Facebook to Promote Physical Activity in Black Women African American Women

Arizona State University (ASU)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Activity

Treatments: Behavioral: Facebook and text Message; Behavioral: Standard Print-based Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02372565

STUDY00000485

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a social media and text-message-delivered, Social Cognitive Theory-based, culturally relevant intervention designed to promote physical activity among African American women. An 8-week, 2-arm randomized trial will be implemented. Arm 1 will receive a culturally-relevant, technology-based physical activity intervention delivered via Facebook and text messages. Arm 2 (Comparison Group) will receive a standard print-based physical activity promotion materials consisting of high quality physical activity promotion brochures produced by the American Heart Association.

Full description

The purpose of this study is to apply and investigate the feasibility of a social media and text-message-delivered, Social Cognitive Theory-based, culturally relevant intervention designed to promote physical activity among African American women. In an 8-week, 2-arm randomized trial, 30 African American women will be assigned to receive either: a) culturally-relevant, technology-based physical activity intervention delivered via Facebook and text messages, or b) a standard print-based physical activity promotion intervention consisting of high quality physical activity promotion brochures produced by the American Heart Association delivered via USPS mail.

Aim 1: Test the feasibility of a culturally relevant, social media and text-message delivered physical promotion pilot intervention among adult African American women. The investigators hypothesize that the culturally relevant Facebook and text message delivered intervention will be feasible as measured by the acceptability, implementation, and practicality of the intervention program.

Aim 2: Examine the impact of the culturally-relevant, Facebook and text message delivered intervention to increase physical activity and enhance associated Social Cognitive Theory constructs explicitly targeted by the intervention activities. Physical activity will be objectively measured by accelerometers and Social Cognitive Theory constructs of self-efficacy, social support, self-regulation, and outcome expectations will be assessed by validated self-report questionnaires. The investigators hypothesize that participants receiving the culturally-adapted, Social Cognitive Theory-based Facebook and text-message intervention will demonstrate higher physical activity levels and greater enhancements in Social Cognitive Theory constructs when compared to the standard print-based intervention group at the post-intervention assessment.

Aim 3: Examine the preliminary effect of a culturally relevant, social media-delivered physical activity promotion intervention on anthropometric, blood pressure, and blood lipid outcomes. The investigators hypothesize that increased physical activity at the post-intervention follow-up will be associated with improvements in these variables.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 24 to 49 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• self-identified as African American
• female
• insufficiently active (<150 min/week of moderate-intensity physical activity assessed by the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire)
• aged 24-49 years
• having an active Facebook account
• ability to read/write in English

Exclusion criteria

• concurrent participation in another physical activity promotion program (research or commercial)
• being pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant in the next 6 months, and
• self-reported condition that inhibits engagement in physical activity
• contraindication for physical activity according to the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) unless written permission from the participant's physician to engage in the study is provided

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Facebook and Text Message

Experimental group

Description:

Participants randomized to the technology-based physical activity intervention will receive a culturally-relevant physical activity promotion intervention delivered via text messages and the social media website Facebook. The purpose of the intervention materials is to encourage participants to achieve a minimum of 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity each week.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Facebook and text Message

Standard Print-based Intervention

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants randomized to the standard print-based physical activity intervention group will be mailed 4 self-help booklets promoting physical activity produced by the American Heart Association. Booklets will be mailed one at a time in 2 week intervals over the 1st 6-weeks of the intervention. These high quality booklets provide general information on the benefits of physical activity, tips and strategies to increase daily physical activity, and encourage recipients to perform a minimum of 10,000 steps per day.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Standard Print-based Intervention