Computer-tailored physical activity behavior change interventions targeting adults: a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Increasing physical activity is important in the promotion of better health. Computer-tailored behavior change programs have shown promise in changing lifestyle risk factors.</p> <p>Purpose</p> <p>To provide a narrative systematic review describing the range of evidence on 'second' and 'third' generation computer-tailored primary prevention interventions for physical activity, to determine their effectiveness and key characteristics of success. Unlike previous reviews, this review used specific criteria to measure the external validity of studies, was exclusive to primary prevention interventions in which tailoring was generated through an expert system, and excluded first generation computer-tailored interventions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Computer-tailored intervention studies published from January 1996–2008 were identified through a search of five databases: Medline; Embase; PsycINFO; CINAHL; and All EBM Reviews and by examining reference lists of relevant articles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Seventeen articles were included, describing the evaluation of 16 interventions, ten of which found significant positive effects of the computer-tailored interventions on physical activity or weight reduction outcomes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The evidence of effectiveness for computer-tailored physical activity interventions is inconclusive. They have potential to reach large groups of people however there is uncertainty whether reported effects are generalizable and sustained.</p

The Story of the NSW Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service®: An effective population Health Service with Public Health Impact and Reach

In February 2009, the Ministry of Health launched the NSW Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service® (GHS; www.gethealthynsw.com.au), as part of New South Wales’ response to the Australian Better Health Initiative. The GHS is a telephonebased service supporting NSW adults make sustained improvements in healthy eating, physical activity and achieving or maintaining a healthy weight

Development and implementation of Heart Team: a Facebook support group for cardiac patients

Improving adherence to cardiac rehabilitation programs should reduce the risk of repeat cardiac events and improve quality of life. We present the process of developing and piloting a Facebook support group, Heart Team, which other cardiac health professionals could adapt and trial at their hospital, rehabilitation or community service.Cardiovascular Disease Research Network Project Grant by the Australia Heart Foundatio

Cardiac Patients’ Experiences and Perceptions of Social Media: Mixed-Methods Study

Background: Traditional in-person cardiac rehabilitation has substantial benefits for cardiac patients, which are offset by poor attendance. The rapid increase in social media use in older adults provides an opportunity to reach patients who are eligible for cardiac rehabilitation but unable to attend traditional face-to-face groups. However, there is a paucity of research on cardiac patients’ experiences and perspectives on using social media to support their health.Objective: The aim of this study was to describe cardiac rehabilitation patients’ experiences in using social media in general and their perspective on using social media, particularly Facebook, to support their cardiac health and secondary prevention efforts.Methods: A mixed-methods study was undertaken among cardiac rehabilitation patients in both urban and rural areas. First, this study included a survey (n=284) on social media use and capability. Second, six focus group interviews were conducted with current Facebook users (n=18) to elucidate Facebook experience and perspectives.Results: Social media use was low (28.0%, 79/282) but more common in participants who were under 70 years of age, employed, and had completed high school. Social media users accessed Web-based information on general health issues (65%, 51/79), medications (56%, 44/79), and heart health (43%, 34/79). Participants were motivated to invest time in using Facebook for “keeping in touch” with family and friends and to be informed by expert cardiac health professionals and fellow cardiac participants if given the opportunity. It appeared that participants who had a higher level of Facebook capability (understanding of features and the consequences of their use and efficiency in use) spent more time on Facebook and reported higher levels of “liking,” commenting, or sharing posts. Furthermore, higher Facebook capability appeared to increase a participants’ willingness to participate in a cardiac Facebook support group. More capable users were more receptive to the use of Facebook for cardiac rehabilitation and more likely to express interest in providing peer support. Recommended features for a cardiac rehabilitation Facebook group included a closed group, expert cardiac professional involvement, provision of cardiac health information, and ensuring trustworthiness of the group.Conclusions: Cardiac health professionals have an opportunity to capitalize on cardiac patients’ motivations and social media, mostly Facebook, as well as the capability for supporting cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention. Participants’ favored purposeful time spent on Facebook and their cardiac health provides such a purpose for a Facebook intervention. The study results will inform the development of a Facebook intervention for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease

Strategic engagement of multicultural communities in sport and recreation: a rapid evidence review for the NSW Government Office of Sport.

The Office of Sport has engaged the SPRINTER group at the University of Sydney to undertake a rapid review to inform strategic approaches to increase the involvement of multicultural communities in sport and active recreation. The purpose of the review was to identify strategic approaches that the Office could implement to increase the involvement of multicultural communities in sport in NSW. Specifically, the review seeks to answer the following research questions: 1. What strategies have been implemented by governments or organisations to involve multicultural communities in sports? 2. Which strategies are effective at increasing multicultural communities’ involvement in sports as participants, volunteers, and leaders? This review included both peer reviewed papers and grey literature and websites, in total n=59 papers / reports / website were included; n=29 were identified through the peer reviewed search and n=30 were identified through the grey literature search. The records included in the main represent examples of sports participation programs and strategies that were based in Australia, with European examples being the showcased but to a less extent

A Case Study of an SMS Text Message Community Panel Survey and Its Potential for Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic many traditional methods of data collection, such as intercept surveys or focus groups, are not feasible. This paper proposes that establishing community panels through SMS text messages may be a useful method during the pandemic, by describing a case study of how an innovative SMS text message community panel was used for the "Shisha No Thanks" project to collect data from young adults of Arabic-speaking background about their attitudes on the harms of waterpipe smoking. Participants were asked to complete an initial recruitment survey, and then subsequently sent 1 survey question per week. The study recruited 133 participants to the SMS text message community panel and the mean response rate for each question was 73.0% (97.1/133) (range 76/133 [57.1%] to 112/133 [84.2%]). The SMS text message community panel approach is not suited for all populations, nor for all types of inquiry, particularly due to limitations of the type of responses that it allows and the required access to mobile devices. However, it is a rapid method for data collection, and therefore during the COVID-19 pandemic, it can provide service providers and policymakers with timely information to inform public health responses. In addition, this method negates the need for in-person interactions and allows for longitudinal data collection. It may be useful in supplementing other community needs assessment activities, and may be particularly relevant for people who are considered to be more difficult to reach, particularly young people, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and other groups that might otherwise be missed by traditional methods

longer term impact of the mass media campaign to promote the Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service®: increasing the saliency of a new public health program

The Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service® (GHS) was introduced in New South Wales in February 2009. It used mass reach media advertising and direct mail and/or proactive marketing to recruit participants. This article reports on the long-term impact of the campaign on GHS participation from July 2011 to June 2012. A stand-alone population survey collected awareness, knowledge, and behavioral variables before the first advertising phase, (n = 1,544, August-September 2010), during the advertising period (n = 1,500, February-March 2011; n = 1,500, June-July 2011; n = 1,500, February 2012), and after the advertising period (n = 1,500, June-July 2012). GHS usage data (n = 6,095) were collated during July 2011-June 2012. Unprompted and prompted awareness of GHS mass media significantly increased (0% to 8.0%, p < .001; and 14.1% to 43.9%, p < .001, respectively) as well as knowledge and perceived effectiveness of the GHS. Those from the lowest three quintiles of socioeconomic disadvantage and respondents who were overweight or obese were significantly more likely to report prompted campaign awareness. The majority (84.4%) of new GHS calls occurred when television advertising was present. Participants who cited mass media as their referral source were significantly more likely to enroll in the intensive coaching program. Mass media campaigns remain an effective method of promoting a telephone-based statewide lifestyle program

Getting the message across: outcomes and risk profiles by awareness levels of the "measure-up" obesity prevention campaign in Australia.

Obesity campaign evaluations have used campaign awareness to assess impact, yet have not compared unprompted campaign recallers, with prompted recallers and those with no campaign recall. Using data from an Australian mass-media obesity prevention campaign linking waist circumference and chronic disease we examined whether those with different degrees of campaign recall are distinct groups demographically and for subsequent campaign effects.A national cross-sectional telephone survey of randomly selected adults aged 18 to 65 years was conducted post- campaign (n = 2812) covering campaign recall, self-reported diet and physical activity (PA) and waist-measuring knowledge, behaviours and intentions to make lifestyle changes. Respondents were divided into three groups indicating campaign recall: Unprompted Recallers (n=1154); Prompted Recallers (n=1284); and No Recallers (n=374) and compared on demographic, knowledge, and behavioural risk factors for obesity/chronic disease.Unprompted Recallers were more likely to speak English at home (p<.001), be in the primary campaign target group (25-45 years with children) (p<0.001) than the other two groups and to be university educated and female than the Prompted Recall group only (p=0.001). Unprompted Recallers had better knowledge about recommended waist circumference (p<.001), fruit (p=0.004), vegetable (p<0.001) and PA guidelines (p<0.001) than both the other groups. The No Recall group was less likely than the other two to be overweight/obese (46% vs 55%, p=0.020 and 54%, p=0.037), comparable on meeting fruit consumption and PA guidelines but more likely to meet vegetable intake recommendations (than Unprompted Recallers only).Unprompted recallers were more knowledgeable about campaign messages; behaviour change and intentions to change were stronger for the two recall groups compared with the No Recall group but not different between them. The current analysis revealed subtle differences in campaign exposure and/or attendance by different demographic subgroups that would not be apparent in a simple aware/unaware dichotomy