eFIT: An Internet-based Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Persons With MS

Columbia University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Multiple Sclerosis

Treatments: Behavioral: eFIT Intervention; Behavioral: Treatment as usual; Behavioral: eJournal Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03829267

AAAR4052-2

Details and patient eligibility

About

eFIT is a technology-enabled internet based psychosocial intervention to increase physical activity in persons with multiple sclerosis, who are at unique risk for sedentary behaviors and for whom exercise and physical activity hold many benefits.

Full description

This is a randomized controlled trial of an internet-based intervention to increase physical activity in persons with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common non-traumatic neurological cause of disability in young adults. Sedentary behavior, now recognized as a major contributor to increased morbidity is seen at higher rates and related to adverse health outcomes for persons with MS (PwMS). Prominent symptoms of MS (motor impairment, fatigue, depressed mood, pain), place this population at unique risk for increased sedentary behavior. And importantly, with increased age comes increased risk: patients over 60 are significantly more sedentary than middle-aged patients. On a positive note, current disease modifying therapies prolong time to disease progression, widening the window of opportunity for implementing behavioral interventions that support health and successful aging. Behaviors adopted early in life are more likely to be maintained into later adulthood. Physical activity is beneficial for PwMS on multiple levels: improved gait and balance, improved cognition, reduced depression and fatigue. Finding ways to increase physical activity is a key research priority for MS. Behavioral change is difficult to adopt and even more difficult to maintain. Here, we introduce a novel behavioral intervention to increase physical activity, eFIT, a technology-enabled (i.e., internet-delivered) support group-based treatment that leverages accountability to motivate and sustain behavioral change. Accountability constitutes the bedrock underlying the single most pervasive, successful, and widely embraced behavioral intervention known: Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Through sponsors and support groups, AA utilizes accountability partners to deliver, reinforce, and sustain life-saving behavioral change. Here, we leverage accountability partners to motivate enduring behavioral change in physical activity participation, one of the single most difficult health behaviors to implement and maintain.

Enrollment: 44 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 or older
• Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis

Exclusion criteria

• Cannot be available for the next 12 weeks consecutively

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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44 participants in 2 patient groups

eFIT Behavioral Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Intervention: Participants randomized to the eFIT condition will join a 1-hour peer group meeting online each week, called eFIT intervention. They will learn about accountability partners, and use the group as an accountability partner to state and attain physical fitness goals.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Treatment as usual

Behavioral: eFIT Intervention

eJournal Behavioral Intervention

Active Comparator group

Description:

Intervention: Participants in the eJournal condition will spend 1-hour online each week engaged in an active journaling activity, called eJournal Intervention. They will also receive the same psychoeducational materials online as the eFIT participants are presented in group.

Treatment:

Behavioral: eJournal Intervention

Behavioral: Treatment as usual