Title: Career Development Fellowship: Social Network Enabled Interventions for Physical Activity Behaviour Change
Funder: Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (HSC R&D) of Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland

Abstract: Background: Levels of physical inactivity are increasing in the UK and globally. This is contributing to rising levels of obesity and chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. It is widely acknowledged that the social networks within which we are embedded can affect our health and bahavioural choices, and have been identified as a potentially important mediator pf PA behaviour. However, we know little about how these networks can be used to influence behaviour change. Social networl enabled interventions, which purposefully use social networks to influence behaviour, have considerable potential for significant population reach at minimal cost. However, given the complexity of the possible mechanisms of action, carefully planned development work must be undertaken prior to testing such an intervention in the "real world". Objectives: The Fellowship aims to answer the following questions: 1) what is the effectiveness of social network enabled interventions of rPA behaviour change?; 2) what Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) and Social Network Functions (SNFs) are effective for PA behaviour change?; 3) what is the structure of social networks in a workplace setting, how do they change over time and how do they impact on PA behaviour?; 4) what is the optimal design for a network enabled intervention, and how can the important network parameters be monitored and manipulated in real-time?; 5) what are the views of stakeholders and users on the design and development of a social network enabled intervention for PA bahaviour change?; 6) what are the viable methods of recruitment, implementation, evaluation and resources needed for the development of a future definitive trial? The Fellowshio is underpinned by a number of training and development objectives, including undertaking training in social network analysis (SNA) techniques; the application of agent-based modelling (ABM) for intervention design, developing key leadership and management skills; and, developing a multidisciplinary team of collaborators. Design: Following MRC guidelines for compelx interventions, the Fellowship aims to undertake the following programme of work; 1) a systematic review and meta-analyses of social network interventions for PA behaviour change, including identification of effective BCTs and SNFs; 2) explore the structure, function and dynamic nature of social networks for PA behaviour using subjective sociametric data from a workplace setting, using SNA techniques; 3) use ABM to inform the optimal design of a social network enabled intervention for PA behaviour change by simulation of various network parameters and mechanisms using "real world" data from a workplace setting; 4) focus groups (n=6) to explore the views of stakeholders (Occupational Health personnel, senior managers, IT staff) and users (employees) in the design and development of a social network enabled intervention for PA behaviour change in a workplace setting; 4) to conduct a mixed methods pilot study of a 12-week social network enabled intervention for PA behaviour change in a public sector organisation (n=60 participants). Expected Outcomes: Outcomes of the research include investigating the effectiveness of social network interventions (systematic review); ascertaining the influence of social networks on PA behaviour in the workplace (SNA); determining the optimal design of a network intervention (ABM); testing the implementation of such an intervention in a workplace setting (pilot study). It is anticipated that this Fellowship will result in at least 5 peer-reviewed publications, development of a multidisciplinary team of collaborators and extensive formative knowledge to development a funding application for a definitive trial, and lead to establishing myself as an independent researcher. Anticipated Benefits: This Fellowship will address important knowledge gaps and help build skills, capacity and the necessary evidence base, including methodological advancements, for a social network enabled intervention for PA behaviour change, which has considerable public health significance.


Research activity codes: 3.1 PRIMARY PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOURS OR PROMOTE WELL-BEING
Health categories: CANCER AND NEOPLASMS;CARDIOVASCULAR;METABOLIC AND ENDOCRINE;ORAL AND GASTROINTESTINAL;STROKE