Social Goals and Individual Incentives to Promote Walking in Older Adults
1 other identifier
interventional
94
1 country
1
Brief Summary
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.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable
Started Aug 2012
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 16, 2012
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
July 18, 2012
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
August 1, 2012
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
July 1, 2013
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
September 1, 2013
CompletedMarch 5, 2014
February 1, 2014
11 months
July 16, 2012
March 4, 2014
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
mean proportion of days that step per day goals were attained
16 weeks
Secondary Outcomes (2)
mean number of steps per day
16 weeks
mean proportion of days that step per day goals were attained during follow-up
4 weeks
Study Arms (4)
Control Arm
ACTIVE COMPARATORDaily 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.
Personal Financial Incentives Arm
EXPERIMENTALDaily 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.
Social Goals Arm
EXPERIMENTALDaily 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.
Combined Financial Incentives & Social Goals Arm
EXPERIMENTALDaily 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.
Interventions
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.
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.
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 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.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- 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
You may not qualify if:
- 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
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- University of Pennsylvanialead
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundationcollaborator
Study Sites (1)
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
Related Publications (1)
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.
PMID: 28062271DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Karen Glanz, PhD, MPH
University of Pennsylvania
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Jason Karlawish, MD
University of Pennsylvania
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 16, 2012
First Posted
July 18, 2012
Study Start
August 1, 2012
Primary Completion
July 1, 2013
Study Completion
September 1, 2013
Last Updated
March 5, 2014
Record last verified: 2014-02