Action: PACT. Be Active. Online. A trial to promote physical activity in young people with cystic fibrosis.

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Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a complex, progressive, life-limiting disease that predominantly affects children and young adults. ‘Flare-ups’ of CF lung disease are common in people with this condition and often lead to admission to hospital and decline in lung capacity, imposing considerable burden on patients, their families and the healthcare system. Physical activity (PA) participation is a low-cost, easily accessible treatment option that has the potential to reduce the impact and progression of chronic lung disease in CF and may help reduce ‘flare ups’ of lung disease. However uptake and adherence to PA and exercise rehabilitation programs by young people with CF is poor. Advances in Internet technology and accessibility have made it possible for people to receive specialist medical care and rehabilitation therapy without attending the hospital. By using a secure website, readily accessible on any smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer it is possible for young people with CF to track their PA participation and receive feedback – at any time and place of their choosing. The aim of this project is to determine whether use of an online program to track PA participation and provide feedback, is more effective than usual care at improving PA participation, exercise capacity and quality of life, and prolonging the time to next hospital admission. People who agree to take part in the study will be randomly allocated to use the online program via the Internet, or to usual post-hospital care. At the beginning and end of the 12 weeks of the intervention phase, and at 3-months post completion of the intervention period, all participants will undergo measurements of PA participation, exercise capacity and health status. At 12 months- post completion of the intervention, hospital medical records will be reviewed to determine the frequency of hospital admission and number of hospital days. It is hypothesized that: 1. The web-based intervention will improve uptake and participation in PA by young people with CF. 2. The web-based intervention to increase PA will lead to improvements in exercise capacity, lung function, quality of life, anxiety and depression and sleep quality in young people with CF and reduced health care utilisation for this group in the 12 months post intervention.