A Community-based Social Networking Intervention to Increase Walking in Dog Owners

NCT01593449 | Completed Phase 1 DMC

• 1 other identifier: NIH 5 UL1RR031982-02
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 107
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

The present study aims to initially test a community dog walking intervention that addresses individual, interpersonal and community factors associated with dog walking. The study will be conducted in two cities, Worcester and Lowell, as a collaboration between investigators from UMass Medical School and UMass-Lowell.

Conditions

Sedentary

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• feasibility

  Feasibility will be assessed by implementation success, including recruitment and retention rates, website use, intervention satisfaction and attendance at neighborhood walks and community events.

  6 months

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Weekly steps

  baseline and 6 months

• weekly dog walking minutes

  baseline and 6 months

• social support for walking

  baseline and 6 months

• sense of community

  baseline and 6 months

Study Arms (2)

American Heart Association

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will receive handouts on increasing physical activity derived from the American Heart Association materials on increasing physical activity.

Behavioral: Community-based social networking intervention

Dog Walking

EXPERIMENTAL

The 6-month dog walking intervention involves 5 components to address the individual, interpersonal and community levels of the socio-ecological model: newsletters, pedometers, social networking website, neighborhood dog walks, and invitations to community events.

Behavioral: Community-based social networking intervention

Interventions

Community-based social networking intervention BEHAVIORAL

Participation in this study lasts for 7 months and includes a baseline visit, an orientation visit, the 6 month intervention, and a 6 month assessment visit.

American Heart Association; Dog Walking

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Eligible participants will own a dog that is in good health and considered a household pet, be a Worcester or Lowell resident, be aged \> 21 years old and have home internet access. Participants with cardiovascular disease, diabetes or other chronic health condition are eligible with permission from their PCP to participate.

You may not qualify if:

• Participants will be excluded for any of the following:
• Inability or unwillingness to give informed consent
• Plans to move out of the area within the study period
• Participated in a focus group during the developmental phase
• Another household member is participating in the study
• Pregnant or planning a pregnancy in the next six months
• Condition that inhibits exercise (e.g., unable to walk unaided, or cannot walk 1/4 mile without stopping)
• Incapable of engaging in physical activity as assessed by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
• Self-report engaging in \> 150 minutes of moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity per week.
• The participant's dog has a history of biting a human or has not received a rabies vaccination.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Massachusetts, Worcester: lead
• University of Massachusetts, Lowell: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

University of Massachusetts Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts, 01854, United States

Location

University of Massachusetts Medical Schol

Worcester, Massachusetts, 01655, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Schneider KL, Murphy D, Ferrara C, Oleski J, Panza E, Savage C, Gada K, Bozzella B, Olendzki E, Kern D, Lemon SC. An online social network to increase walking in dog owners: a randomized trial. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015 Mar;47(3):631-9. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000441.

  PMID: 25003777 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Sedentary Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Krisitin Schneider, Ph.D.

  Rosalind Franklin Medical School

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 1
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 30, 2012
• First Posted: May 8, 2012
• Study Start: January 1, 2011
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2012
• Study Completion: December 1, 2012
• Last Updated: April 15, 2013

Record last verified: 2013-04

Locations

US (2)