Purpose

This study will test the effects of a social media game on the physical activity of older adult women. The game will consist of playful weekly challenges that require sharing photographs on a private social media group and also wearing an activity monitor to track steps. Participants will be randomized to this game group or to receive the activity monitor only.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 65 Years and 85 Years
Eligible Genders
Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  1. Female 2. Age between 65 and 85 3. Able to read and understand English 4. Willingness to be randomized to any condition 5. Daily availability of an iOS or Android mobile device that is capable of taking and sending photos 6. Willingness to use a private Facebook group 7. Sufficient internet access to post photos to Facebook at least once per week 8. Having an existing Facebook account or willingness to create one

Exclusion Criteria

  1. Unable to find transportation to the study location 2. Unable to walk for exercise (self-report) 3. Walk <475 meters in 6 minute walk test during baseline assessment 4. Stroke, hip fracture, hip or knee replacement, or spinal surgery in the past 6 months 5. Participant answered "yes" to any question on the PAR-Q+ and does not provide a doctor's note giving permission to begin a physical activity program 6. Self-reported weekly PA ≥ 150 minutes 7. BMI under 18 or over 40 8. Participant reports psychological issues that would interfere with study completion. Examples will be provided to illustrate potential psychological issues, such as dementia or schizophrenia. 9. Participant plans to move away from the Galveston-Houston area or to be out of town for more than 2 weeks at a time during the study period 10. Clinical judgment concerning safety 11. Currently participating in an organized commercial or research physical activity program 12. Uses a wearable activity monitor other than a simple pedometer and is unwilling to stop during the trial 13. Another member of the household is a participant or staff member on this trial

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
Single (Outcomes Assessor)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Social media game
Private Facebook group with weekly walking challenges, Fitbit wearable activity monitor, and brief counseling
  • Behavioral: Social media game
    Participants will engage in weekly challenges that require them to take photographs of interesting things they discover during their walks. They will post and discuss these photographs with other participants on a private social media page. They will track their steps using a wearable activity monitor and receive brief standard self-regulatory counseling.
Active Comparator
Standard self-regulation
Fitbit wearable activity monitor and brief counseling
  • Behavioral: Standard self-regulation
    Participants will track their steps using a wearable activity monitor and receive brief standard self-regulatory counseling.

Recruiting Locations

The University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, Texas 77550
Contact:
Eloisa Martinez
409-266-9643
esmartin@utmb.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston

Study Contact

Eloisa Martinez, BS
409-266-9643
esmartin@utmb.edu

Detailed Description

Older adult women are at risk for negative health impacts of physical inactivity, but current strategies to increase their activity have had disappointing long-term results. The intervention tested in this study seeks to test an innovative intervention that targets older womens' perceptions of enjoyment and their personal identity and values. The investigators will test the efficacy of a 12-month social media-based physical activity intervention for sedentary older adult women. Participants will be randomized to receive a standard Fitbit-only intervention or to an enhanced Fitbit + weekly social challenges intervention. The investigators hypothesize that participants in the enhanced intervention will demonstrate greater increases in autonomous regulation and objectively-measured steps as compared to those in the standard intervention. The investigators will also measure outcomes after a 6 month maintenance period (18 months after beginning the intervention). Additional outcomes will include engagement with the social network and self-reported playful experiences.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.