Social Goals and Individual Incentives to Promote Walking in Older Adults

NCT ID: NCT01643538

Last Updated: 2014-03-05

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

94 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2012-08-31

Study Completion Date

2013-09-30

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The goal of this randomized and controlled trial is to test whether a financial incentive of a donation to achieve a social goal is more effective to motivate and sustain a daily walking habit than the same dollar value given to an older adult. The investigators will achieve this using a novel computer platform utilizing a digital pedometer-internet interface.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Physical Activity

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Control Arm

Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week.

Subjects in the Control Group will only receive pedometers and weekly feedback on their performance through the same mechanisms and with the same frequency as participants in the other three study arms. There will be no financial incentives or charity donations in this group.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

daily pedometer use and weekly feedback

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week.

Personal Financial Incentives Arm

Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week. Each week, if pedometer is used and walking goal is met for 5 out of 7 days, participant will receive $20. Financial incentive is terminated after 4 months. Daily use of pedometer continues for an additional 4 weeks.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Financial incentive

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive a direct financial incentive in the amount of $20 for each week when their daily pedometer step count equals or exceeds their goal at least 5 out of 7 days.

daily pedometer use and weekly feedback

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week.

Social Goals Arm

Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week. Each week participants will be asked to designate which charity should receive a donation if they meet or exceed their goal. If they meet the goal, they will be notified that a donation of $20 in their name has been sent to the charity. Charity donation is terminated after 4 months. Daily use of pedometer continues for an additional 4 weeks.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Social Goal

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be asked to identify a charity to which they would like to donate the payment for reaching their walking goal. Each week they will be asked to designate which charity should receive a donation if they meet or exceed their goal. If they meet the goal, they will be notified that a donation of $20 in their name has been sent to the charity.

daily pedometer use and weekly feedback

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week.

Combined Financial Incentives & Social Goals Arm

Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week. Each week, the participant will be asked to choose whether to keep, give, or split the reward, if they meet or exceed their goal. If they choose to send some of the money to charity, they will be asked to identify a charity to which they would like to donate the payment. If they meet their goal, they will receive money and/or be notified that a donation of the selected amount has been sent to the charity, depending on their selected preference. Incentives are terminated after 4 months. Daily use of pedometer continues for an additional 4 weeks.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Personal financial incentives & social goals

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be able to allocate their reward for reaching their walking goal: the $20 reward can be divided between personal financial incentive and a charitable donation. Each week, the participant will be asked to choose whether to keep, give, or split the reward, if they meet or exceed their goal. If they choose to send some of the money to charity, they will be asked to identify a charity to which they would like to donate the payment. If they meet their goal, they will be notified by email or mail (based on their preference), that a donation of the selected amount has been sent to the charity.

daily pedometer use and weekly feedback

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Financial incentive

Participants will receive a direct financial incentive in the amount of $20 for each week when their daily pedometer step count equals or exceeds their goal at least 5 out of 7 days.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Social Goal

Participants will be asked to identify a charity to which they would like to donate the payment for reaching their walking goal. Each week they will be asked to designate which charity should receive a donation if they meet or exceed their goal. If they meet the goal, they will be notified that a donation of $20 in their name has been sent to the charity.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Personal financial incentives & social goals

Participants will be able to allocate their reward for reaching their walking goal: the $20 reward can be divided between personal financial incentive and a charitable donation. Each week, the participant will be asked to choose whether to keep, give, or split the reward, if they meet or exceed their goal. If they choose to send some of the money to charity, they will be asked to identify a charity to which they would like to donate the payment. If they meet their goal, they will be notified by email or mail (based on their preference), that a donation of the selected amount has been sent to the charity.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

daily pedometer use and weekly feedback

Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Adult 65 years of age and older
* Can read and speak English
* Access to a personal computer with high-speed internet connection and functional Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for the study duration
* Able to walk 1/4 mile (i.e., 2 to 3 blocks) without stopping
* No pedometer use in last 30 days

Exclusion Criteria

Major medical conditions including:

* serious heart and lung diseases
* diabetes requiring insulin therapy
* severe arthritis
* neurologic disorders
* dementia
* heavy alcohol use
* recent knee or spinal surgery
Minimum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Pennsylvania

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Karen Glanz, PhD, MPH

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Pennsylvania

Jason Karlawish, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Pennsylvania

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Harkins KA, Kullgren JT, Bellamy SL, Karlawish J, Glanz K. A Trial of Financial and Social Incentives to Increase Older Adults' Walking. Am J Prev Med. 2017 May;52(5):e123-e130. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.11.011. Epub 2017 Jan 3.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 28062271 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

69924

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Way to Be Active 2 (Lotteries)
NCT02005276 COMPLETED NA
Way to Be Active I (Teams)
NCT02001194 COMPLETED NA
Attention to Incentives
NCT02411058 COMPLETED NA
Incentives for Moving
NCT01278680 WITHDRAWN NA