Financial Health Incentives to Promote Physical Activity Among Hospital Employees: A Randomized Control Trial

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

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

99 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2017-02-06

Study Completion Date

2017-11-30

Brief Summary

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The objective of this randomized control trial is to examine whether incentives-for-steps (i.e. $1 per day step count goals are reached) increase daily step counts among physically inactive hospital employees.

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Detailed Description

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A 24-week, parallel arm, randomized control trial will be employed to examine the impact of incentives on physical activity among physically inactive Hamilton Health Science Corporation employees. Participants will be randomly allocated (1:1) into control (i.e. wellness program and accelerometer) or intervention groups (i.e. wellness program, accelerometer, incentives), where only intervention participants will receive reward points for completing daily step count goals.

After randomization, a baseline 'run-in' assessment phase will occur one week prior to the study intervention (T0). During this 'run-in' period, participants will wear a Bluetooth enabled StepsCount Piezo accelerometer, which will track participants' daily steps and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and synchronize their accelerometer (i.e. upload information) to the Change4Life program for seven days. Participants will also be asked to complete the Behavioural Regulation to Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3) and the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale.

Throughout the 24-week study, all participants will be asked to wear the accelerometer and synchronize it to the Change4Life program daily. Date, steps per day, and bout minutes of MVPA per day (bouts include 10 or more continuous minutes of MVPA) will be collected when the accelerometer is synchronized. Daily synchronization from the accelerometer to the Change4Life program must be completed by 10 am the next morning. Participants will be instructed to increase their daily step counts by 1,000 and 2,000 steps above baseline (T0) over the course of the first six weeks of the study. On week 7, participants will be asked to increase daily steps per day to 3,000 over baseline, and maintain that level of activity for the duration of the study.

Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline (T0), intervention end point (T2), and follow up (T3).

Conditions

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Physically Inactive Hospital Employees

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Investigators

Study Groups

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Wellness program, accelerometer, incentives

During the intervention period (weeks 1 to 12), intervention participants will be eligible to earn daily reward points contingent on step count goal achievement. Intervention participants will earn 100 reward points (i.e. $1) for each day that specific step count goals are reached. During weeks 13 to 24, participants will no longer receive daily reward points for completing specific step count goals.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Wellness program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

All participants have access to Change4Life, a web-based health education and behaviour change program. Individuals are rewarded with very modest incentives (uncertain chance; less than 1 in 100 chance of earning) when they complete learning modules or health tasks.

Accelerometer

Intervention Type DEVICE

All participants will be asked to wear the StepsCount Piezo accelerometer, which tracks steps and bout minutes of MVPA per day, synchronize the device to the Change4Life program, and reach daily step count goals for 24 weeks.

Incentive

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

During the first 12 weeks, participants will be eligible to earn $1 in vouchers (e.g., grocery, cinema) when daily goals are reached. The total amount available over the 3-month intervention period will be $90 (9,000 points). During weeks 13 to 24, participants will not receive daily reward points for completing step count goals.

Wellness program and accelerometer

During the 24 week trial, control participants will receive no additional incentives when step count goals are reached.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Wellness program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

All participants have access to Change4Life, a web-based health education and behaviour change program. Individuals are rewarded with very modest incentives (uncertain chance; less than 1 in 100 chance of earning) when they complete learning modules or health tasks.

Accelerometer

Intervention Type DEVICE

All participants will be asked to wear the StepsCount Piezo accelerometer, which tracks steps and bout minutes of MVPA per day, synchronize the device to the Change4Life program, and reach daily step count goals for 24 weeks.

Interventions

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Wellness program

All participants have access to Change4Life, a web-based health education and behaviour change program. Individuals are rewarded with very modest incentives (uncertain chance; less than 1 in 100 chance of earning) when they complete learning modules or health tasks.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Accelerometer

All participants will be asked to wear the StepsCount Piezo accelerometer, which tracks steps and bout minutes of MVPA per day, synchronize the device to the Change4Life program, and reach daily step count goals for 24 weeks.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Incentive

During the first 12 weeks, participants will be eligible to earn $1 in vouchers (e.g., grocery, cinema) when daily goals are reached. The total amount available over the 3-month intervention period will be $90 (9,000 points). During weeks 13 to 24, participants will not receive daily reward points for completing step count goals.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Over the age of 18 years
* English speaking

Exclusion Criteria

* Existing medical condition, which could be exacerbated by physical activity as measured by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire.

Note. Participants cannot enrol in the study without Internet access

Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes