, a call for constructive criticism and incorporation of unique perspectives from different contexts was made as it was acknowledged that the definition of social prescribing will evolve over time, including within the domain of physical activity. On this basis, the purpose of the present study was to develop a definition of social prescribing within a physical activity context.MethodsBased on previous consensus-based and non-consensus-based definitions of social prescribing published in scientific journals (n = 3), the authors (n = 12) of the present abstract co-produced a new definition of social prescribing within the context of physical activity based on face-to-face meetings and correspondence.ResultsThe new definition of social prescribing reads: “Social prescribing in a physical activity context has the overall goal of contributing to health and well-being through a process of trusted entities (e.g. GPs) referring individuals directly or through a link worker to groups that are physically active and that support social belongingness”. In this definition, the individual has medial or non-medical needs and is therefore in need of help from trusted entities. Trusted entities can be, but are not limited to: family, friends, health professionals, authorities, job-center personel and patient associations. Link workers are knowledgeable about the possibilities of physical activity in the local area and they support the individual in a co-creating manner to find the best fitting activity. Social belongingness is essential, meaning that the physical activity is not carried out on one’s own, but together with others, thereby supporting physical, mental and social well-being, including the need to belong.ConclusionGiven the rapid scaling and rollout of social prescribing globally, we hope this definition serves as a complementary contribution to the field of social prescribing by helping to build a common understanding of social prescribing within the field of physical activity.

KW - health, nutrition and quality of life

KW - Social prescribing

KW - Physical activity

U2 - 10.1093/eurpub/ckae114.157

DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckae114.157

M3 - Konferenceabstrakt til konference

SP - ii64

T2 - 19th annual meeting and 15th conference of HEPA Europe<br/>

Y2 - 19 August 2024 through 21 August 2024

ER -