A physical activity intervention in a Bingo club: Significance of the setting

Objective: A Bingo club was selected for the design and delivery of a health intervention (Well!Bingo) in order to engage with older women living in areas of socio-economic disadvantage. In the light of our experience, we discuss the significance of the setting in relation to a typology of health promotion settings. Design and Setting: The Well!Bingo physical activity intervention was piloted in a Bingo club in Scotland. Methods: In a pilot feasibility study, women were recruited face-to-face at a Bingo club over 2 weeks. The 12-week intervention consisted of three different structured exercise sessions per week, followed by refreshments, with trained instructors delivering a schedule of simple pre-defined health messages. Participants completed a baseline questionnaire, and in-depth qualitative interviews were carried out with participants and instructors post-intervention. For this paper, using the framework method, we retrieved and analysed the data coded as relating to the setting. Results: Eighteen women (55-92 years) took part in intervention sessions. Half lived in areas of socio-economic deprivation. Practical and social familiarity with the setting (a sense of belonging and being with people like themselves) encouraged them to take part, and implicit features of the setting may have enhanced recruitment and effectiveness. Discussion: In settings-based health promotion, a Bingo club could be seen as a ‘passive’ setting, simply facilitating access to a target population. It cannot be an ‘active setting’, because health promotion will never be a core activity and features cannot be drawn upon to influence change. However, calling it a passive setting overlooks the importance of characteristics that may enhance recruitment and effectiveness. This highlights the need to extend current concepts of ‘passive’ health promotion settings.