Trial Evaluating Hedonic vs Cash Incentives (TEH-C)

Duke University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Activity

Treatments: Behavioral: Cash Reward; Behavioral: Hedonic Reward; Device: Fitbit

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04618757

NIHA-2018-002 (Study 1)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to determine, using a randomized trial with two parallel arms, whether hedonic rewards (Arm 1) can be more effective than their cash equivalent (Arm 2) in motivating participants to meet step goals.

Full description

The evidence is overwhelming that sustained physical activity reduces risks for non-communicable diseases, increases longevity, and reduces medical costs. Yet, the rates of physical activity have been steadily decreasing such that physical inactivity is now the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. In Singapore, 33% of adults are insufficiently active despite Singapore being a highly walkable city with numerous subsidized community-based physical activity programs. A review of the literature shows that, to date, no study has directly compared cash versus hedonic rewards for health behavior change despite theory suggesting hedonic rewards may work better. Furthermore, hedonic rewards can often be purchased at lower cost than their cash equivalent. This makes hedonic rewards potentially more cost-effective if they are proven to be at least as effective at increasing positive behavior change compared to giving the same value in cash.

Thus, we aim to determine, using a randomized trial with two parallel arms, whether hedonic rewards (Arm 1) can be more effective than their cash equivalent (Arm 2) in promoting increases in physical activity, assessed via step counts measured by a Fitbit physical activity tracker, during a 4-calendar month intervention. We hypothesize that the average proportion of months meeting the incentivized step target across participants will be greater for those in the hedonic incentive arm as compared to those in the cash incentive arm (primary outcome).

Enrollment: 310 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 21 to 70 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged between 21 to 70 years inclusive.
• Singapore resident (residing in Singapore during the study period [up to 5 months])
• English-speaking and English literate
• Smartphone-literate

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant or lactating
• Unable to walk up 10 steps (individual steps, not floors) without stopping
• Currently on doctor's advice against engaging in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (i.e., brisk walking or more intense).
• Currently have a condition(s) that restricts engaging in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (i.e., brisk walking or more intense).
• Unwilling to be randomized into study arms
• Unwilling to use a Fitbit for the study period (up to 5 calendar months)
• Unwilling to pay the $20 enrolment fee
• Does not complete the Consent Form
• Refuses to give consent to participate in the study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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310 participants in 2 patient groups

Hedonic Reward

Experimental group

Description:

Participants' reward for meeting monthly step targets is in the form of reimbursements of up to $50 for expenses on hedonic activities of their choice

Treatment:

Device: Fitbit

Behavioral: Hedonic Reward

Cash Reward

Experimental group

Description:

Participants' reward for meeting monthly step targets is in the form of $50 cash disbursements

Treatment:

Device: Fitbit

Behavioral: Cash Reward