The Impact of 'Digital Strolling' on Depression and Quality of Life of People With Severe Mobility Impairment

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Poliomyelitis; Severe Mobility Impairment; Spinal Cord Injuries (Complete and Incomplete)

Treatments: Behavioral: Virtual walking; Behavioral: Passive observing walking

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07073144

HSEARS20240930009

Details and patient eligibility

About

This intervention aims to develop and test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a "Digital Strolling" intervention among people with SMI. The intervention group will receive a "Digital Strolling" intervention, which consists of 20 minutes "Digital strolling" for 10 days, with lessons occurring once a day. The control group will receive passive observation of virtual walking videos only.

Full description

This study is a two-arm, pilot randomized controlled trial, which will be used to evaluate and compare the effects of the "Digital strolling" intervention and the passive observing control group.

Twenty-four participants will be recruited from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Participants will be assigned to the "Digital Strolling" or control group. Participants in the "Digital Strolling" group will receive an arm swing virtual walking intervention, which consists of 20 minutes of virtual walking for 10 days and is conducted at home. Qualitative interviews with the "Digital Strolling" group will be conducted to understand their acceptability, usability, perceived strengths, and limitations of the intervention. While the one in the control group will receive 10 passive observing walking videos for 10 days.

Enrollment: 24 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Have SMI (people who are inability to walk or climb stairs, stand, or use a wheelchair or scooter by self-report (inability to perform walking or climbing stairs or standing, or use of a wheelchair or scooter) over 6 months
• Have mild to moderate levels of depression
• Able to communicate in Cantonese
• Provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Have severe cognitive impairment
• Have an episode of severe mental illness

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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24 participants in 2 patient groups

Virtual walking group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the virtual walking group will use arm swing locomotion to experience virtual walking in 10 "Digital Strolling" scenarios, mainly in a variety of natural environments.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Virtual walking

Passive observing group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in the passive observing group will look at 10 different walking videos.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Passive observing walking