Active8! Technology-Based Intervention to Promote Physical Activity in Hospital Employees. Issue 2 (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Blake, Holly; Suggs, L. Suzanne; Coman, Emil; Aguirre, Lucia; Batt, Mark E.
• Is Part Of: American journal of health promotion. Volume 31, Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 109
• Page End: 118
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: Mobile Phone -- Health Communication -- Text Messaging -- E-Mail -- Physical Activity -- Workplace -- Prevention Research -- Manuscript format: research -- Research purpose: intervention testing/program evaluation -- Study design: randomized trial -- Outcome measure: behavioral -- Setting: workplace -- Health focus: fitness/physical activity -- Strategy: skill building/behavior change -- Target population age: adults -- Target population circumstances: n/a; Health promotion -- Periodicals; Health Promotion; Health promotion; Periodicals; Periodicals; 613.05
• DOI: 10.4278/ajhp.140415-QUAN-143
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0890-1171

Abstract

Purpose: Increase physical activity in health care employees using health messaging, and compare e-mail with mobile phone short-message service (SMS) as delivery channels. Design: Randomized controlled trial Setting: U.K. hospital workplace. Subjects: Two hundred ninety-six employees (19–67 years, 53% of study Web site visitors). Intervention: Twelve-week messaging intervention designed to increase physical activity and delivered via SMS (n =147) or e-mail (n =149); content tailored using theory of planned behavior (TPB) and limited to 160 characters. Measures: Baseline and 6, 12, and 16 weeks. Online measures included TPB constructs, physical activity behavior on the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, and health-related quality of life on the Short-Form 12. Analysis: General linear models for repeated measures. Results: Increase in duration (mean h/d) of moderate work-related activity and moderate recreational activity from baseline to 16 weeks. Short-lived increase in frequency (d/wk) of vigorous recreational activity from baseline to 6 weeks. Increase in duration and frequency of active travel from baseline to 16 weeks. E-mails generated greater changes than SMS in active travel and moderate activity (work and recreational). Conclusion: Minimal physical activity promotion delivered by SMS or e-mail can increase frequency and duration of active travel and duration of moderate intensity physical activity at work and for leisure, which is maintained up to 1 month after messaging ends. Both channels were useful platforms for health communication; e-mails were particularly beneficial with hospital employees.