Increasing Physical Activity in Empty Nest and Retirement Populations: A Feasibility Trial of an Online Intervention

University of Victoria

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Activity; Health Promotion

Treatments: Behavioral: Digital Health Online Platform

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04116372

05-281982

Details and patient eligibility

About

Internet-based health promotion programs have the potential to reach more individuals than in person interventions, without overtaxing healthcare resources. Having a high quality, user-centered web-based program can help maximize user engagement and adherence. Thus, the primary objective of this pilot study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a web-based physical activity behavior change program on recently retired and/or empty nest populations. The primary research question is: Is it worthwhile to conduct a larger scale eHealth study targeting empty nest and/or retired populations based on preliminary results and feedback from this pilot study. We will also be examining changes other behavioral indicators related to physical activity as a secondary outcome measure.

Full description

Background: Physical activity is associated with management and/or prevention of over 25 chronic health conditions; however the majority of adults in North America are not active enough to experience these benefits. Behavioral strategies have been shown to be effective for increasing physical activity, and our online platform includes components of several behavioral strategies including goal setting and feedback.

Target Population: Sedentary adults who have recently (within 6 months of enrollment) retired, or had their last child leave the family home, living in Victoria, British-Columbia, Canada.

Sample Size: 80 participants, 20 participants per group - Empty Nest (Control) Empty Nest (intervention), Retired (Control), Retired (Intervention).

Intervention: Participants in each Empty Nest and Retirement participant pool will be randomized to two groups: 1 - Waitlist control group, 2 - Access to Online Platform. Half of the empty nest participant group and half of the retired participant group will receive an intervention, with the other half representing the control comparison group. Participants from both groups will complete an online questionnaires at baseline and 10 weeks. The intervention group will also be asked for an in-person exit interview.

Enrollment: 46 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 40 to 90 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Potential participants will be included if they have either a) recently (within 6 months) retired, or b) experienced children moving out of the familial home. In addition, potential participants must have access to the internet at home, and have a smart phone or home computer that can support the eHealth application we are using. Potential participants must currently be not meeting the physical activity (PA) guidelines (less than 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity). There will be no delimitations to the sample based on socio-economic or ethnic variables.

Exclusion criteria

Participants will be excluded from the project if they not have access to the Internet, are unable to speak/read English, are engaging in moderate-to vigorous PA (MVPA) sufficient to meet the PA Guidelines, have an existing chronic medical condition potentially making them at risk of injury or ill health from increasing their physical activity (assessed using the GAQ)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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46 participants in 4 patient groups

Empty Nest Intervention Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will complete a baseline questionnaire, and receive access to the our online platform for 10 weeks. Completing the online platform is designed to encourage participants to engage in physical activity. At 2 and 5 weeks, a check-in session will occur over the phone. At 10 weeks the participant will be contacted to return to the lab to complete the final questionnaire, and do a wrap up interview. The end-of-trial qualitative interview will evaluate participant satisfaction and feasibility of the intervention. For this reason a lab employee unaffiliated with this study will complete these in person interviews.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Digital Health Online Platform

Retirement Intervention Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will complete a baseline questionnaire, and receive access to the our online platform for 10 weeks. Completing the online platform is designed to encourage participants to engage in physical activity. At 2 and 5 weeks, a check-in session will occur over the phone. At 10 weeks the participant will be contacted to return to the lab to complete the final questionnaire, and do a wrap up interview. The end-of-trial qualitative interview will evaluate participant satisfaction and feasibility of the intervention. For this reason a lab employee unaffiliated with this study will complete these in person interviews.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Digital Health Online Platform

Empty Nest Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

This group will complete baseline and final questionnaires (online or paper). At the end of the study this group will have the option to receive access to the other group's materials (online platform) if they wish, for the 10 week period following the study.

Retirement Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

This group will complete baseline and final questionnaires (online or paper). At the end of the study this group will have the option to receive access to the other group's materials (online platform) if they wish, for the 10 week period following the study.