Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences

Active Choices: Physical activity support for DVA clients

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Active Choices is a research initiative led by the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at The University of Queensland (UQ). The initiative is funded by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and aims to link and empower DVA clients towards group-based physical activity opportunities.

The purpose of the research is to collect information on best practices that may help DVA clients transition to active lifestyles that are socially connected to local communities.

The UQ team is currently seeking to partner with Brisbane-based exercise physiology and physiotherapy service providers, to offer access to the Active Choices support program for DVA clients who are interested in self-managing their physical activity. The program may also benefit DVA clients seeking to reconnect with their local communities following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Why get involved?

  • Provision of a behavioural support program that can help your clients manage physical activity;
  • Development of social networks and connections for your clients within local active communities;
  • Financial support for your clients to access group-based physical activities.

What’s involved?

  • You’ll identify clients within your practice who you think will benefit from the initiative, and are able to safely undertake physical activity without supervision;
  • With their permission, we’ll then liaise directly with your clients to organise 4x1-hour visits to UQ over a 24-week period;
  • During these visits and across the initiative, we’ll link clients to local activity opportunities, provide educational resources, and implement an evidence-based goal setting and self-monitoring program that encourages group based physical activity choices.

Which of your clients can get involved?

  • DVA White and Gold card holders living in the Brisbane region;
  • Clients without chronic or complex conditions (e.g. spinal cord injuries), who do not require only specialist treatment under supervision from a qualified health professional.

What next?

If you are interested in partnering with UQ on Active Choices, or want to find out more about the initiative and its benefits, contact the Senior Research Assistant, Dr Zoe Papinczak, either by email z.papinczak@uq.edu.au or telephone 07 3365 7453.