Background: Despite numerous interventions aiming to improve physical activity in socially disadvantagedpopulations, physical inactivity remains to be a rising challenge to public health globally, as well as, in Sweden. Inan effort to address this challenge, a community-based participatory intervention was developed through activecommunity engagement and implemented in a socially disadvantaged neighborhood in Sweden. The current studyaims to present the development and initial evaluation of a participatory research driven physical activityintervention.Methods: Fifteen participants (11 females and 4 males) aged 17–59 years volunteered to participate in the physicalactivity intervention program. The intervention program was evaluated using a longitudinal mixed methods designmeasuring health impact changes over time through focus group discussions and quality of life surveys. Furtheradditional biomedical health parameters such as levels of glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, levels ofoxygen saturation and body mass index were monitored before and after the intervention. Focus group data wereanalyzed using content analysis with an inductive approach. The pre-and post-test scores from the survey-basedquality of life domains, as well as the health parameters were compared using non-parametric and parametricstatistics.Results: Four themes emerged from the analysis of the focus group discussions including sense of fellowship,striving for inclusion and equity, changing the learner perspective and health beyond illness. The scores for thedomains Physical Health, Psychological Health, Social Relationships and Health Satisfaction where significantlyhigher after participation in the physical activity intervention program compared to the pre-test scores (p < .05)s.There were however, no significant changes in the scores for the environmental domain and overall quality of lifeafter intervention compared to that prior to intervention start. Overall, the biomedical health parameters remainedstable within the normal ranges during intervention.Conclusion: The focus group discussions and results from the surveys and biomedical measures reveal importantfindings to understand and further develop the intervention program to promote health equity among citizens indisadvantaged areas. Evaluating the feasibility of such an intervention using multiple approaches contributes toeffective implementation of it for larger communities in need.

OBJECTIVES: Inequalities in oral health have been on the rise globally. In Sweden, these differences exist not between regions, but among subgroups living in vulnerable situations. This study aims at understanding behavioural change after taking part in participatory oral health promotional activity among families living in socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Southern Sweden.

SETTING: The current study involved citizens from a socially disadvantaged neighbourhood in Malmö, together with actors from the academic, public and private sectors. These neighbourhoods were characterised by high rates of unemployment, crime, low education levels and, most importantly, poor health.

PARTICIPANTS: Families with children aged 7-14 years from the neighbourhood were invited to participate in the health promotional activities by a community representative, known as a health promoter, using snowball sampling. Between 8 and 12 families participated in the multistage focus groups over 6 months. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS: Three main themes emerged from the analysis, providing an understanding of the determinants for behavioural change, including meaningful social interactions, family dynamics and health trajectories. The mothers in the study valued the social aspects of their participation; however, they believed that gaining knowledge in combination with social interaction made their presence also meaningful. Further, the participants recognised the role of family dynamics primarily the interactions within the family, family structure and traditional practices as influencing oral health-related behaviour among children. Participants reported having experienced a change in general health owing to changed behaviour. They started to understand the association between general health and oral health that further motivated them to follow healthier behavioural routines.

CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study show that oral health promotion through reflection and dialogue with the communities, together with other stakeholders, may have the potential to influence behavioural change and empower participants to be future ambassadors for change.