None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This randomised waiting list controlled trial aims to test the impact of an intervention designed to enhance ongoing physical activity participation in women aged over 50. 100 female University staff aged 50 years and older will be recruited via University newsletters and websites. Exclusion criteria are limited English skills, a medical condition precluding participation in regular exercise, or currently meeting physical activity guidelines. Upon giving informed consent participants will complete a baseline survey on physical activity knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, physical functioning and mood. Current physical activity level will be measured with an accelerometer, worn on the hip for 7 consecutive days to determine the average daily step count. Participants will then be randomised to attend a workshop immediately, or after 3 months. At 3 months post randomisation, similar surveys and wearing the accelerometer will be repeated. The intervention will be a one-hour workshop to give information about the importance of physical activity for maximising physical and mental health and preventing disability in women, and to provide information about existing opportunities to participate in and enhance physical activity. An email list and on-line discussion group will be set up for those wishing to remain in contact. Workshop materials will be made freely available at the completion of the project, and participants will also be offered the use of a pedometer or internet-connected activity tracker (Fitbit) for the duration of the study, to provide motivation and feedback to increase activity levels. Participants randomised to the control group will be allocated to a waiting list and receive access to the intervention after the 3-month follow-up period. The primary outcome will be the proportion of people achieving an average of at least 10,000 daily steps, measured with an accelerometer. The secondary outcomes will be the proportion of people achieving adequate physical activity levels as recommended by national physical activity guidelines, average total number of hours of physical activity per week, change in perceived benefits of and barriers to exercise participation, physical functioning, mood. Analyses will be pre-planned, conducted while masked to group allocation and will use an intention-to-treat approach. 50 participants per group (i.e. 100 participants) will provide 80% power to detect 30% more people in the intervention group reaching the recommended 10,000 steps/day than the control group. This calculation assumed a proportion of 27% compliance with the 10,000 steps/day activity level in the control group, 15% dropout rate and 5% alpha. This sample size is also expected to be sufficient to detect between-group differences in the order of 10-15% for the secondary outcome measures. If shown to be effective, this study is an approach that could be implemented more broadly to increase the population health impact.
Interventions
After gaining informed consent, eligible participants will complete a baseline survey of their current physical activity level and wear an Actigraph accelerometer for 7 days, issued by the research assistant. Participants randomised to the intervention group will attend a one-hour workshop, held at the University of Sydney or Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
The workshop will be delivered by one of the investigators (CS, AT, CC, LH or RS), who are also University academic staff members and registe
After gaining informed consent, eligible participants will complete a baseline survey of their current physical activity level and wear an Actigraph accelerometer for 7 days, issued by the research assistant. Participants randomised to the intervention group will attend a one-hour workshop, held at the University of Sydney or Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The workshop will be delivered by one of the investigators (CS, AT, CC, LH or RS), who are also University academic staff members and registered Physiotherapists. Information will be given about the importance of physical activity for maximising physical and mental health and preventing disability in women and to provide information about existing opportunities to participate in and enhance physical activity participation. Video interviews will be shown at the workshop of 4 current and retired University female staff who are over 50 and manage to fit physical activity into their busy lives and experience the benefits. The COM-B behaviour change framework, which focuses on capability opportunity and motivation, will be used to guide the design of the intervention. Workshop materials will be made freely available at the completion of the workshop. Existing physical activity opportunities that will be referred to include the a) on-campus activities and facilities b) websites providing information and programmes, for example the Active and Healthy website, a freely-available database of physical activity opportunities for the over 50s run by the NSW Ministry of health, the Get Healthy coaching service run by the NSW Ministry of health and the Global Corporate Challenge supported by the University; c) suggestions of some free applications for smartphone devices that enhance physical activity (for example, "Couch 2 5K", "Map my run"). Participants who are unable to physically attend the workshops will be offered attendance via video-conferencing facilities or via an online recording of the workshop with the opportunity to ask any questions to the presenters by email or telephone. An on-line discussion group will be set up for those who wish to remain in contact, and fortnightly emails supporting behaviour change will be sent to those who wish to receive these. Workshop participants will also be offered the use of a pedometer or internet-connected activity tracker (Fitbit) for the duration of the study (3 months), to provide motivation and feedback to increase activity levels. Participants will be re-evaluated by survey and Actigraph accelerometer 3 months after the workshop, and will be asked about their goals attained, and which additional activities and support approaches were undertaken.
Sponsors
School of Public Health, The University of Sydney
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
50 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Eligible participants will be aged 50 years and over and female and be staff of The University of Sydney or Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Balmain Hospital or Canterbury Hospital, Sydney.
Exclusion criteria
a) have insufficient English language skills to fully participate in the program; b) have a medical condition that precludes participation in regular physical activity; c) are already sufficiently active in accordance with the Australian Physical Activity guidelines.
Outcome results
None listed