A Group-Based Walking Study Using WeChat to Enhance Physical Activity Among Older Adults

NCT03803085 | Completed Results DMC

• 1 other identifier: 18131
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim for the study is to use the function WeRun in the application WeChat to encourage physical activity and social engagement among community dwelling older adults and their family members and friends. The specific aims are to test the effectiveness of a social contact and comparison intervention for increasing regular daily physical activity among community dwelling older adults, and to examine the potential effectiveness of WeChat in cultivating social engagement and well-being among community dwelling older adults.

Conditions

Inactivity; Sedentary Behavior

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Number of Steps Walked

  Weekly average number of steps recorded with WeRun on the phone \[ (averaged across 7 days at Baseline week and averaged across 7 days at Week 4 (Posttest) and averaged across 7 days at Week 8 (one month follow up)\].

  [Time Frame: Baseline (pretest) Week, Week 4 (posttest) and Week 8 (one month follow up)]

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Social Engagement

  Pretest given 1 week before the intervention and then at the posttest after the 4 week study and one month follow up

• Exercise Self Efficacy

  Pretest given 1 week before the intervention and then at the posttest after the 4 week study and one month follow up

Study Arms (2)

Control Condition

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants only saw their own daily walking steps using the WeRun function in WeChat. They did not use WeChat to see other group members' daily steps and did not engage in social contact with their group members.

Behavioral: Control condition

Treatment condition

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants saw their own and other group member's daily walking steps using the WeRun function in WeChat and they were able to contact the other members of their group using We Chat.

Behavioral: Treatment condition

Interventions

Control condition BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the control group only saw their own daily walking steps using the WeChat. They did not use WeChat to see other group members' daily steps and did not contact other group members. The participants were asked to use the app every day. A message (through WeChat) was sent to remind them to use the application if they had not done so within three days.

Control Condition

Treatment condition BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the experimental condition used WeChat for 4 weeks to see their own and other's walking steps and also were able to contact other group members. The participants were asked to use the application every day. A message (through the group chat) was sent to remind them to use the application if they have not done so within three days.

Treatment condition

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Participants who are 60 or older who have a cellphone, with either android or iPhone system with data plan.
• They must be fit enough to walk for at least 20 minutes at a time.
• English speaking

You may not qualify if:

• Unable to walk more than 20 minutes;
• do not have smart phone with data plan.
• younger than 60

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Brandeis University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts, 02453, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Liu Y, Lachman ME. A Group-Based Walking Study to Enhance Physical Activity Among Older Adults: The Role of Social Engagement. Res Aging. 2021 Oct-Dec;43(9-10):368-377. doi: 10.1177/0164027520963613. Epub 2020 Oct 6.

  PMID: 33021146 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Sedentary Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Yujun Liu
• Organization: Brandeis University

lyujun@brandeis.edu

781-736-3300

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: A total of 60 adults were recruited and randomly assigned to either the control condition (n=30) or the treatment condition (n=30). The 60 participants completed the study in one of three subgroups, with 20 participants randomly assigned to two groups (10 in the treatment group and 10 in the control group). Both conditions will use the WeChat App for use on a smartphone. The control group used the WeRun program to count their own steps. The treatment condition used the WeRun to engage in social contact and compare their steps with others in the group.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 24, 2018
• First Posted: January 14, 2019
• Study Start: October 30, 2018
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2019
• Study Completion: July 2, 2019
• Last Updated: November 9, 2020
• Results First Posted: November 9, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-10

Locations

US (1)