The Olympic Healthcare Legacy: A Study to Investigate the Perceptions of Relevant Stakeholders to See How the 2012 Olympics Have Affected the Health and Wellbeing of Children in East London by Use of Semi-structured Interviews

Abstract

The six London Boroughs hosting the Games published plans for legacy in the Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF), where their determination to have parity with the rest of London in various aspects of life including healthcare in children were outlined. There is a paucity of evidence to support the notion that hosting an Olympic games leads to an increase in participation in physical or sporting activities for host countries with also little evidence to suggest other health benefits. To date no research has been conducted to see what the perceptions of stakeholders involved in the healthcare of younger children in East London are, in terms of what healthcare legacy has been left from the 2012 Games. The key objectives were to determine what relevant stakeholders in the care of primary school aged children in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets understood by the term ‘healthcare legacy’, and to assess their views on the impact of the Olympics on the children and to provide recommendations on how the health and well being of the children may be improved. A qualitative semi-structured interview study design was used. The Framework Method was used to analyse results. 14 stakeholders (GPs, teachers, paediatric community nurses, councillors, youth centre worker) were interviewed and 10 themes were identified: general awareness of healthcare legacy, pre-Olympic status, funding, education, diet, non-tangible effects of the Olympics, Exercise, Social support, local regeneration and further recommendations. The investigation suggested that the Games did emanate a healthcare legacy of sorts. However the effects were largely transient. The multicultural and low socioeconomic nature of Tower Hamlets has made it difficult to establish a legacy. Future recommendations include education of both parents and children on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.