Trial of an online health behaviour intervention to promote healthy lifestyle habits in new university students

Conditions

Health behaviour (fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking). Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Tracy Epton, Paul Norman, Aba Sah Dadzie, P.R. Harris, Thomas L. Webb et al. (14 authors)

UNC Libraries2020-10-31

10.17615/f91t-ps83

The cost-effectiveness of a theory-based online health behaviour intervention for new university students: an economic evaluation

Jen Kruger, Alan Brennan, Mark Strong, Chloe Thomas, Paul Norman et al. (6 authors)

BMC Public Health2014-09-2713 citations

10.1186/1471-2458-14-1011

A theory-based online health behaviour intervention for new university students (U@Uni): results from a randomised controlled trial.

Epton T, Norman P, Dadzie AS, Harris PR, Webb TL, Sheeran P, Julious SA, Ciravegna F, Brennan A, Meier PS, Naughton D, Petroczi A, Kruger J, Shah I.

2014-06-0550 citations

10.1186/1471-2458-14-563

A theory-based online health behavior intervention for new university students: study protocol.

Epton T, Norman P, Sheeran P, Harris PR, Webb TL, Ciravegna F, Brennan A, Meier P, Julious SA, Naughton D, Petroczi A, Dadzie AS, Kruger J.

2013-02-0512 citations

10.1186/1471-2458-13-107

Interventions

After completion of an online baseline questionnaire (approximately one month before entering university), participants will be randomised to the intervention or control conditions and followed-up one

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: All incoming undergraduate students (in 2012) to the University of Sheffield.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Does not meet inclusion criteria

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
The following will be measured at six-month follow-up (controlling for baseline measures): 1. Number of portions of fruit and vegetables consumed per day assessed with items from the Health Survey for England (HSE) 2. Total physical activity as assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) 3. Number of units of alcohol consumed in the past week assessed with HSE items (retrospective alcohol diary) 4. Smoking status assessed with HSE items	—

Measure

Time frame

The following will be measured at six-month follow-up (controlling for baseline measures): 1. Number of portions of fruit and vegetables consumed per day assessed with items from the Health Survey for England (HSE) 2. Total physical activity as assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) 3. Number of units of alcohol consumed in the past week assessed with HSE items (retrospective alcohol diary) 4. Smoking status assessed with HSE items

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Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Sedentary behaviour (sitting) as assessed by the IPAQ. 2. Frequency of binge drinking in the past week. 3. AUDIT scores (6 month follow-up). 4. Number of cigarettes smoked. 5. Social cognitive variables for each health behaviour - intention, self-efficacy and perceived control (all times points), and attitude, subjective norms, descriptive norms and planning (1 and 6 month follow-up). 6. Health status - EQ-5D. 7. Recreational drug use (estimated across sample using an indirect measure, rather than reported by participant). 8. BMI calculated from self-reported height and weight. 9. Health services usage. Self-report data on the use of the health service (e.g., GP visits, hospitalisations) (6 month follow-up). 10. Academic performance. Average exam marks and registration status (i.e., registered, transferred, withdrawn, leave of absence) at the end of Semester 1 and 2. 11. Usage of university sports facilities - self-reported and usage data from university sports facilities (6 month follow-up). 12. Engagement with the digital intervention including number of pages visited, the number of activities completed, etc. 13. Hair analysis to provide biochemical markers of various health behaviours related to alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, diet and recreational drug use. Participants who provide hair samples will also have their height and weight measured to calculate BMI. Unless otherwise indicated, the primary and secondary outcome measures will be assessed at all three time points (baseline and 1 and 6 month follow-up).	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Sedentary behaviour (sitting) as assessed by the IPAQ. 2. Frequency of binge drinking in the past week. 3. AUDIT scores (6 month follow-up). 4. Number of cigarettes smoked. 5. Social cognitive variables for each health behaviour - intention, self-efficacy and perceived control (all times points), and attitude, subjective norms, descriptive norms and planning (1 and 6 month follow-up). 6. Health status - EQ-5D. 7. Recreational drug use (estimated across sample using an indirect measure, rather than reported by participant). 8. BMI calculated from self-reported height and weight. 9. Health services usage. Self-report data on the use of the health service (e.g., GP visits, hospitalisations) (6 month follow-up). 10. Academic performance. Average exam marks and registration status (i.e., registered, transferred, withdrawn, leave of absence) at the end of Semester 1 and 2. 11. Usage of university sports facilities - self-reported and usage data from university sports facilities (6 month follow-up). 12. Engagement with the digital intervention including number of pages visited, the number of activities completed, etc. 13. Hair analysis to provide biochemical markers of various health behaviours related to alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, diet and recreational drug use. Participants who provide hair samples will also have their height and weight measured to calculate BMI. Unless otherwise indicated, the primary and secondary outcome measures will be assessed at all three time points (baseline and 1 and 6 month follow-up).

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Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed