Logic Models in Physical Activity Promotion

This page contains a number of resources designed to illustrate the role of Logic Models in the design, implementation and evaluation of health related interventions.

The aim of these resources is to help gain an understanding of how Logic Models can be useful and to include ideas on how to produce effective, meaningful logic models. There's also content to assist practitioners in understanding how logic models can help practitioners engage with behaviour change theories and how such theories can be used to improve the effectiveness of new interventions.

Related pages on this website include health behaviour change, theories of change and intervention mapping.

Related Content

Also on this website: Systems Mapping

Logic Models

Logic Model Examples (many from Physical Activity Promotion)

Leask, C. F., Sandlund, M., Skelton, D. A., & Chastin, S. F. (2017). Co-creating a tailored public health intervention to reduce older adults’ sedentary behaviour. Health Education Journal, 0017896917707785.

Das, B. M., Petruzzello, S. J., & Ryan, K. E. (2014). Development of a Logic Model for a Physical Activity–Based Employee Wellness Program for Mass Transit Workers. Preventing Chronic Disease, 11.

Bullough, S., Davies, L. E., & Barrett, D. (2015). The impact of a community free swimming programme for young people (under 19) in England. Sport Management Review, 18(1), 32-44.

Herens, M., Wagemakers, A., Vaandrager, L., Van Ophem, J., & Koelen, M. (2013). Evaluation design for community-based physical activity programs for socially disadvantaged groups: Communities on the move. JMIR Research Protocols, 2(1).

Leeman J, Sommers J, Vu M, Jernigan J, Payne G, Thompson D, et al. (2012) An Evaluation Framework for Obesity Prevention Policy Interventions. Prev Chronic Dis 9:110322. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd9.110322

Evans, R., Brockman, R., Grey, J., Bell, S., Harding, S., Gunnell, D., ... & Tilling, K. (2018). A cluster randomised controlled trial of the Wellbeing in Secondary Education (WISE) Project–an intervention to improve the mental health support and training available to secondary school teachers: protocol for an integrated process evaluation. Trials, 19(1), 270. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-018-2617-4

Tully, M. A., Cunningham, C., Cupples, M. E., Farrell, D., Hardeman, W., Hunter, R. F., ... & Simpson, E. E. (2018). Walk with Me: a protocol for a pilot RCT of a peer-led walking programme to increase physical activity in inactive older adults. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 4(1), 117. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-018-0308-2

Incorporating Behaviour Change Theories

Applying Behaviour Change Theories: Real World Examples

Kok, G., Gottlieb, N. H., Peters, G. J. Y., Mullen, P. D., Parcel, G. S., Ruiter, R. A., ... & Bartholomew, L. K. (2016). A taxonomy of behaviour change methods: an Intervention Mapping approach. Health Psychology Review, 10(3), 297-312. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2015.1077155 [the taxonomy]

Michie, S., Richardson, M., Johnston, M., Abraham, C., Francis, J., Hardeman, W., ... & Wood, C. E. (2013). The behavior change technique taxonomy (v1) of 93 hierarchically clustered techniques: building an international consensus for the reporting of behavior change interventions. Annals of behavioral medicine, 46(1), 81-95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-013-9486-6 [the taxonomy]

Related Reading

Adams, J., & Neville, S. (2020). Program Evaluation for Health Professionals: What It Is, What It Isn’t and How to Do It. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, 1609406920964345. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1609406920964345

Coldwell, M., & Maxwell, B. (2018). Using evidence‐informed logic models to bridge methods in educational evaluation. Review of Education, 6(3), 267-300. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3151

Davidoff, F., Dixon-Woods, M., Leviton, L., & Michie, S. (2015). Demystifying theory and its use in improvement. BMJ quality & safety, 24(3), 228-238. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2014-003627

Renger, R., Atkinson, L., Renger, J., Renger, J., & Hart, G. (2019). The connection between logic models and systems thinking concepts. Evaluation Journal of Australasia, 19(2), 79-87. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1035719X19853660

Rohrer, J. M. (2018). Thinking clearly about correlations and causation: Graphical causal models for observational data. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 1(1), 27-42. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2515245917745629

Final Thoughts

Logic Models alone will not change the world (graphic via @LIsa_McNally1).

For ideas on how they can be used as part of a broader development process see my page on Intervention Mapping