Peer-reviewed article
A door opener to physical capability and social community: children's and parents' experiences of physical activity on prescription by the Swedish school health service.
Wiklund E, Wiklund M, Vikman J, Hedenborg S ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study explored how children aged 9-17 and their parents in Swedish schools experienced a physical activity prescription programme delivered through school health services. Using qualitative interviews, researchers found that the programme acted as a 'door opener' to physical activity and social connection when activities were tailored to individual needs and embedded in supportive social environments. The programme supported children's well-being, motivation, and social connectedness beyond just physical fitness outcomes.
Key points
- Tailored and accessible physical activities embedded in supportive social environments facilitated meaningful engagement
- Participants experienced enhanced well-being, social connectedness, and increased motivation
- The intervention worked best when adapted to individual needs and children's own terms
- Resource-oriented and context-sensitive approaches were important for success
- Benefits extended beyond biomedical outcomes to include psychological and social well-being
Limitations
This qualitative study involved only 14 participants (7 children and 7 parents) from Swedish schools, so findings may not generalise to other contexts or populations. The study does not measure or compare physical health outcomes or long-term sustainability of behaviour change.
Abstract
Purpose Physical Activity on Prescription (PAP) is increasingly implemented within Swedish school health services, yet little is known about how it is experienced in educational settings. Existing research on school-based physical activity interventions has predominantly focused on medical outcomes, often overlooking contextual, sociocultural, and experiential dimensions. This study aims to explore how children and their parents experience receiving PAP in Swedish schools, using a salutogenic framework focused on health resources and sociocultural integration. Methods An inductive qualitative design was employed. Individual interviews were conducted with seven children aged 9-17 years and seven parents. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results PAP was experienced as a "door opener" to physical capability and social community on participants' own terms. Tailored and accessible activities, embedded in supportive social environments, facilitated engagement in meaningful movement. These experiences were conceptualized and interpreted through a salutogenic lens as mobilization of health resources, including enhanced well-being, social connectedness, increased motivation, and facilitated engagement in enjoyable movement. Conclusions The findings highlight the importance of resource-oriented and context-sensitive approaches in school-based health interventions. PAP may support children's well-being beyond biomedical outcomes by enabling participation in meaningful and socially embedded physical activity when adapted to individual needs.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Physical Activity on Prescription (PAP) delivered through Swedish school health services—tailored, accessible physical activities embedded in supportive social environments
- Population
- Children aged 9-17 years and their parents in Swedish schools
Key finding
PAP experienced as a 'door opener' to physical capability and social community
E et al. · Europe PMC · 9 Sept 2026