Social Goals and Individual Incentives to Promote Walking in Older Adults

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The goal of this randomized and controlled trial is to test whether a financial incentive of a donation to achieve a social goal is more effective to motivate and sustain a daily walking habit than the same dollar value given to an older adult. The investigators will achieve this using a novel computer platform utilizing a digital pedometer-internet interface.

Official Title
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Social Goals and Individual Incentives to Promote Walking in Older Adults (Way to Walk II)

Conditions
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Physical Activity

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Financial incentive
* Behavioral: Social Goal
* Behavioral: Personal financial incentives & social goals
* Behavioral: daily pedometer use and weekly feedback


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Adult 65 years of age and older Can read and speak English Access to a personal computer with high-speed internet connection and functional Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for the study duration Able to walk 1/4 mile (i.e., 2 to 3 blocks) without stopping No pedometer use in last 30 days Exclusion Criteria: Major medical conditions including: serious heart and lung diseases diabetes requiring insulin therapy severe arthritis neurologic disorders dementia heavy alcohol use recent knee or spinal surgery

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Control Arm<br>Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week. Subjects in the Control Group will only receive pedometers and weekly feedback on their performance through the same mechanisms and with the same frequency as participants in the other three study arms. There will be no financial incentives or charity donations in this group. | Behavioral: daily pedometer use and weekly feedback<br>* Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week.<br>|
| Experimental: Personal Financial Incentives Arm<br>Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week. Each week, if pedometer is used and walking goal is met for 5 out of 7 days, participant will receive $20. Financial incentive is terminated after 4 months. Daily use of pedometer continues for an additional 4 weeks. | Behavioral: Financial incentive<br>* Participants will receive a direct financial incentive in the amount of $20 for each week when their daily pedometer step count equals or exceeds their goal at least 5 out of 7 days.<br>Behavioral: daily pedometer use and weekly feedback<br>* Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week.<br>|
| Experimental: Social Goals Arm<br>Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week. Each week participants will be asked to designate which charity should receive a donation if they meet or exceed their goal. If they meet the goal, they will be notified that a donation of $20 in their name has been sent to the charity. Charity donation is terminated after 4 months. Daily use of pedometer continues for an additional 4 weeks. | Behavioral: Social Goal<br>* Participants will be asked to identify a charity to which they would like to donate the payment for reaching their walking goal. Each week they will be asked to designate which charity should receive a donation if they meet or exceed their goal. If they meet the goal, they will be notified that a donation of $20 in their name has been sent to the charity.<br>Behavioral: daily pedometer use and weekly feedback<br>* Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week.<br>|
| Experimental: Combined Financial Incentives & Social Goals Arm<br>Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week. Each week, the participant will be asked to choose whether to keep, give, or split the reward, if they meet or exceed their goal. If they choose to send some of the money to charity, they will be asked to identify a charity to which they would like to donate the payment. If they meet their goal, they will receive money and/or be notified that a donation of the selected amount has been sent to the charity, depending on their selected preference. Incentives are terminated after 4 months. Daily use of pedometer continues for an additional 4 weeks. | Behavioral: Personal financial incentives & social goals<br>* Participants will be able to allocate their reward for reaching their walking goal: the $20 reward can be divided between personal financial incentive and a charitable donation. Each week, the participant will be asked to choose whether to keep, give, or split the reward, if they meet or exceed their goal. If they choose to send some of the money to charity, they will be asked to identify a charity to which they would like to donate the payment. If they meet their goal, they will be notified by email or mail (based on their preference), that a donation of the selected amount has been sent to the charity.<br>Behavioral: daily pedometer use and weekly feedback<br>* Daily use of pedometer for 5 months. Walking goal set based on level of walking during 2-week run-in period. Weekly feedback provided on meeting walking goal - defined as achieving goal number of steps for 5 of 7 days per week.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| mean proportion of days that step per day goals were attained |  | 16 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| mean number of steps per day |  | 16 weeks | 
| mean proportion of days that step per day goals were attained during follow-up |  | 4 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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physical activity, adults age 65 and older, financial incentives