Built EnvironmentNCT07780825
Neighborhood Connect
A study testing Neighborhood Connect in people with Built Environment, run by University of Massachusetts, Worcester at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The study is evaluating the effectiveness of an implementation strategy called Neighborhood Connect, which is designed to support residents' engagement in activities that improve the attractiveness, safety and livability of Worcester, MA neighborhoods. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Built Environment
- What is being tested?
- Neighborhood Connect
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 240 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Feb 2026to Sep 2029
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Live, work or have other connection to specific areas of Worcester, MA;
- Speak English or Spanish
Who cannot join
- Don't speak English or Spanish;
- Have a cognitive deficit that precludes participation
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Worcester, Massachusetts, 01655
Stephenie C Lemon, PhD, MS, 5088261325, Stephenie.Lemon@Umassmed.edu
About this study
Official title: Prevention Research Center at UMass Chan
The study is evaluating the effectiveness of an implementation strategy called Neighborhood Connect, which is designed to support residents' engagement in activities that improve the attractiveness, safety and livability of Worcester, MA neighborhoods. The program focuses on the built environment (i.e., the human-made, physical surroundings of Worcester neighborhoods including indoor public places and outdoor spaces like parks, streets and sidewalks) and aims to build capacity of community members to strengthen their neighborhoods. Participants will include residents and others who care about local built environment conditions. Neighborhood Connect is delivered by a built environment specialist from the local health department in collaboration with a statewide coalition.
Read the detailed description
The study is the core research project of the Prevention Research Center at UMass Chan. Under the guidance of a Community Advisory Board, the program aims to build capacity of the local health department and local residents to influence built environment change in neighborhoods. The program includes a training and technical assistance approach. The local health department built environment specialist learns about the built environment and how to determine how related decisions are made. The built environment specialist delivers the Zoom-based group program for residents. This six session training and technical assistance model includes 3 components: Connect with Community, Connect with Environment and Connect with Process. Through Neighborhood Connect's structured learning and applied activities, participants: Strengthen interpersonal connections and social networks within neighborhoods, Explore their neighborhoods and identify their priorities for change or improvement, Learn how decision-making processes affect their communities and Collaborate on ideas for small-scale neighborhood improvements. The implementation strategy is being evaluated in a mixed methods study. Through a stepped wedge design with 8 waves (neighborhood/area) rolled out in 4 steps (2 neighborhoods/areas per wave), the resident-focused component of Neighborhood Connect is being evaluated. Both the resident and health department components are being evaluated using qualitative methods.
- Conditions
- Built Environment
- Being tested
- Neighborhood Connect
- Keywords
- built environment, implementation science
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Neighborhood ConnectOther
Neighborhood Connect is an implementation strategy designed to prepare participants to make built environment changes that promote healthy communities, including social connectedness, physical activity, traffic safety, etc. The program is generic and allows participants to identify their own priorities for built environment change. The curriculum includes six Zoom-based educational sessions delivered by a built environment specialist with a member of a walking coalition, participation in a neighborhood audit, creation of a plan for change and ability to receive technical assistance after the formal program is completed. The built environment specialist receives training and technical assistance for leading the resident-focused implementation strategy.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Neighborhood Connect implementation strategy | Experimental | All participants receive the Neighborhood Connect implementation strategy. It is deployed to all participants in a given wave (neighborhood/area) at once. Order of implementaiton of the intervention is determined by neighborhood/area-level randomization. Receives: Other: Neighborhood Connect |
| Pre-implementation | Other | Within this stepped wedge design, each individual serves as their own comparator. Data from the pre-implementation phase will be collected for this purpose. Receives: Other: Neighborhood Connect |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Built environment actions
12 item investigator developed measure based on the Expert Consensus for Local Implementation of Physical Activity Policy, Systems and Environment (ECLIPPSE) strategies, specifically focusing on action domains.
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months
Secondary outcomes (3)
Collective Efficacy
5 item investigator developed survey to assess perceived collective efficacy for making built environment changes
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months
Collective Behavioral Capability
3-item investigator developed survey assessing perceived collective behavioral capability for built environment change
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months
Perceived Impact of Built Environment Change
12 item investigator developed survey of the perceived impact of built environment changes
Measured: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Aug 2026
- Study start1 Feb 2026
- Primary completionSep 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionSep 2029 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Built EnvironmentStudies 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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Model description
- The study uses a stepped wedge design, with 8 different clusters (neighborhoods/areas) rolled out sequentially in 4 waves.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 240 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Massachusetts, Worcester
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Stephenie Lemon, University of Massachusetts, Worcester
- Investigators
- Stephenie C Lemon, PhD, MS, Principal investigator, University of Massachusetts, Worcester
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07780825
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00002008
- Other IDs
- U48DP006808
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 14 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 24 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Per our Data Management Plan with the funder (CDC), data may be shared with investigators wishing to perform secondary analyses. Only de-identified data conducted in compliance with IRB regulations and the Data Management Plan will be shared upon request and with a data use agreement.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Prevention Research Center at UMass Chan
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07780825
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STUDY00002008
- Conditions
- Built Environment
- Keywords
- built environment, implementation science
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 240 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Massachusetts, WorcesterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Sep 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Sep 2029 (estimated)
- First posted
- 24 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The study is evaluating the effectiveness of an implementation strategy called Neighborhood Connect, which is designed to support residents' engagement in activities that improve the attractiveness, safety and livability of Worcester, MA neighborhoods. The program focuses on the built environment (i.e., the human-made, physical surroundings of Worcester neighborhoods including indoor public places and outdoor spaces like parks, streets and sidewalks) and aims to build capacity of community members to strengthen their neighborhoods. Participants will include residents and others who care about local built environment conditions. Neighborhood Connect is delivered by a built environment specialist from the local health department in collaboration with a statewide coalition.
Detailed description
The study is the core research project of the Prevention Research Center at UMass Chan. Under the guidance of a Community Advisory Board, the program aims to build capacity of the local health department and local residents to influence built environment change in neighborhoods. The program includes a training and technical assistance approach. The local health department built environment specialist learns about the built environment and how to determine how related decisions are made. The built environment specialist delivers the Zoom-based group program for residents. This six session training and technical assistance model includes 3 components: Connect with Community, Connect with Environment and Connect with Process. Through Neighborhood Connect's structured learning and applied activities, participants: Strengthen interpersonal connections and social networks within neighborhoods, Explore their neighborhoods and identify their priorities for change or improvement, Learn how decision-making processes affect their communities and Collaborate on ideas for small-scale neighborhood improvements. The implementation strategy is being evaluated in a mixed methods study. Through a stepped wedge design with 8 waves (neighborhood/area) rolled out in 4 steps (2 neighborhoods/areas per wave), the resident-focused component of Neighborhood Connect is being evaluated. Both the resident and health department components are being evaluated using qualitative methods.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The study uses a stepped wedge design, with 8 different clusters (neighborhoods/areas) rolled out sequentially in 4 waves.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Neighborhood Connect implementation strategy | Experimental | Other: Neighborhood ConnectAll participants receive the Neighborhood Connect implementation strategy. It is deployed to all participants in a given wave (neighborhood/area) at once. Order of implementaiton of the intervention is determined by neighborhood/area-level randomization. |
| Pre-implementation | Other | Other: Neighborhood ConnectWithin this stepped wedge design, each individual serves as their own comparator. Data from the pre-implementation phase will be collected for this purpose. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Live, work or have other connection to specific areas of Worcester, MA;
- Speak English or Spanish
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Don't speak English or Spanish;
- Have a cognitive deficit that precludes participation
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Neighborhood ConnectNeighborhood Connect is an implementation strategy designed to prepare participants to make built environment changes that promote healthy communities, including social connectedness, physical activity, traffic safety, etc. The program is generic and allows participants to identify their own priorities for built environment change. The curriculum includes six Zoom-based educational sessions delivered by a built environment specialist with a member of a walking coalition, participation in a neighborhood audit, creation of a plan for change and ability to receive technical assistance after the formal program is completed. The built environment specialist receives training and technical assistance for leading the resident-focused implementation strategy. | Other | Neighborhood Connect implementation strategy, Pre-implementation |
Primary outcome
Built environment actions
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months
12 item investigator developed measure based on the Expert Consensus for Local Implementation of Physical Activity Policy, Systems and Environment (ECLIPPSE) strategies, specifically focusing on action domains.
3 secondary outcomes
Collective Efficacy
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months
Collective Behavioral Capability
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months
Perceived Impact of Built Environment Change
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Aug 2026.
- The intervention components are available on the study website. This is a participant facing website that also includes materials for facilitators.Link provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Per our Data Management Plan with the funder (CDC), data may be shared with investigators wishing to perform secondary analyses. Only de-identified data conducted in compliance with IRB regulations and the Data Management Plan will be shared upon request and with a data use agreement.
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.
Stephenie C Lemon, PhD, MS principal investigator
University of Massachusetts, Worcester
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Neighborhood Connect in people with Built Environment, run by University of Massachusetts, Worcester 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 2 inclusion and 2 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Aug 2026. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Stephenie C Lemon, PhD, MS (15088564098, Stephenie.Lemon@Umassmed.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Built environment actions (time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 24 Aug 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 27 Oct 2026.