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Children’s Sport Participation and Physical Activity Study (CSPPA), 2017-2018

Study number (SN): 0010-02

CITATION

ABOUT THE STUDY

The Children’s Sport Participation and Physical Activity Study (CSPPA17-18) is a follow up to CSPPA 09-10, and was funded by Sport Ireland, Healthy Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland. Similar to its predecessor, CSPPA17-18 was a multi-centre study, undertaken by the University of Limerick (lead University), Dublin City University, and University College Cork, with the addition of Ulster University for the first time. This study provided an updated national database for Sport Ireland, Healthy Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland and any other interested public policy agencies or organisations, interested in physical activity, Physical Education and sport participation levels of children and youth in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Provided quality surveillance data on the current physical activity levels of Irish and Northern Irish children and youth, primary and post primary, respectively. Comprehensively assess the participation levels of Irish and Northern Irish children and youth in sport, physical activity and Physical Education, using both subjective and objective measurement protocols. Determine factors that enhance or inhibit participation levels of Irish and Northern Irish children and youth in sport, physical activity and Physical Education. Demonstrate the health benefits of participation in regular physical activity for children and youth. Provide a comparison, where possible, between CSPPA09-10 and CSPPA17-18 study findings.

MAIN TOPICS

• Physical Education
• Physical Activity
• Sports’ Participation
• Active Transport
• Sedentary Behaviour
• Youth Sport 

COVERAGE, UNIVERSE, METHODOLOGY

Population

The sampling frame for the schools involved in CSPPA 17-18, included all primary and post-primary schools in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Special schools, Junior-only schools and colleges of further education were removed from the database, as they were not within the age cohort, or target population of this study. However, of the eligible schools some declined the invitation to participate and others could not be contacted and/or scheduled. In total, between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, 115 schools (48 primary, 67 post-primary) participated in CSPPA17-18.

Observation units

• Individual

Temporal coverage

From 02/2018 to 06/2018

Time dimension

Repeated cross-sectional study, completed in 2010 and 2018.

Geographical coverage

Country: Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

Methods of data collection

• CSPPA17-18 was a cross-sectional cohort study that used self-report questionnaires (via tablet or computer), device-based measures of habitual physical activity (using accelerometers).  

Sampling procedures

Recruitment letters were distributed to all sampled schools, with researchers following up by a phone call to the school Principal within seven days. For the CSPPA17-18 sample, 114 of the 123 original schools were eligible to participate (the nine schools that were ineligible had either closed, or merged with larger schools in the area). A recruitment letter was sent to the eligible schools, and followed up with a phone call within a week. Of the 114 eligible schools, 74 (65%) participated in CSPPA17-18 (24 (21%) declined the invitation to participate and 16 (14%) could not be contacted and/or scheduled). Where appropriate, and necessary, convenience schools (who had not participated in CSPPA09-10) were recruited, to ensure representativeness across all year groups. Twelve convenience schools participated in CSPPA17-18.

For Northern Ireland, an equivalence sample was drawn up to reflect the Republic of Ireland sample. This sample consisted of 51 schools in total (20 primary, 31 post-primary), of which 29 schools (9 primary, 20 post-primary) were recruited to give an equivalence sample to the Republic of Ireland sample (81% response rate). A recruitment letter was sent to these schools, and a researcher followed up with a phone call within seven days. In the case where a school declined to participate, a school with a similar stratification profile was approached to participate. In total, between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, 115 schools (48 primary, 67 post-primary) participated in CSPPA17-18.

Response rate

Primary school children made up 23% (n=1,548) of the sample. In the Republic of Ireland (n=1,103), 48% (n=527) were in 5th class, with 51% (n=561) being in 6th class. A small group of 4th class pupils (n=15, or 1%) were also included, as they were in a mixed classroom with a 5th class group. The average age was 11.43 years (±0.70): range = 11-13 years), with 44% (n=485) being boys, and 56% (n=618) being girls. Twenty-two percent were classified as low Family Affluence Scale (FAS), 58% as medium FAS and 20% as high FAS (socio-economic status was classified using the Family Affluence Scale II (FAS), which classifies participants into three socio-economic statuses; low, medium and high FAS (2)). In Northern Ireland (n=446), 41% (n=184) were in Year 6, with the remaining 59% (n=262) being in Year 7. The average age was 10.57 years (±0.51: range = 10-12 years), and 51% (n=228) were boys, 49% (n=217) were girls and <1% (n=1) identified as other. Twenty-three percent were classified as low FAS, 54% as medium FAS and 23% as high FAS.

Post-primary schools made up the remaining 77% (n=5,102) of the sample. In the Republic of Ireland, 3,594 pupils (1st-6th year) from 47 post-primary schools participated in CSPPA17-18. The average age was 14.11 years (±1.51: range =12-20 years), and 45% (n=1,633) were male, 54% (n=1,933) were female, and 1% (n=26) identified as other. The breakdown of the Republic of Ireland post-primary school sample was; 46% (n=1,635) 1st year, 26% (n=946) 2nd year, 8% (n=303) 3rd year, 6% (n=210) 4th year, 10% (n=340) 5th year and 4% (n=158) 6th year. Twenty-one percent were classified as low FAS, 59% as medium FAS, and 20% as high FAS. In Northern Ireland, 1,508 pupils (Year 8-14) from 20 post-primary schools participated in the study. The average age was 14.31 years (±1.84: range =10-20 years), and 48% (n=731) were male, 49% (n=735) were female and 3% (n=42) identified as other. The breakdown of the Northern Ireland post-primary school sample was; 20% (n=297) Year 8, 17% (n=250) Year 9, 13% (n=204) Year 10, 24% (n=358) Year 11, 15% (n=225) Year 12, 6% (n=92) Year 13 and 5% (n=82) Year 14. Nineteen percent were classified as low FAS, 58% as medium FAS and 23% as high FAS.

DATA AND DOCUMENTATION: FILES’ DESCRIPTION

Data (available through ISSDA application process)

Documentation (available for download)

LINKS

https://www.sportireland.ie/research/csppa-2018

https://www.sportireland.ie/sites/default/files/2019-11/csppa-2018-final-report.pdf

ACCESS INFORMATION

Accessing the data

To access the data, please complete a ISSDA Data Request Form for Research Purposes, sign it, and send it to ISSDA by email.

For teaching purposes, please complete the ISSDA Data Request Form for Teaching Purposes, and follow the procedures, as above. Teaching requests are approved on a once-off module/workshop basis. Subsequent occurrences of the module/workshop require a new teaching request form.

Data will be disseminated on receipt of a fully completed, signed form.

Copyright

Copyright belongs to Professor Catherine Woods, Physical Activity for Health Research Cluster, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland.

Acknowledgements

Any work based in whole or part on resources provided by the ISSDA, should  acknowledge: “The Children's Sport Participation and Physical Activity Study (CSPPA) 2017-2018" and also ISSDA, in the following way: “Accessed via the Irish Social Science Data Archive - www.ucd.ie/issda”.

Citation requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical citation

Irish Sports Council (2020). The Children's Sport Participation and Physical Activity Study (CSPPA) 2017-2018 [data collection]. Version 1. Dublin: Irish Social Science Data Archive SN: 0010-02.  http://www.ucd.ie/issda/data/csppa/

Notification

The user shall notify the Irish Social Science Data Archive of all publications where she or he has used the data.