InactivityNCT03803085
A Group-Based Walking Study Using WeChat to Enhance Physical Activity Among Older Adults
A study testing Treatment condition in people with Inactivity and Sedentary Behavior, run by Brandeis University at 1 site in United States.
Trial 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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Inactivity, Sedentary Behavior
- What is being tested?
- Treatment condition
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 30 Oct 2018to 2 Jul 2019
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 60 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 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
Who cannot join
- Unable to walk more than 20 minutes;
- do not have smart phone with data plan.
- younger than 60
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: A Group-Based Walking Study Using WeChat to Enhance Physical Activity Among Older Adults: The Role of Social Engagement
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.
Read the detailed description
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. The investigators asked participants in the social engagement group to use the WeRun function in WeChat to track their daily walking steps and to compare their performance with their group members for 4 weeks. To encourage social engagement among their group members, the daily walking steps were calculated and the participant who has the highest step count in the group will be indicated each day.Those in the control group will only use the WeRun function in WeChat to track their own walking steps.
The investigators expected that the participants in the social contact group will walk more often and report more social activities than those in the control group, who will not compete with their peers in daily walking. To test these predictions, daily walking steps and the total walking steps per week were obtained and compared across groups. The nature and the extent of change was analyzed over the four weeks. Exercise self-efficacy was measured using a measure based on Bandura's model. Social engagement was measured using the short Lubben Social Network Scale, a self report measure of social engagement on a 12-item scale, and physical activity was measured using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), a self-report measure of physical activity on a 12-item scale.
- Conditions
- Inactivity, Sedentary Behavior
- Being tested
- Control condition, Treatment condition
- Medical subject headings
- Sedentary Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Control conditionBehavioural
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.
Treatment conditionBehavioural
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.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 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. Receives: 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. Receives: Behavioral: Treatment condition |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
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)].
Measured: [Time Frame: Baseline (pretest) Week, Week 4 (posttest) and Week 8 (one month follow up)]
Secondary outcomes (2)
Social Engagement
Short Lubben Social Network Scale-Revised, a self-report measure of social engagement on a 12-item scale. The total score is calculated by the sum of all the items. The total score ranges between 0 and 60, with a higher score indicating more social engagement.
Measured: 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
This scale is a self-report of exercise self-efficacy. Total score is calculated by summing the responses to each question. This scale has a range of total scores from 0-90. A higher score indicates higher self-efficacy for exercise.
Measured: Pretest given 1 week before the intervention and then at the posttest after the 4 week study and one month follow up
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Jan 2019
- Study start30 Oct 2018
- Primary completion1 Jun 2019
- Study completion2 Jul 2019
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for InactivityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- 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.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Brandeis University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03803085
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 18131
- Status last verified
- Oct 2020
- First submitted
- 24 Sep 2018
- Last updated
- 9 Nov 2020
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
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.
PubMed 33021146
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Nov 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Group-Based Walking Study Using WeChat to Enhance Physical Activity Among Older Adults: The Role of Social Engagement
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03803085
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 18131
- Conditions
- Inactivity, Sedentary Behavior
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Brandeis UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Oct 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jun 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- 2 Jul 2019 (actual)
- First posted
- 14 Jan 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 9 Nov 2020
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Detailed description
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. The investigators asked participants in the social engagement group to use the WeRun function in WeChat to track their daily walking steps and to compare their performance with their group members for 4 weeks. To encourage social engagement among their group members, the daily walking steps were calculated and the participant who has the highest step count in the group will be indicated each day.Those in the control group will only use the WeRun function in WeChat to track their own walking steps.
The investigators expected that the participants in the social contact group will walk more often and report more social activities than those in the control group, who will not compete with their peers in daily walking. To test these predictions, daily walking steps and the total walking steps per week were obtained and compared across groups. The nature and the extent of change was analyzed over the four weeks. Exercise self-efficacy was measured using a measure based on Bandura's model. Social engagement was measured using the short Lubben Social Network Scale, a self report measure of social engagement on a 12-item scale, and physical activity was measured using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), a self-report measure of physical activity on a 12-item scale.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- 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.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control Condition | Experimental | Behavioral: Control conditionParticipants 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. |
| Treatment condition | Experimental | Behavioral: Treatment conditionParticipants 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. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- 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
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Unable to walk more than 20 minutes;
- do not have smart phone with data plan.
- younger than 60
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Control conditionParticipants 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. | Behavioural | Control Condition |
| Treatment conditionParticipants 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. | Behavioural | Treatment condition |
Primary outcome
Number of Steps Walked
Time frame: [Time Frame: Baseline (pretest) Week, Week 4 (posttest) and Week 8 (one month follow up)]
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)].
2 secondary outcomes
Social Engagement
Time frame: 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
Time frame: Pretest given 1 week before the intervention and then at the posttest after the 4 week study and one month follow up
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Nov 2020.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 33021146Liu 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.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Treatment condition in people with Inactivity and Sedentary Behavior, run by Brandeis University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Nov 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 9 Nov 2020). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of Steps Walked (time frame: [Time Frame: Baseline (pretest) Week, Week 4 (posttest) and Week 8 (one month follow up)]). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03803085, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Nov 2020.